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

[LibrarianDaisy]

I watched it live on Billed Bladet's facebook feed and she was very reluctant to come out, bless her. At the end the camera panned round and you saw all the other photographers and news cameras that were there and I'm not surprised that it was very daunting for a 5 year old. Also, I don't think she's as experienced as her cousins in facing lots of cameras and being the centre of attention as they are, after all, the children of the Crown Prince. I thought her parents dealt with it very well, in a calm and humorous manner.

 

[Nordic]

Also, I don't think she's as experienced as her cousins in facing lots of cameras and being the centre of attention as they are, after all, the children of the Crown Prince.

I don't know about that. The children of Joachim and Marie (and before that Alexandra) seem to accompany their parents on official events with cameras quite often.

 

[LibrarianDaisy]

I was probably just thinking of the tour of Greenland that the Crown Prince family did and then made a big assumption. Happy to be corrected but I do still think they get more exposure

 

[iceflower]

.

Here are some more additional pics of Athena's big day:



** svenskdam.se: Nervöst med första skoldagen **


** bt.dk: Se de søde billeder: Genert prinsesse Athena gemte sig før første skoledag **

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Awww, she does't seem very enthusiastic about going to school (can't say i blame her)

Cute little dress, though, matchy with mom

Poor baby. I love how her mother comforted her.?

 

[polyesco]

video of Athena's first day

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1795726087109581

Im sure she will have fun!

another short article on Athena's first day of school
Væk var hun: Prinsesse gemmer sig for pressen – Ekstra Bladet

"And then Athena was asked what she had in her new nice little school bag.
"Not a thing, she answered"
(this was google translate so apologizes if the translation is not correct)

.

Here are some more additional pics of Athena's big day:



** svenskdam.se: Nervöst med första skoldagen **


** bt.dk: Se de søde billeder: Genert prinsesse Athena gemte sig før første skoledag **

this picture is just LOL
https://bt.bmcdn.dk/media/cache/resolve/image_1240/image/104/1040197/18148942-billede-11.jpg

their dog was ready to pose for the cameras
https://bt.bmcdn.dk/media/cache/resolve/image_1240/image/104/1040199/18149025-billede-13.jpg

 

[LibrarianDaisy]

I like the way they have presented it - she was eventually coaxed out, bless her. I'm sure she's had a great day and is now busy telling her parents all about it.

 

[Mbruno]

As a 5-year-old, is that school or still preschool in Denmark ? Also, I wonder why the school term starts so early in Denmark (second week of August).

 

[An Ard Ri]

Here's a video of Princess Athena's 1st day of school!

 

[Muhler]

Sweet to see that royal children can be shy and overwhelmed too.
I read on another forum some people saying she should have been brought up to better face the press. But come on, she's five years old!

Joachim explained that Athena eagerly writes her name, even though the N tend to be turned the other way around.

As a 5-year-old, is that school or still preschool in Denmark ? Also, I wonder why the school term starts so early in Denmark (second week of August).

Preschool. 0. grade is a transition between kindergarten and regular school. Where the children combine play and learning, and gradually let them become used to regular schooling and dos and don't of school.
It is also a chance to assess the children, in case they need to wait another year after all.

I don't know why school starts in August here in DK.
Perhaps due to the "potato-holiday" in October. The potato-holiday was introduced as a necessity. In a country where at the time the majority lived in the countryside, children were needed for the potato harvest and were kept home anyway. So it was simply decided to make a virtue out of necessity.

 

[betina]

Preschool. 0. grade is a transition between kindergarten and regular school. Where the children combine play and learning, and gradually let them become used to regular schooling and dos and don't of school.
It is also a chance to assess the children, in case they need to wait another year after all.

I don't know why school starts in August here in DK.
Perhaps due to the "potato-holiday" in October. The potato-holiday was introduced as a necessity. In a country where at the time the majority lived in the countryside, children were needed for the potato harvest and were kept home anyway. So it was simply decided to make a virtue out of necessity.

Looking at Athena, she looks like a girl who schould have waited a year before starting school. I have no idea why Joachims children are starting school at the age of 5???

Its actually not a transition anymore. Before it was, but now 0. grade has turned into a regular school aswell.

All children have 200 schooldays each year. Some years ago, the politicians actually moved the summer holliday further into august, as the weather was better in august than june

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Thank you to those who shared the photos and videos of Athena's first day. I don't think Athena seemed as if she should have been kept back a year; and the fact that she is starting a year earlier would suggest that she is gifted for her age or that Joachim and Marie, who know their daughter best, felt that she was ready to start school this year rather than next. She did seem shy in the photoshoot but as other posters have already suggested, that could have been due to the fact that the press were there. As she has a more minor place in the succession, Athena is exposed to less of the press than her Crown Princely cousins. She's also still very young, and at that age having lots of clicking cameras and strangers asking you questions must be incredibly daunting - heck, I'd feel rather daunted in her position now and I'm obviously a lot older than Athena.

