Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, Current Events Part 1: September 2015 -

[tommy100]

In fairness would anyone give up an allowance without any pressure or talk that they should?

 

[Muhler]

In fairness would anyone give up an allowance without any pressure or talk that they should?

Probably not but the pension leaves IMO the impression that she is giving up the apanage more because of the pressure rather than because she finds it a reasonable thing to do.
After all, with her education and background she could have taken on a job or been sitting on more boards. At least after she remarried.
By all accounts she's financially pretty well of and she did get a very good deal from her divorce from Joachim, so the pension-bit does leave the impression that she is reluctantly giving up her apanage.

Kongehus-kender: Sympatisk at grevinde Alexandra frasiger sig apanagen - TV 2

The comments are of course pouring in.

They go from speculating that this is a deal between Alexandra and the court. - Which I think is the most plausible.
It's basically a negotiation: You give up your apanage and get a pension in return, and the DRF will not face the apanage question that often. Because each time Alexandra's apanage is mentioned, the money to the DRF comes up as well - as indeed it is today.

Others praise her for her wise decision, while others point out the difficulty of defending the apanage to Alexandra, who is in perfect working order, once her children comes of age.
It is also pointed out that the pressure on Alexandra went up several notches when the court announced that it is not expected that other heirs to the throne than Christian will get an apanage. (That doesn't mean the rest of M&F's children and all of Joachim's children will not get an apanage, it's just not given to them automatically).
So basically Alexandra was checkmate. Since it would be extremely difficult for her to explain why she should get an apanage while several full-blooded members of DRF won't.

The PM has been out saying: "I have noted that Countess Alexandra has announced that she, once Prince Felix turns 18, wish to renounce the subsidy she receives from the Danish state, as long as she is still economically active (can and should work). I take that ad notam and it is decision I respect very much".

- I think it's very safe to say that the court had the full backing of the government and indeed Parliament when they "discussed" the matter with Alexandra.

So IMO, yes, Alexandra gave up her apanage, but not altogether willingly and she managed to get the best deal possible i.e. a pension. The interesting bit is how big her pension will be and when she will retire. If her pension is the equivalent to a minister or an MP, she could perhaps retire as early as 60. And score a pension that is the equivalent of an average Dane's monthly salary.
And that's why I'm not standing on my table clapping my hands over the head.

 

[tommy100]

Essentially they have reached a win win Alex will give up her apanage for now once they boys come of age. She is obviously in a position to earn a living without it and has ensured she will be looked after in her later years. For the RF its great as it gets rid of the criticism of her getting the apanage now but still also IMO compels her to stay in the Royal Court's good graces in the future (i.e. stops her doing a Sarah Ferguson). I suspect the Court is relying on the fact that it would take a pretty harsh media to make a fuss over a pensioner aged Alex getting an allowance as the big issue atm is IMO that is is more than capable of working and earning her own living (which in fact she has done for some time, hasn't she sat on a board of directors of a medical firm for some time?)

 

[Terri Terri]

I am not surprised by this. Something had to come to a head at some point. It made absolutely no sense that she would continue to get an annuity even when her children became full adults. The media and public criticism would have continued to increase...why should the Danish taxpayers continue supporting an ex-princess who ihas now been divorced out of the Royal family for over a decade? She's hardly doing much work with her remaining patronages it seems. I expect with this announcement that she will drop all of them within the next 3 years.

ADDED:
Alexandre now receives $200,000 DKK per month before taxes. What can she expect for a monthly pension compared to what she received from the State as an appanage?

 

[tommy100]

I also suspect in the next three years the RF will use any contacts they have to maybe help Alexandra find a job. I think she is extremely well qualified and she had a good job in Sales and Marketing (as Dep Chief Executive) before her marriage but I do think the RF will help her find a role to make up for the lost money.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I also suspect in the next three years the RF will use any contacts they have to maybe help Alexandra find a job. I think she is extremely well qualified and she had a good job in Sales and Marketing (as Dep Chief Executive) before her marriage but I do think the RF will help her find a role to make up for the lost money.

