Princes Nikolai, Felix, Henrik & Princess Athena, Part 1: February 2012 - July 2018

[helenbeee]

I just posted a comment on another thread saying how there werent manty fotos of Athena and here she is!!
Very cute little girl she is too I love her solemn little looks :)

[Muhler]

Interview with Joachim in Billed Bladet #5, 2015.
Interviewer: Trine Larsen. - Whom Joachim seem to genuinely trust and open up for.

This is an interview with a very proud father talking about his oldest son in particular and his children in general. It's actually a very heartwarming interview, so enjoy.

As we all know Nikolai is living at the boarding school of Herlufsholm and that has changed him and matured him: "Yes, I can in particular sense that on Nikolai who have now moved on that he has something good with him in his luggage. That the years at Krebs School has given him a good ballast because they give the pupils there more than just their school corriculum. They also learn some values in life that influence their way of behaving and which benefit them later on.
But Nikolai is also so pleased with being at Herlufsholm. He's like a fish in the water. He has ended up on just the right shelve. It's marvelous to see how he has now become a young man. He's growing over my head and it's fantastic to see and feel - also in being together with him - all the things we go and talk about and the things we can talk about now. All the things he's asking about and all the things I can ask him about... it really is marvelous to be with him.
And then it's so funny to see that he still has no problems at all about being big brother for both Felix but also the little ones. They adore him him and he loves them as well. To see the four of them being together and how the two youngest look up to the older is fantastic. They tease and bully each other a bit between themselves about gaining the favor of one or the other. It's really funny to see".

The children are very loving: "It's a gift when that is so. It's certainly not written anywhere that it must be so and (things) working without a hitch between siblings. It is not necessarily a natural thing. But it's marvelous to see that they each tackle it in such a natural way. That this is how they want it and this is how it is.
And when it's about Nikolai it's so much fun, because it's both play between children but also a bit of upbringing. And great to see that the older ones actually look very much after the little ones. The two older ones are really good in dealing with the youngest and it's a natural things that they look after them.
Nikolai has reached an age now where he with being told to and as a matter of course takes part in the toil... and enjoys it while he is also... well, it's more than a play-brother. It's more like a role model. He shows that he can easily be both a play-brother and role model at the same time... and a protection.
To see ones children happy, contend, well balanced within themselves and to sense them grow... both physically and up in the head, just as Nikolai is doing now, that's the greatest gift you can have as parents. In a way it's also the greatest gift for the children.
It's good luggage too to bring with them on their journey through life that they are well balanced in every respect. That they know how to cope/manage in a proper manner, but while also being free persons and not just some poor souls who have some set roles to play. They do have a different life from so many others and that they must know. That there are privileges but also that the medal has a back and that can hit a lot harder than they can possibly imagine. So there is no reason to tempt destiny".

Joachim is also proud of the way his children deals with the press and the public life: "Yes, that I think they have. Very well in fact. They are fantastic".

[polyesco]

very nice interview
Nikolai is certainly a great big brother and seems like a nice young man

[dazzling]

HH PRINCE HENRIK'S START IN SCHOOL
Announcement

[Muhler]

That's a fairly logical choice. The school is located about a kilometer from J&M's new home. So they don't have to drive into downtown Copenhagen to or from school.
The neighborhood the school is located in is not surprisingly affluent! But apart from that I've never heard about that school before.

[melina premiere]

Prince Henrik is very beautiful on the photo of the announce.

[polyesco]

I thought maybe he would start at the same school Nikolai and Felix attended/attends.

But i guess it makes more sense to have a school close to home.
Is this a private school or public?

[Archduchess Zelia]

Like Krebs, it's private. It's also a Catholic school.
______________

I had hoped that they would do like Mary and Frederik and choose a state school (Tranegårdskolen might be a Hellerup-based, humble-brag school predominantly attended by wealthy people's children but at least it's a state school attended by local not as well-off children attend as well), but I suppose that's too much to ask of Joachim

[camelot23ca]

Marie was Catholic prior to marrying Joachim, wasn't she? Maybe she wanted Henrik to have some exposure to that part of his heritage.

Joachim does sometimes give me the impression of being snobby, although that might be an uncharitable way to describe it. :) But I imagine the day to day school experiences of Joachim's children and those of Mary and Frederik's kids are much the same. Elite private school with maybe a few scholarship students vs. elite public school with some middle class kids. If I remember correctly, Mary and Frederik had to bend some rules to get Christian into this particular public school, and I'm sure there was a reason for that.

[Archduchess Zelia]

Oh, believe me, you're not alone with that impression That's the general view of the vast majority of all Danes (myself included ). And of course you are right, it doesn't really matter if it's a private school or an elite state school but Tranegårdskolen does have a number of ordinary, local students (a great deal more than Krebs has, don't know about Sct. Joseph Søstrenes – had honestly not heard about it until today) and I guess I'm sort of blindly hoping that they will add a sense of realism to Christian and Isabella's education.

[Muhler]

Well, my oldest went to a private school. Surely that doesn't make me a snob?

M&F chose a state school, fine. And it's one of the best in DK - and also quite a distance from both Amalienborg and Fredensborg, so it wasn't the local school they chose. They deliberately selected the best possible state school they could find in the Copenhagen area.

I think we should be careful not to be unfair towards Joachim and Marie. They chose the school that suited their needs, their child and their means and it's pretty local. - In that respect they are no different from a very considerable percentage of other parents here in DK.

[Archduchess Zelia]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Well, my oldest went to a private school. Surely that doesn't make me a snob?