On a different note, I thought it was cute when she said "not a thing" when the press asked her what was in her schoolbag I hope Athena had a fun first day!

 

[Thena]

Awww, my little namesake is growing up so fast!

I do feel sorry for her having to face that horde of camera without her siblings and cousins. I wonder if this is the first time she's had all the press attention focused on her.

 

[polyesco]

I think Athena did well. She has been to many events with her parents and cameras. Just recently Joachim and the Copenhagen race derbies.

I don't think her facing the press should be a reflection on if she is ready or not for school. The two are not dependent on each other.
She might just had an off day with the press, but I'm sure she will enjoy school.

Now what are Marie and Joachim going to occupy themselves with without lively Athena at home during the day lol

 

[iceflower]

.

Normally Joachim's family doesn't make it into the dailymail...maybe it's because of the silly season


** dailymail: A right royal tantrum: Princess Athena of Denmark proves she is just like any other five-year-old as she throws.. **

 

[acdc1]

I think that Athena looks very similar to her cousin Isabella- I've never noticed it before!

 

[polyesco]

.

Normally Joachim's family doesn't make it into the dailymail...maybe it's because of the silly season


** dailymail: A right royal tantrum: Princess Athena of Denmark proves she is just like any other five-year-old as she throws.. **

Oh Dailymail, nice pictures but as always the headline and article are silly. And they can't even do basic research stating "Royal children now attend public schools in Denmark*"; Joachim's kids go to private schools.
But good on the Dailymail to refrain from mentioning Henrik's outbursts, at least for one article.

 

[CrownPrincessJava]

.

Normally Joachim's family doesn't make it into the dailymail...maybe it's because of the silly season


** dailymail: A right royal tantrum: Princess Athena of Denmark proves she is just like any other five-year-old as she throws.. **

Dear Lord. What a headline and article. Typical Daily Fail dribble

 

[Thena]

Oh Dailymail, nice pictures but as always the headline and article are silly. And they can't even do basic research stating "Royal children now attend public schools in Denmark*"; Joachim's kids go to private schools.
But good on the Dailymail to refrain from mentioning Henrik's outbursts, at least for one article.

Plus they mention 2 paragraphs later that Athena's older brother attends "the same Catholic school."

I also loved how they worked in the part about Joachim meeting Marie while he was still married, like that's relevant.

 

[betina]

Plus they mention 2 paragraphs later that Athena's older brother attends "the same Catholic school."

I also loved how they worked in the part about Joachim meeting Marie while he was still married, like that's relevant.

But it is a catholic private school and prince Henrik is attending the same school.

 

[royal rob]

But it is a catholic private school and prince Henrik is attending the same school.

In England isn't a private school called a public school I'm pretty sure it is. Anyway what's it matter ?

 

[Muhler]

Correct.

That they are attending a Catholic school doesn't make that big a difference. The school is merely based on Catholic values and for predominantly Catholic children, it doesn't mean the pupils have to be, let alone are brought up to be Catholics.
J&M simply for reasons of their own chose and like this school.

 

[royal rob]

Good for them for going with a school that meets their values.

 

[betina]

In England isn't a private school called a public school I'm pretty sure it is. Anyway what's it matter ?

I got this message from one of my British friends:

A school you pay for is generally called a private school whereas the schools you can access freely are state schools but more of them are known as academies now

 

[tommy100]

Confusingly in the UK, in older times fee paying schools were known as public schools, hence the term "public school boys". This term has grown out of fashion though and usually only referred/refers to very traditional secondary (age 11-18) schools that are boarding schools and often single sex schools. So "private school" refers to all fee paying schools in the UK, some of which could also be called "public schools".
Schools that no not charge fees and are funded by the state are often known as "state schools" rather than "public schools". (Though even more confusingly in Scotland state schools are known as "public schools" - don't ask!)
Academies are a new type of school where they are funded wholly or largely by the state but are not under the control of the Local Authority and have more say in what and how they teach, they do not charge fees.

 

[Elektra]

Prince Nikolai's 18th birthday will be celebrated by a family dinner on the Dannebrog on August 28th.