Almost 25 years have passed so Alexandra's qualifications for the labour market will be very, very outdated. Of course she has an excellent network to the us-knows-us in Denmark, so my guess is that it will be more depending on her networking than her objective qualifications in Sales and Marketing.

 

[tommy100]

Almost 25 years have passed so Alexandra's qualifications for the labour market will be very, very outdated. Of course she has an excellent network to the us-knows-us in Denmark, so my guess is that it will be more depending on her networking than her objective qualifications in Sales and Marketing.

Oh completely, I meant she is well qualified in the sense she is a well known person and has had experience of the work place at, it would seem, quite a senior level (something that could not be said of all Royals including those married into RFs these days). More recently she sits on the board of Ferring Pharmaceuticals. I have no doubt her future income will rely much more on her society qualifications rather than her Sales & Marketing qualifications. As i say I wholly expect Joachim and/or the DRF to help her in this by making nay introductions necessary.

 

[Muhler]

The papers are calling anyone and everybody for a comment, but so far no one are really saying anything.
But we have her hairdresser and personal friend, Dennis Knudsen. He is also a personal friend of our Marie BTW.

I'll translate the quotes without comments and leave it to you to interprete what he is saying.
Alexandras nære ven om hendes store beslutning: 'Der har været en særlig grund' | BT Royale - www.bt.dk

Celebrity-hairdresser and make-up artist Dennis Knudsen is one of the close friends of the Countess and tells to BT that it's a choice she herself has made. He will not go into details due to their friendship, but says there has been a particular reason.
"It must be pain-in-the-ass irritating being criticized about your apanage. If I were in her situation I had done the same thing. It was after all not she who chose to get it back then, but something she was given/presented with. So it must be pain-in-the-ass irritating to listen to criticism all the time", he tells and adds that he is not so worried about his friend.

"Alexandra is a very sharp girl, who master a lot of things. I think it's a cool decision and she'll do alright".

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I have no idea how much she'll get in pension, but a qualified guess would be the equivalent to the average monthly salary for an ordinary Danish employee. Around 25.000 DKK before taxes does sound plausible to me.
The state pension you get before taxes is IIRC around 7-8.000 DKK. - Most have a retirement savings on top of that and there are other benefits as well, in regards to public transport, rent, medication and so on. But they will also be available to Alexandra. At least as it is today.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

DRF has lots of business contacts, it would be easy to create a job for Alex depending on what she wants (a la Infanta Cristina working for Aga Khan Foundation).

 

[bertie5252003]

She has made a deal with someone I don't think her divorce settlement was that great, so someone will top her up ... and yes someone could find her a cushy job ... she would not be without contacts all in all she will do just fine ...

 

[Muhler]

DRF has lots of business contacts, it would be easy to create a job for Alex depending on what she wants (a la Infanta Cristina working for Aga Khan Foundation).

Alexandra herself has a lot of contacts. The apartment she lives in today, she didn't get because it was advertised on any open market.
And once she gives up her apanage she is also free from any political or commercial controversial restraints she may have felt or even been bound by.
If she really wants a job or more likely a seat on more boards I don't think that will be the biggest problem in the world. She is after all not tarnished by any scandal.
And by 2020 she would have received an apanage for some fifteen years. And assuming not all the money has been spend on her boys, there should have been enough left to secure her financially. - If not, it's IMO her own fault.

 

[tommy100]

I've always thought Alexandra was pretty bright in a common sense type way (though her marriage to Martin made me doubt that a bit) so I'd like to think she has only agreed to this knowing she is financially secure enough or has a job or two lined up that will see her through.
She is under no obligation to stop getting the apanage and the fuss had died down recently, also why announce now and not just when Felix turns 18? I wonder if soon (maybe after the summer) we will hear she has a job and that was why it was announced now.