M&F chose a state school, fine. And it's one of the best in DK - and also quite a distance from both Amalienborg and Fredensborg, so it wasn't the local school they chose. They deliberately selected the best possible state school they could find in the Copenhagen area.

I think we should be careful not to be unfair towards Joachim and Marie. They chose the school that suited their needs, their child and their means and it's pretty local. - In that respect they are no different from a very considerable percentage of other parents here in DK.

But in theory, your oldest doesn't need to know a broad range of people, from wealthy to less fortunate (although that definitely would be a benefit) – and one can argue that the royal children know a lot of upper class children already so variation and insight that not all families are as fortunate as those in their social circle would be great for them. And I say that as someone who has been privately education for a part of my own secondary education (at QMII's old school, actually) – so I'm speaking from experience and am not just making things up as I go I might also just add that the individual private schools are vastly different. Krebs is quite notoriously an elitist school whereas, say, Ingrid Jespersens is more of a mixed crowd. N. Zahles has been up there with Krebs but thankfully the elitism has died down, I reckon. I obviously can't speak for Sct. Josephs because I don't know anything about it.

I completely agree that Tranegårdskolen is a massive humble-brag school. Yet it's still a state school with loads of ordinary, local children not to mention the fact that them choosing a state school was so important because state schools need all the support they can get.

And I don't know exactly where anyone has been unjust to Joachim and Marie?

[camelot23ca]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Well, my oldest went to a private school. Surely that doesn't make me a snob?

M&F chose a state school, fine. And it's one of the best in DK - and also quite a distance from both Amalienborg and Fredensborg, so it wasn't the local school they chose. They deliberately selected the best possible state school they could find in the Copenhagen area.

I think we should be careful not to be unfair towards Joachim and Marie. They chose the school that suited their needs, their child and their means and it's pretty local. - In that respect they are no different from a very considerable percentage of other parents here in DK.

My impression of Joachim being snobby is a general one, formed over my years of watching, but not knowing, the Danish royal family. It may be completely unfair to him! I don't judge him for sending his children to whatever school he sees fit, whether that's public or private.

[dazzling]

I dont get what the problem is if Joachim and Marie decided on a private school, catholic school. Each parent chooses a school that suits their children. One school can work well for one kid and the other kids a different school. Also I could go on about a school but you might not like that school for your child. Moreover, why does it matter if they go to a private or public school, it's the parent's choice and I think that should be respected without judging.

Krebs is the school that Frederik and Joachim attended, honestly I don't see why their children have to go to the same school. Schools over the year change, educational system changes and so on.

[Biri]

Catholic school? For children who are to be raised Protestants?

[Molly2101]

Originally Posted by dazzling

Krebs is the school that Frederik and Joachim attended, honestly I don't see why their children have to go to the same school. Schools over the year change, educational system changes and so on.

I agree with this. The British Royals seem to stick to the same schools for their children which is traditional but as you say, schools and education systems change so perhaps a new school for the Windsor's is a good idea? 6 of the Windsor's went to Gordonstoun (Charles, Andrew, Edward, Lady Helen, Peter and Zara Phillips) and many of the men went to Eton. Eton is of course a good school but there are other good schools (Dulwich College and Harrow to name two others) so I am hoping James, Viscount Severn goes to one of those instead. Louise is likely to go to Marlborough College like her cousin Eugenie (and Kate Middleton. Beatrice went to St George's in Ascot as did Lady Rose and Lady Davina). She may go to the private school her mum Sophie attended in Kent but that's unlikely. The Windsor's stick to what they know sadly.

[Archduchess Zelia]

Originally Posted by dazzling

I dont get what the problem is if Joachim and Marie decided on a private school, catholic school. Each parent chooses a school that suits their children. One school can work well for one kid and the other kids a different school. Also I could go on about a school but you might not like that school for your child. Moreover, why does it matter if they go to a private or public school, it's the parent's choice and I think that should be respected without judging.

I'm sorry but I simply have to ask again, who is judging them? I merely stated what I'd hoped they would choose (and that what I had hoped they would choose probably wouldn't have been Joachim's, eh, preference – based on observations, of course, rather than actual knowledge), I didn't jump down their throat for not choosing the school they find suitable for their son

Originally Posted by Biri

Catholic school? For children who are to be raised Protestants?

It's perfectly possible for Protestant children to go to Catholic schools – perhaps Henrik will be excused from religion classes but I doubt it (and it sort of would defy the purpose of sending him to a specifically Catholic school). Protestantism and Catholicism aren't drastically different though.

[HereditaryPrincess]

I'm a little surprised by the choice of school, since it's Catholic, however as Archduchess Zelia has pointed out, it's possible for Protestant children to attend Catholic schools - a couple of my friends who are Protestant went to Catholic primary schools, they attended the religious classes but weren't allowed to have a First Holy Communion. I also like camelot23ca's thoughts of why Little Henrik is attending a Catholic school (in that Marie was Catholic before her marriage to Joachim).

I wasn't surprised about the school being private since Nikolai and Felix both attend private schools. I think Joachim is sticking to the older traditions in the DRF when it comes to education. However, it would've been nice if Little Henrik could've attend a state school like Christian and Isabella do. I like how some of the European Royal Children are now attending state schools rather than the more traditional Royal choice of private schools. I would love for the British Royal Family to do the same, but I can't see that happening, as the BRF have always come across as rather traditional to me.

[iceflower]

.

Hard to believe, but cute little Henrik already turns 6 today, May 4th!

Two lovely new portraits have been released today:



** kongehuset.dk: H.H. Prins Henrik 6 år **

[Molly2101]

Henrik is super cute and hard to believe he is 6. Lovely new portraits of the little Prince. =]