Privat til redaktionerne: H.M. Dronningen holder middag i anledning af H.H. Prins Nikolais 18-års fødselsdag | Kongehuset

 

[polyesco]

How nice. A birthday dinner for her oldest grandson turning 18
Dronningen holder 18-års fest for prins Nikolai | BILLED-BLADET
http://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelig...e-her-skal-prins-nikolais-18-aars-fest-holdes
Looking forward to it

 

[Muhler]

Indeed. BB will show live from the celebrations tomorrow at 18.40. Presumably guests arriving to Dannebrog by chaluppe.
It's not easy to find the live links on BB's site! But you can find them if you look: BILLED-BLADET Play – Danmarks Royale TV | Kongelige videoer fra BILLED-BLADET

I've just flipped through the BB magazine edition for this week, #34.
And there are a few details about Nikolai's future.

Monday is a normal day at school at Herlufsholm, so he will be celebrated in the evening.

It is in the stars that Joachim's children are destined to live a fairly ordinary life with their own careers, so tomorrow will not be an official flagday, nor will his birthday be a flagday in the future.
There are no plans for Nikolai to act as a Rigsforstander. So I guess he'll be kept in reserve, just in case, but otherwise he is unlikely to act as Rigsforstander. Perhaps never.
There will be no commemorative coins or stamps produced on the occasion of his birthday.
Nikolai will retain his place in the Line of Succession. Currently he is number seven.

According to Joachim it will be very much up to Nikolai himself whether he wish to take on protections or not.
I can only interpret that as Nikolai having no plans of becoming a working royal and I can't help wondering whether he will give up his title as prince once he marries.
According to Joachim, Nikolai is likely to sign up for volunteer conscription, provided he is physically able bodied. In fact Joachim pretty much expects it.

I believe he is physically able, since he has been doing parkour, which is a very physical activity.
Nikolai used to have a considerable interest in music. (Or at least he attended music lessons.) But he has lost interest in that in recent years, even though he is described as "musical".

- I think this is an indication of how the rest of Joachim's children will be handled. - I.e. unless they desire to become active, they will quietly glide out of the DRF.
Of course Joachim and Alexandra between them can offer their children an economically comfortable life.

 

[JR76]

Indeed. BB will show live from the celebrations tomorrow at 18.40. Presumably guests arriving to Dannebrog by chaluppe.
It's not easy to find the live links on BB's site! But you can find them if you look: BILLED-BLADET Play – Danmarks Royale TV | Kongelige videoer fra BILLED-BLADET

I've just flipped through the BB magazine edition for this week, #34.
And there are a few details about Nikolai's future.

Monday is a normal day at school at Herlufsholm, so he will be celebrated in the evening.

It is in the stars that Joachim's children are destined to live a fairly ordinary life with their own careers, so tomorrow will not be an official flagday, nor will his birthday be a flagday in the future.
There are no plans for Nikolai to act as a Rigsforstander. So I guess he'll be kept in reserve, just in case, but otherwise he is unlikely to act as Rigsforstander. Perhaps never.
There will be no commemorative coins or stamps produced on the occasion of his birthday.
Nikolai will retain his place in the Line of Succession. Currently he is number seven.

According to Joachim it will be very much up to Nikolai himself whether he wish to take on protections or not.
I can only interpret that as Nikolai having no plans of becoming a working royal and I can't help wondering whether he will give up his title as prince once he marries.
According to Joachim, Nikolai is likely to sign up for volunteer conscription, provided he is physically able bodied. In fact Joachim pretty much expects it.

I believe he is physically able, since he has been doing parkour, which is a very physical activity.
Nikolai used to have a considerable interest in music. (Or at least he attended music lessons.) But he has lost interest in that in recent years, even though he is described as "musical".

- I think this is an indication of how the rest of Joachim's children will be handled. - I.e. unless they desire to become active, they will quietly glide out of the DRF.
Of course Joachim and Alexandra between them can offer their children an economically comfortable life.

Do you think there's a chance for him giving up his royal title and live life as a Count de Monpezat?

 

[Muhler]

Do you think there's a chance for him giving up his royal title and live life as a Count de Monpezat?

Yes, I actually think so. Once at least Christian has turned 18. - Just in case...
By then Nikolai my be well on his way in his education for whatever career he will choose. And a life as a commoner will give him more freedom in many ways.
He's a bright young man, with a good inheritance waiting for him, once Joachim is gone, so he doesn't have to remain a royal, simply to provide a suitable living for him. If I am to be cynical. - That after all has always been a problem with royal children who are either not the sharpest knife in the drawer or handicapped to a considerable extent.

He will of course be Count de Montpezat, but I think it's likely QMII, or perhaps king Frederik, will give him an additional title, if he gives up his title as prince. Perhaps Count of Frederiksborg? I'm sure Alexandra would approve.
And it will prevent a multitude of Montpezats all over the place in only a generation from now. and make it easier to distinguish Joachim's children from inactive children of M&F.