Danish New Year Courts: 2004, 2006-2021, 2023, 2024


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
The hat of Prince Frederik maybe looks weird but that is because the feathers are black. Prince Henrik with a similar hat

Having feathers or not, and which colour is connected to rank. I was looking for pictures and found these from the Dutch Court but the Danes have the very same tradition with these hats:

- a lower ranked officer: a hat with golden galon but no feathers (picture)
- a senior officer: a hat with golden galon and white feathers (picture)
- a top officer: a hat with golden galon and black feathers (picture)



Do all your posts have references to the dutch situation?

:lol:
 
Was this Event Prince Henrik's Farewell ??

Not officially.

But it's an example of the few event he is going (or is supposed) to attend in the future. I.e. he will make an appearance when the really big show is on.

I guess we can expect to see him on the balcony at QMII's birthday and at the gala dinner at state visits and presumably at the yearly summer photo shoot. - That is, if he is up to it...

A video showing how the table is set for this the grandest gala of the year: VIDEO: Et nytårstaffel bliver til | Kongehuset - Forside

It also provides a look into the beautiful room, the Knights (Great) Hall.

And from Hello: Princess Mary of Denmark stuns at New Year's Eve celebrations
 
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Re Frederik's and Joachim's hats: in the case of Frederik's hat, the feather trim is too big. It would look better if it were scaled back a bit. I wonder what the children thought when he showed them - there may have been some giggles.:p As for Joachim, the plume is very striking, but the hat would, IMO, look just as good without it. The uniforms themselves, though, are impressive.
 
Do all your posts have references to the dutch situation?

:lol:

There are only a handful of monarchies and the Dutch and Danish one have the best photo-sources. Norway does not know this sort of uniforms, Sweden has a total different, more Germanic-style uniform culture and so yes... you will find a surprising lot of similarities between the Courts of the Netherlands and Denmark. Even comparisons with Luxembourg and Belgium fail as these do not have such a detailed and traditional Household structure, complete with Royal Stables, as the other monarchies....

:flowers:

A video showing how the table is set for this the grandest gala of the year: VIDEO: Et nytårstaffel bliver til | Kongehuset - Forside

It also provides a look into the beautiful room, the Knights (Great) Hall.

[...] http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalt...ary-prince-frederik-annual-new-years-banquet/

Amazingly beautiful. Thanks for the link!
 
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It is one of the hottest decembers ever recorded, also in Denmark. It was extremely mild. Here in the Netherlands, not so far from Denmark, we have not had one night with frost. Not one in the whole month of December. That is an unicum.

Add to this: Princess Marie barely walks five metres from the car to the entrance, so what are we talking all about?

5 degrees are cold enough to catch a pneumonia, even if you are walking only 5 metres
 
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I'm intrigued about the weather in Copenhagen. It's the middle of winter there, so why is Marie wearing a sleeveless dress and no wrap?

I was wondering the same! Just I would think beside the cold the wrap would be a more completely look! I have a friend from Denmark here for Xmas and New Year and she told me that it is very little what they walk and there are so much lights that , the lights warm the area they walk! I don't know but even if it is a few meters the way Marie was it is enough to catch a cold!
 
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They don't just walk. They stop at the entrance for pics, and this takes a while. Out of the cold risk I found this kind outfit quite "unfinished" An elegant wrap could be a nice finition to the outfit.
 
Mary is lovely as always. But I think the upper part night blue velvet comes from another gown she worn years ago, in another New year's reception

My first glimpse of the ensemble Mary wore was a full frontal view with the skirt billowed out and I said, "Wow". Her stylist deserves a big hug. I bet a lot of thought went into this creation as it is made from two previous gowns is it not? The Bambi award blue gown and perhaps a previous court gala gown. Not 100% sure about this tho. Anyway your Crown Princess looks fabulous and makes Fred look good too.

I just had a thought. Knowing how much the Queen loves to design and change things I wonder if she had suggested this look to Mary's stylist. Or had a hand in it in some way. The Queen has designed many of her own gowns apparently.

