The Most Or Least Prepared Heir

[Aurora810]

I’m relatively new here and I’m still getting comfortable with the many different royals. After reading some posts in different threads I decided it would be interesting to discuss the things that the different crown princes and the one crown princess are doing to prepare themselves for their future jobs as King or Queen.

The types of schooling, special training programs, and any other things that they are involved with that seem to be helping them prepare for their future can be discussed. And also who seems to be the least prepared at this point?

All opinions are of course welcome.

 

[ysbel]

Great question aurora.

The best prepared I think are Charles, Prince of Wales and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

 

[ZandraRae]

I agree ysbel. Charles has had more years to prepare than perhaps any other heir and he has learned from the Queen Mum and QEII (what more can you ask?). He will make a fine ruler one day. As for Victoria, I have always liked her, and hope to see her succeed in her role. She is an outstanding you lady.

 

[Aurora810]

I also think Charles is the obvious choice but I hope many others will give their opinions on other royals.

I love Victoria obviously look at my avatar. However, I recently read that she doesn't actually have a degree in anything. She's done some study programs but no degree was ever received. So I wonder what is the thought on that? I think she can certainly learn all she needs to learn without an actual degree, other people do it all the time and make millions. But I hope some people more in the know than I will also give their opinions.

 

[actr]

The best prepared: the Prince of Wales and the Prince of Orange.

The least prepared: Crown prince Frederik of Denmark.

 

[planetcher]

Most Prepared: Prince Charles and Prince Felipe (I don't follow Philippe, Haakon, or Willem-Alexander)

Leat Prepared: Prince Frederik

 

[janos614]

Most prepared: Prince Charles

Least prepared: CP Frederik

 

[crisiñaki]

about Frederik, why does everyone say that he's not prepared? (from Wikipedia):

* He studied at Harvard University from 1992-1993 studying political science. He then took up a position for three months with the Danish UN mission in New York in 1994. He received an MSc in Political Science from the University of Aarhus, which he completed in February 1995.
* posted as First Secretary to the Danish Embassy in Paris from October 1998-October 1999.
* has completed extensive military studies and training in all three services, notably completing education as a frogman (Danish Frømand) in the naval special forces Danish Frogman Corps.In the period 2001 and 2002, the Crown Prince completed further training for leaders at the Royal Danish Defence College. Crown Prince Frederik remains active in the defence, and in the period 2002-2003 served as a staff officer at Defence Command Denmark, and from 2003 as a senior lecturer with the Institute of Strategy at the Royal Danish Defence College.

Frederik likes to sail and it's a fun-loving guy but it doesn't necessarily mean that he's not prepared, besides he's had the "regent" experience (like Haakon) so he's more in tune with what a King does and represent than many of his European counterparts, specially now that his mother is going on and off surgery

Much less prepared are those princes who had never had a job (even a symbolic one like Fred did) and don't have practice in diplomacy or politics, one thing is to visit countries and represent your own and another very different one is to work in an Embassy or in the ONU, the "practical" learning is much more complete that way, not to mention the gruesome physical training Frederik took (by his own will) in the Danish Navy SEAL and the fact that he's learnt a lot of things there and can lecture about it, most Princes took their military training as an opportunity to wear uniforms and I don't like that

 

[Mari_*]

Most prepared: Prince Felipe & Prince Charles

Least prepared: Prince Frederik

 

[Royal Fan]

Most Prepared : Charles Prince of Wales
Least Prepared Willem - Alexander (Although hes an awsome Son, Father and Husband).

 

[User0501]

I’m relatively new here and I’m still getting comfortable with the many different royals. After reading some posts in different threads I decided it would be interesting to discuss the things that the different crown princes and the one crown princess are doing to prepare themselves for their future jobs as King or Queen.

The types of schooling, special training programs, and any other things that they are involved with that seem to be helping them prepare for their future can be discussed. And also who seems to be the least prepared at this point?

All opinions are of course welcome.

The most prepared to be queen was the then HRH Princess Elizabeth.

 

[lucien]

Bit of a sticky subject me thinks,and I really wonder about what everyones view is based upon so far,and especially why it is that some think Frederik is the least prepared?

Frederik.
TRH The Crown Prince Couple - Curriculum Vitae

Alexander.
The Dutch Royal House

Felipe.
The Royal Household of His Majesty the King_ Welcome

Charles.
The Prince of Wales - Biography

Filip.
Monarchie - Prince Philippe

Victoria.
Biography

At present she's in the Diplomat Program of the Swedish Foreign Ministry among 20 other students (started last september),a mix of both theory and practicals until this summer,ending with an internship,a draw by the Foreign Office will decide where they all end up for that.

