Princess Elisabeth, Current Events Part 1: April 2004 - June 2018

[Muhler]

And now for a slightly depressing article.
I wonder what you think of this. Compare also with the previous post.

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #01, 2018.
Written by Anna Johannesen.

As you know Elisabeth moved into her childhood home at Sorgenfri manor, or more correctly, she moved in at the adjacent Ladies Building, because the manor itself is now used for storage, in particular of furnitures.
Right now she only live on the groundfloor.

She says to our reporter: "It's taen some while to settle in, because I was very fond of my house in Holte. (Part of Copenhagen). but it was still a bit like coming home when I moved in here. I've after all grown up here".

She spends most of her time in the living room with the TV.
"It's on all day. I watch all sorts of things on TV. Nature, entertainment and series. That however means I never get around to reading a book.
I rarely come in the rooms upstairs, because I have a bit of a problem going up the stairs".

Her nieces Camilla and Josephine helps her with shopping and practical matters.
"The girls are very sweet and drop by regularly and so does their little sister Feodora. Their children are also a good help, but they have their school to attend, so I don't see them quite so often".

It helps that she, at the age of 82, has just had her drivers license renewed. So she can get around on her own.

But she spends a lot of time on her own.
"It's not easy at all to grow old. To me the worst isn't that the health is failing. The worst is the loss of my dear ones and those many friends who are no more. When my best friend, Jane, died I thought I would never recover from it and even thought it's now been more than two years, I still think of her every day.
I also miss my younger brother, Christian, and his lovely wife, Anne Dorte. We had a good relationship, so it's a big loss.
Sometimes I can also feel sidelined, when I sit here in the corner of my couch. Then it can be difficult to remain cheerful".

[M. Payton]

She seems a very sad and lonely lady with hardly anyone around anymore. Is she living in a good clean safe place that can be made into her home if someone would help her set it up so that she feels more like it is her home? A home is something that is very important for those of us that are at this stage in our lives. Any why does her family not take more of an interest in her life? You can not expect young nieces to take care of her all the time....being a senior lady I understand that the world passes us by with little thought or care for it seems we have lived out our use fullness to the younger generation........yet how quickly the younger generation forgets that we have the knowledge and intelligence to help them learn. I wish her well and hopefully things will get better for her...

[MidwestMom]

I think the article shows that Princess Elisabeth is having the same issues as seniors the world over. If you have a good safe place to live, people that care about you, and are able to do for yourself most of the time, that's not so bad. It's good that she can still drive. If I weren't able to drive, my life would drastically change - I would lose much of my independence. Good luck to Princess Elisabeth - may she have good years ahead of her.

[Hannelore]

My thoughts were the same: it's like this for many older persons. TV has become such an important companion in their lives because they don't get out much anymore. Good to hear her nieces do visit her and help her.

Maybe time for Mary to bring her "Alle har ret til at høre til" slogans into practice?

[Muhler]

Thanks for your observations.

Yes, it's sad reading.

I think it's very clear that the core DRF and the Rosenborgs don't have much of a relationship. Perhaps with the exception of Count Ingolf and Joachim.
And the words of the Mary Foundation about including everyone, might be relevant here.
However, it's not my impression Frederik, and as such Mary, consider Elisabeth much more than a distant aunt in an otherwise busy life. I can't see them starting to visit her now.
And if anyone ought to begin it should IMO be QMII and Benedikte.

Well, no family is perfect.
And who knows, perhaps she is not that lonely.
I have after all experienced quite a few times how elderly can sit surrounded by relatives and claim they are lonely, and genuinely mean it.
One's views are after all influenced very much by your state of mind.

[Hannelore]

That's very true, Muhler. Also, picking up the phone yourself and inviting someone over, if only for a coffee and a chat, can help break your loneliness too.

The Danish RF is like any other family, with lots of members not really having contact with each other unless they have to - only in this family's case there's a need to portray a different image to the outside world. It seems most of us still long for this picture perfect image of "a family", while most of us have divorced parents, estranged siblings, difficult grandparents, irritating inlaws... You pick one you recognize

[iceflower]

.

Princess Elisabeth celebrates her 83rd birthday today, May 8:


** Pic ** kongehuset.dk: H.H. Prinsesse Elisabeth **

[Tarlita]

That is a lovely photo of her. She looks very good for an 83 year old. I would suggest she join a senior citizens group. They do lots of things and have outings. I imagine you have something similar in Denmark. She needs to get involved in things like a Bridge club (cards) or similar. She could always invite people around for a coffee or something. Being socialable is very important at any age. We have to keep the mind active as well as the body. Pre schoolers would love to see a real live Princess dressed up in a tiara and give a little talk about Kings and Queens. She might get a thrill out of doing that herself.