I don't believe the top comes from any previous outfit of hers. The design at the waist is similar to her reworked red velvet gown, but obviously not it. She has a velour cape, but it is a purple, not blue. Plus far too small to put towards this top.
 
5 degrees are cold enough to catch a pneumonia, even if you are walking only 5 metres

One does not "catch" pneumonia from cold weather and especially not from 5 degree weather. At that temperature most kids will not even wear a jacket. If it was so easy to get sick from cold the entire population from the Nordic countries would all be dead by now.
 
One does not "catch" pneumonia from cold weather and especially not from 5 degree weather. At that temperature most kids will not even wear a jacket. If it was so easy to get sick from cold the entire population from the Nordic countries would all be dead by now.

Dear Grevinnan I don't know where you come from. I come from Greece and here with 5 degrees everyone, old and young people wear pullovers, jackets and gloves, sometimes also wool hats.
 
I come from Greece and here with 5 degrees everyone, old and young people wear pullovers, jackets and gloves, sometimes also wool hats.

This is very OT, but yes you would, in Greece. Where I live, in on of the Nordic countries, 5 degrees in January is considered a very warm winter day. ;)

We are actually expecting temperatures of -30 to -40....;)
I guess I'll have to find my only wool hat somewhere.


And, now back to topic.
 
@thanks Grevinnan
Back to topic. If I remember well the new year events for DRF includes three white tie events. What about the other two? When will they take place?
 
A video showing how the table is set for this the grandest gala of the year: VIDEO: Et nytårstaffel bliver til | Kongehuset - Forside

It also provides a look into the beautiful room, the Knights (Great) Hall.

And from Hello: Princess Mary of Denmark stuns at New Year's Eve celebrations

What a delight to view this video of the preparations of the dining room, I had to watch it 3 times for it took my breath away how the table was set-up, the beautiful white damask tablecloth, the candles, the chargers, the silverware, the entire room was gorgeous. I hope you realize Muhler that this video was pure joy for me, if those walls could talk, the history books would be filled with hidden secrets and delights..........You just made my day with this link. Thank you so very much....:clap::flowers: :)
 
Thanks GomdNatt for your answer.
A big thank you to Muhler for the link on the Knights Hall. I am extremely pleased they had done a video of the preparation of the room. Eating by candlelight must create a lovely atmosphere.
A beautiful room should be used for beautiful occasions. Yes!
 
And another thanks from me, Muhler, for sharing the video with us. :flowers:
It was interesting to see how the banquet is set up. Amalienborg looks like a beautiful palace. I can imagine that against the candlelight, dinners are a magical and (please excuse me for sounding a bit cliché!) fairytale-like.
 
Re Frederik's and Joachim's hats: in the case of Frederik's hat, the feather trim is too big. It would look better if it were scaled back a bit. I wonder what the children thought when he showed them - there may have been some giggles.:p As for Joachim, the plume is very striking, but the hat would, IMO, look just as good without it. The uniforms themselves, though, are impressive.

The hats both look ridiculous. Toy soldiers, every year. Time to look more sensible.
 
@thanks Grevinnan
Back to topic. If I remember well the new year events for DRF includes three white tie events. What about the other two? When will they take place?

The other two Courts are on January 5th and January 6th this year.
 
Thank you Muhler for the video, I came across with the video last year and I think it is incredible and inspiring, we can learn really good how to put a proper table and of course we can get our own cration following their steps! very magical indeed!
 
The hats both look ridiculous. Toy soldiers, every year. Time to look more sensible.

I take it you feel the same way about the uniforms worn by the various US Army special ceremonial units. Oh, and the West Point cadets' spring parade uniform: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/West_Point_Cadets.png

These uniforms are all about history and tradition. Let the boys have their fun. If the women are supposed to get all decked out in long dresses of velvet and sparkly fabrics and sequins, and wear pearls and diamonds and other shiny things, surely we can allow the men to wear a few feathers and bits of gold bling and the occasional sword or sabre. Without all these special, shiny, bits, their outfits for these dos would be a lot less interesting.
 
The hats both look ridiculous. Toy soldiers, every year. Time to look more sensible.