 

[Terri Terri]

A question that I have is how do we know that she was not 'encouraged' to give up the appanage and it is being spun to look like it was her idea to give it up to save face. I find it interesting that this is all coming about now...some 3 years before she stops getting the state funds.
Is it possible that the government and Danish court made the decision to stop Alexandra's appanage when Felix turned 18 and informed Alexandra accordingly? Yes...she may get a state pension when she retires but that would be nothing to getting millions in dollars annually in a state appanage.

 

[tommy100]

I don't see how they could do that and for what reason to be so covert? Remember whilst its a big allowance for one person its not a massive sum in the grand scheme of things being spent by the government and I doubt the government or courts have spent time, and therefore money, on forcing the situation. If the government was that bothered wouldn't they just ask the Queen to ask Alex to stop receiving it and then allow the Queen an increase in her allowance of the same amount for the Queen to give to her?

Personally I'm more convinced its been announced now because either they want to get in front of the issue before Felix turned 18 so it doesn't look like she has been forced, or the decision has been made and soon we will see Alex take up a new job or will leave Denmark which would lead to criticism of her apanage again.

 

[Muhler]

The Parliament haven't stripped Alexandra of her apanage, that would require a vote in the Parliament. There has been none such vote. And the Parliament wouldn't go against what was back then basically a request from the DRF. There is no tradition for that and it would backfire on the politicians, since this is after all peanuts. Not to mention create a unfortunate precedence in case of a future divorce in DRF. - I.e. you can't trust that the Parliament won't strip you of your apanage.

But I think it's very plausible that Alexandra has been "hinted" that it would be a good idea to give up the apanage voluntarily.
It would have been a completely different matter, had she not remarried, let alone got divorced for the second time.
Had she remained unmarried and thus retained her title as princess I don't think the debate would have surfaced. She would be semi-royal and that would limit her options for making her own living.

There is also the matter of Alexandra retaining a number of protections some of which she hasn't devoted as much time to as she perhaps could have. Had she been more active, the general feeling would have been more towards that she is at least doing something to earn her apanage, apart from ensuring her children grow up in circumstances befitting their rank and position.

So as I see it, Alexandra has very few cards left to play, if she wished to keep her apanage.
So this face-saving option is a good way out, while ensuring she gets an at least reasonable pension.
So again IMO, Alexandra got the best possible deal from the position she is in.

 

[Muhler]

Alexandra and Felix went on the annual Ecco Walkathon yesterday: Grevinde Alexandra og prins Felix på gåtur i København | BILLED-BLADET

Nikolai was back at Herlufsholm. (They don't get all weekends off at the boarding school).

 

[Muhler]

https://www.bt.dk/royale/grevinde-alexandra-har-faet-nyt-job-i-usa-det-skal-hun-lave

Alexandra has got a job.

As Leader-in-residence at Indiana University Kelley School in USA.

The university website says that Alexandra will tell and guide as well as debate with students about how a business works, especially within management, economy and leadership. All this based on her own experiences.

Alexandra confirms to the paper BT that she is indeed to give lectures and head debates at the university during 2017-18.
The first time will be 23-27th October.

- I assume Alexandra will continue to live in DK, but travel to USA for the lectures.

She's also in the process of co-writing a book about business-ethics.

 

[Nordic]

The university website says that Alexandra will tell and guide as well as debate with students about how a business works, especially within management, economy and leadership. All this based on her own experiences.

Based on her experiences from 20+ years ago. Surely things have changed quite a lot since that?

 

[polyesco]

the news note from the University
https://news.iu.edu/stories/2017/09/iu/releases/25-poling-chair.html

"My life journey is somewhat unusual and filled with rich experiences, fascinating contrasts and deep transformations," Countess Alexandra said. "They include growing up with an Austrian mother and a Eurasian father in the 1970s in multicultural Hong Kong, working in the fast-paced financial sector in the 1980s and 1990s, marrying into the Danish royal family and playing a royal role as princess in Denmark with many representative and philanthropic activities.
"Today I juggle being a full-time and full-on mother to two teenage princes, as well as carrying out board duties and philanthropic work and writing books. I look forward to sharing my experiences and the knowledge gained on the way," she added."