 

[JessRulz]

Seen as each country requires different things from their monarch (be it King or Queen), I think that each of the respective Crown Princes, and the lone Crown Princess, are prepared to be the monarch of their own country.

 

[alex001]

Sometimes I think that the best prepared ones are ones who were born commoners - they know what life is like both at the top, and in the middle/bottom depending on where they were bron. They will have experiences that their royal husbands/wives could never have, and likewise the royal husbands/wives have experiences of royal growing-ups which they can share. So, after all that, I'm not sure who to pick!

 

[*SofiaM*]

Each country has different expectations for their crown prince/princess, so I don't think any of them are any less prepared than the other

 

[Henri M.]

Prince Philippe, the Duke of Brabant

I'm wondering why everybody forgets THE stumbling wooden doll of all: Prince Philippe, the Duke of Brabant.

Rightly or wrongly, nobody in- and outside Belgium takes the whole guy serious.

For the rest I think that all Heirs are pretty well prepared. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume are still fairly young, of course.

Naturally the Prince of Wales, the Prince of Orange, the Prince of Asturias looks the best prepared of all:
- the Prince of Wales due to the long Reign of his mother and his advanced age
- the Prince of Orange due to the example of his powerful, demanding and perfectionistic mother
- the Prince of Asturias also has 'live-experience' and being a close witness of a restored unstable monarchy trying to root itself again in Spanish society.

 

[madeleine victoria]

most-prepared - Felipe and charles
least prepared - Frederik!

 

[Marengo]

I agree with you Henri, it isn't for nothing that every now and then Belgian newspapers/ columnists etc. are making a plea for Princess Astrid as the future Queen, overlooking her brother and his children. Of course this will never actually happen, but it indicates that there is something seriously wrong with Phillipe's present role.

 

[Her_Majesty]

Best prepared:
The Prince of Wales (I think he's ready to become King of England. I cross my fingers for him that he'll be King one day. )

Least prepared:
(no, not Prince Frederik. I think he IS prepared). I cannot think of one. I think they all do quite a good job.

 

[Australian]

Why do many people think Frederik is not prepared? Upon what basis? I don't know one way or the other, just interested to know the answer

 

[Henri M.]

Why do many people think Frederik is not prepared? Upon what basis? I don't know one way or the other, just interested to know the answer

Me too. I backed my opinion with arguments. It is a pity many posters just place a name and then remain silent about the reasons.

 

[ZandraRae]

I also do not understand all this "Frederick is the least prepared" stuff. Why exactly do you guys say that? I am not saying that you are wrong, just give us some reason please. Yes, Fred likes to have fun, so do most people. Is it the fact that he left Mary and Christian while he went to the Keys? If so, big deal. So do many married couples. I'm sure they like to have some time to themselves. In my opinion, Fred will be prepared when the time comes, and with Mary by his side, they will make an excellent team.

 

[ysbel]

Well I think Charles is the most prepared not necessarily because he's been doing it the longest but because he started young and he got a lot of preparation at still a young age. By the time Charles was 21, he had already given a speech in Parliament, and by the time he was William's age he had already represented the Queen on many trips abroad, including one to the United States and Nixon's White House when he was still in his early 20s.

Also Charles has taken the Queen's place in a lot of the more private but still important ceremonies of the job including the investitures.

When you think of the monarch's role, giving public speeches, representing your country abroad, and bestowing honours on worthy citizens are the three of the most important duties of a monarch. The fact that Charles started and was relatively successful at these royal responsibilities when he was still in his early 20s represents very good training. Of course he's had a lot more practice since then but I think the basic training was good from the start.

I mentioned Victoria because I read once that she was going through a particular course of study and work that was designed to prepare her for her future role. Somewhat like a Monarch in training study program. The article mentioned that this type of planned out course of study was unusual for the heirs to the thrones of Europe.

 

[ysbel]

I don't know enough about Frederik to say whether he is well or badly prepared. I think he may not give the impression of not being well prepared because he tends to mumble when making a speech but that type of habit is particularly hard to break even with a lot of training.

I was going to mention Philippe but didn't again because I don't know too much about his training. I see he's not effective in presenting himself in public but that just may be the way he is and not due to a lack of training.

The reason I was going to nominate Philippe is I wondered how much training he received since his father was the second son. I imagine when Philippe was born, he wasn't expected to assume the throne and so that may have influenced his upbringing.

I think Elizabeth II was fairly well trained given the circumstances, she had given a radio broadcast by the time she was 21 and she took her father's place in the Commonwealth tour but I think her training suffered from the fact that she was 10 years old before she was even considered to inherit the throne and secondly because her father died when she was still 25 and hadn't that much experience as an adult royal. So she only had those years between the ages of 10 and 25 and for a good number of those years, Britain was plunged in a World War.

 

[Henri M.]