Wow what an insulting comment. I'm 100% sure they did not design the uniforms themselves.
They follow protocol and wear with dignity the highest uniform they are allowed to. It's not like they just go to the costume store. These are the uniforms from their country from the branch of the military they have done their training in.
Joachim is army, Frederik has done more training in all branches but the most in the navy.
 
I take it you feel the same way about the uniforms worn by the various US Army special ceremonial units. Oh, and the West Point cadets' spring parade uniform: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/West_Point_Cadets.png

These uniforms are all about history and tradition. Let the boys have their fun. If the women are supposed to get all decked out in long dresses of velvet and sparkly fabrics and sequins, and wear pearls and diamonds and other shiny things, surely we can allow the men to wear a few feathers and bits of gold bling and the occasional sword or sabre. Without all these special, shiny, bits, their outfits for these dos would be a lot less interesting.


So very well said, Roslyn, and these uniforms are part of their heritage and history and they look grand to me. I hope that Denmark never changes to the present times of modern and contemporary for then they would lose their history in a sense. Seeing how the men dress, the women with all their finery and the beautiful palace there everything has taken place will do down in the books of Denmark for all times. The gentlemen look dashing and very regal. Hope to see more it on the 5th and 6th. :flowers:
 
The other two Courts are on January 5th and January 6th this year.

Three actually.
Two courts on the 5th, one at Amalienborg and one at Christiansborg.
And then the third on the 6th at Christiansborg.
 
I much prefer these royal men in historical uniforms that have meaning to them and others in the armed forces. And is much better to look at then a boring old black suit, no matter which designer might make it. It is after all only on a few occasions they are worn. I would hate for modern progressive Denmark to deny its rich heritage by going all modern and resorting to just Black suit and tie. There are occasions when Prince Charles and other Royals dress in historial garb, like The Order of the Bath I think it is. Velvet capes and feathers in hats etc.
 
What a delight to view this video of the preparations of the dining room, I had to watch it 3 times for it took my breath away how the table was set-up, the beautiful white damask tablecloth, the candles, the chargers, the silverware, the entire room was gorgeous. I hope you realize Muhler that this video was pure joy for me, if those walls could talk, the history books would be filled with hidden secrets and delights..........You just made my day with this link. Thank you so very much....:clap::flowers: :)

The only serious problem I have, and I have already seen it in other Danish documentaries: the clumsy way in which the cutlery is "thrown" on the table and laid with ungloved hands. Unforgiveable! Cutlery is something a guest takes in his/her mouth. Silver cutlery needs polishing and should shine spotlessly. It is beyond belief that the staff does not wear special gloves to lay the porcelain and the cutlery.

Cutlery touched with hands :ohmy: Mr Carson (the Butler from Downton Abbey) would have fired that member of staff immediately! Look how that fork is "thrown" on the table, with the risk to damage the damast!

Porcelain and cutlery how it should be :cool: This was a reconstruction of the table laid for the visit of Prince Albert II of Monaco to Het Loo Palace in the Netherlands (Christmas exhibition 2015).

The Danish servant grabbed the cutlery and "threw" it on table for furtherer distribution. The Dutch servant hold the knives in a "fan" in his right hand, to minimize scratches when the table is laid. This is how it is learned in every top-restaurant. Silver is expensive, historic silver from the 18th C is arch-expensive. Be careful please.... :ohmy: It are historic family heirlooms!



I much prefer these royal men in historical uniforms that have meaning to them and others in the armed forces. And is much better to look at then a boring old black suit, no matter which designer might make it. It is after all only on a few occasions they are worn. I would hate for modern progressive Denmark to deny its rich heritage by going all modern and resorting to just Black suit and tie. There are occasions when Prince Charles and other Royals dress in historial garb, like The Order of the Bath I think it is. Velvet capes and feathers in hats etc.

The old and eh... quite corpulent Prince-Consort looks eh... ridiculous in a military uniform, in my personal opinion. In 2016, with cruise missiles, stealth technology and digital warfare, still wearing plums on the head while lever have played any active role in the Danish military?

Prins Henrik in uniform

Prins Henrik in white tie
(inclusive velvet loafers embroidered with a crowned H !)
 