 

[bertie5252003]

Good for her .. I knew she was going places I am really pleased

 

[Moonmaiden23]

She is a quite brilliant and talented woman in her own right. I am happy to see that she is going to be putting those talents to good use!?

 

[jacqui24]

Based on her experiences from 20+ years ago. Surely things have changed quite a lot since that?

She's still on the Ferring board. I'm sure she has done some continuing professional education behind the scenes on that. Particularly in the area of business ethics, it's more of case studies and such than day to day.

 

[Muhler]

According to Se & Hør (all articles in that magazine should be read with caution) the first lecture Alexandra gave at Indiana University was no particular success: https://kendte.dk/alexandra-laererinde/

38 students had shown up, the article presumes they mainly came to listen to another giving a lecture, a reverend and a former congressman, Forrest Gilmore.
When Alexandra was to give her lecture, 8 students left almost at once and a few minutes later 15 more left.
Alexandra was asked one question.

Otherwise no questions were asked at all.

- Well, if I had been Forrest Gilmore I think I would have been even more depressed. 38 student ain't much for a former congressman, and on top of that no one bothered to ask him a question. So in all fairness I think Alexandra came out on top of the two.

 

[JessRulz]

Panel sheds light on ethics in business and government | Indiana Daily Student
Another article on the discussion panel, from the Indiana Daily Student. The panel was entitled “Ethical Leadership in Government, Business and Not-for-Profit”.

There were actually three people leading the discussion: Alexandra, Reverend Forest Gilmore, and former Congressman Lee H. Hamilton (Indiana 9th Congressional District between 1965-1999).

Alexandra spoke on the 'business' part of the panel - a few quotes of hers from the article:
“The top managers at all the different branches need be saying the same things and keeping the same values,” Countess Alexandra said. “We need to walk the talk.”
“A company’s reputation is vital,” Countess Alexandra said. “With social media, a company's reputation can be tarnished almost instantly. Ethics drives the company’s reputation forward.”

 

[Muhler]

Thanks.

Typical of Se & Hør not to get the facts right.

(Just checked the link, now they got it right).

 

[camelot23ca]

Has Alexandra actually been working on anything approaching a full time basis with a Danish company/companies?

I believe she was a member of the board of some sort of company but in practice that can mean anything from active, almost daily interest, to meeting a few times a year.

I think Alexandra is a smart lady and it would be great if she were to become more involved in some sort of professional activity. But I'm confused regarding this sudden interest and, apparently, expertise in business ethics. I think she'd be taken more seriously if she spent at least a few years at a traditional job, saw the ins and outs of how business and ethical issues interact, and THEN developed a specialized area of interest.

 

[Muhler]

https://www.bt.dk/kendte/grevinde-alexandra-afsloerer-her-vil-jeg-bo

Alexandra has recently on TV emphasized that she intends to keep living in DK.
"It's always exciting to get a larger network, also abroad, and meet new people and it enrich me to have several different projects. But Denmark is my home and here I have my family, so no matter what, it is also my base".

About her job as a lecturer at an American university: "I've just been over there for a week and it was exciting to talk with the students and share from my experiences. It's a position, I have for one academic year and here I'm going to teach, give lectures and speeches for the students about business-ethics and management".

But the students were pretty indifferent and walked out or what?
"My students were willing listeners and asked into how it was to come to a new country back then and deal with so many different things. It was interesting to meet them and the different cultures".

-------------------------

I think it's very safe to say that Alexandra has not had what we would label a full time job since her divorce.

 

[Muhler]

https://www.bt.dk/royale/grevinde-alexandra-flytter-ud-af-kobenhavn

Countess Alexandra has bought a house and as such she's moving from the large apartment she has bee living in, since she sold her house at Svanemøllevej.
The house in located in the posh Charlottenlund part of greater Copenhagen.
AFAICT it's fairly close to where Joachim lives.

So basically Felix will be able to comfortably walk between his parents homes.

 

[Biri]

And when is Nikolai living now?

 

[Muhler]

He is going to high school at the boarding school of Herlufsholm.