When you think of the monarch's role, giving public speeches, representing your country abroad, and bestowing honours on worthy citizens are the three of the most important duties of a monarch.

The Netherlands monarch's role it is even so that there is murmuring so now and then about the Queen's apparent interference in sensitive political dossiers. There is no one who denies the Queen's influence. The so-called Margarita-affair showed an unbelievable willingness of Government services to run for and to serve and to please 'Noordeinde' (the palace), even without informing the responsible ministers. The Netherlands Sovereign is also (unlike many colleagues) an integral part of the Government, she is president of the Council of State, which is the supreme Court of Administration and without its advice no any Bill can be passed. She sees all ministers and state-secretaries in a three-month shift (the premier weekly) besides all the governors, the most important mayors, high-rank military officers, etc. All this, build up in 50 years (as Heiress and Sovereign) gives her a central formal position which is intrinsically 'heavier' due to the uncatchable 'informal influence', the grey area in which the Queen feels like a fish in the water. The Queen's Cabinet Office is in the core centre of all legislative processes.

You will understand that the purely ceremonial role for the future Queen Victoria of Sweden or the future King Frederik of Denmark needs another preparation than the spider-in-the-web role of the future King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

 

[queenofcelts]

I think Charles is least prepared.

 

[Stefanie]

Two reasons

Maybe it depends on the age of the future King/Queen and the relation to their predecessor or to the people.
I wonder at what time f.i. Victoria will feel (or is said) educated enough to become Queen. Does she still have to learn f.i. Chinese or so? Sometimes in her case I think they only tell her to learn more and more just to avoid that she marries Daniel...
It´s a pity with Phillippe of Belgium. Even the marriage with wonderful Mathilde doesn´t seem to have helped him to become more popular or alter his character or so. In my opinion still the most photogenic and really "royal" couple of all future Kings-couples.

 

[ysbel]

When you think of the monarch's role, giving public speeches, representing your country abroad, and bestowing honours on worthy citizens are the three of the most important duties of a monarch.

The Netherlands monarch's role it is even so that there is murmuring so now and then about the Queen's apparent interference in sensitive political dossiers. There is no one who denies the Queen's influence. The so-called Margarita-affair showed an unbelievable willingness of Government services to run for and to serve and to please 'Noordeinde' (the palace), even without informing the responsible ministers. The Netherlands Sovereign is also (unlike many colleagues) an integral part of the Government, she is president of the Council of State, which is the supreme Court of Administration and without its advice no any Bill can be passed. She sees all ministers and state-secretaries in a three-month shift (the premier weekly) besides all the governors, the most important mayors, high-rank military officers, etc. All this, build up in 50 years (as Heiress and Sovereign) gives her a central formal posotion which is intrinsically 'heavier' due to the uncatchable 'informal influence', the grey area in which the Queen feels like a fish in the water. The Queen's Cabinet Office is in the core centre of all legislative processes.

You will understand that the purely ceremonial role for the future Queen Victoria of Sweden or the future King Frederik of Denmark needs another preparation than the spider-in-the-web role of the future King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

You make a good point Henri but I thought there was legislation in the Dutch parliament to limit the monarch's role in the Netherlands for the future. Is that true?

 

[Henri M.]

Over WA's (and Beatrix's) dead body

When you think of the monarch's role, giving public speeches, representing your country abroad, and bestowing honours on worthy citizens are the three of the most important duties of a monarch.

You make a good point Henri but I thought there was legislation in the Dutch parliament to limit the monarch's role in the Netherlands for the future. Is that true?

Not that I know of. There is no debate or legislation in the States-General to change the formal position of the Sovereign, by lack of any support amongst the main parties to change the present situation.

Since 604 years the Orange-Nassaus are the Netherlands premier family and in everything you feel it is one of the few remaining 'political taboos' amongst the main parties, to discuss the monarchy.

Even the former maoïstic and very left Socialistic Party (which won a lot of seats last elections) declared that the desire for a republican form of state has been put in the refrigerator. (They understood they would never become a mainstream factor in politics with such an 'extremist' (in Dutch situation) opinion).

By the way, it is known from the Queen and the Prince of Orange (and openly stated so by the Prince in an interview) that they see nothing at all in a 'kingship without content'. The Prince more or less stated that in such a case he will thank for the honour and avoid such a kingship.

 

[RoyalKnottie]

How do ya like them apples?

I believe all of the heirs apparent are as well prepared as they can be for the time being. Over time an individual ongoing education and exposed to many situations which allow him to learn from then and prepare themselves for the road that lies ahead. For this reason I believe Charles is most prepared to become King. He has been preparing himself for quite sometime. I also feel that Guillaume is the least prepared but by no fault of his own. I think he is simply too young and would be better suited to continue his education and take in as much from his father as he can.