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I much prefer these royal men in historical uniforms that have meaning to them and others in the armed forces. And is much better to look at then a boring old black suit, no matter which designer might make it. It is after all only on a few occasions they are worn. I would hate for modern progressive Denmark to deny its rich heritage by going all modern and resorting to just Black suit and tie. There are occasions when Prince Charles and other Royals dress in historial garb, like The Order of the Bath I think it is. Velvet capes and feathers in hats etc.

I also completely agree with you, this is one of the few countries IMO that keeps it's ancient royal heritage and traditions alive to this day. It make Denmark for me a special place and I hope it never changes. I love see the men in their uniforms and even the men in their uniforms that work behind the scenes, the guards at the doors, the men that greet them when they arrive, all the footmen and livery, that is what makes these times so special when it is in keeping with Denmark's heritage. I so look forward to this event each year to see all the pageantry that takes place.:)
 
The only serious problem I have, and I have already seen it in other Danish documentaries: the clumsy way in which the cutlery is "thrown" on the table and laid with ungloved hands. Unforgiveable! Cutlery is something a guest takes in his/her mouth. Silver cutlery needs polishing and should shine spotlessly. It is beyond belief that the staff does not wear special gloves to lay the porcelain and the cutlery.

Cutlery touched with hands :ohmy: Mr Carson (the Butler from Downton Abbey) would have fired that member of staff immediately! Look how that fork is "thrown" on the table, with the risk to damage the damast!

Porcelain and cutlery how it should be :cool: This was a reconstruction of the table laid for the visit of Prince Albert II of Monaco to Het Loo Palace in the Netherlands (Christmas exhibition 2015).

The Danish servant grabbed the cutlery and "threw" it on table for furtherer distribution. The Dutch servant hold the knives in a "fan" in his right hand, to minimize scratches when the table is laid. Silver is expensive, historic silver from the 18th C is arch-expensive. Be careful please.... :ohmy: It are historic family heirlooms!


I do understand completely where you are coming from Duc et Pair, I have seen various TV shows about how on Downton Abby they place the silverware and the fine china, set the table even for just everyday use let alone big dinners with guests, and yes it was a bit sloppy when done on the video yet I did very much enjoy the video. I love seeing how the table was set up, how everything is measured and placed on the table. I love fine white damask tablecloths with a passion and I have been know to ask for pure white cotton napkins at restaurants for that is a pet peeve with me, and sometimes I have taken my own to restaurants, and I love fine china and even collect certain companies that are favorites of mine.

I think that with the way *modern times* has seemed to take over in just about every aspect of our daily lives that the majority of the people forget about such things as table manners, how to set a table, let alone actually cook a real meal instead of fast food, and that to me is sad in losing those traditions. So maybe someone could ask/tell the royal family to get the butler to better train the staff to do it the proper way. I am all for doing it the traditional way and as such I am all for the princes in their fine uniforms with the feathers on the hats and the gold embellishments that say what rank they are in what service to their country. And of course the ladies in all their gowns and jewels and tiaras and the queen there the best of them all. As you can guess I am a monarchist and not a republican which is a word I don't like. :)
 
I also completely agree with you, this is one of the few countries IMO that keeps it's ancient royal heritage and traditions alive to this day. It make Denmark for me a special place and I hope it never changes. I love see the men in their uniforms and even the men in their uniforms that work behind the scenes, the guards at the doors, the men that greet them when they arrive, all the footmen and livery, that is what makes these times so special when it is in keeping with Denmark's heritage. I so look forward to this event each year to see all the pageantry that takes place.:)

In most countries, also republics and also in the United States of America there is such pageantry. When you look at a full-blown white-tie State Banquet in the White House, you will see a LOT of ceremonial uniforms too.

Banquet in the Palais de l'Élysée

The President of Italy flanked with two footmen of his Household.

Splendidly uniformed footmen at the Palazzo Chigi
(residence of the Italian PM)

:flowers:
 
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In most countries, also republics and also in the United States of America there is such pageantry. When you look at a full-blown white-tie State Banquet in the White House, you will see a LOT of ceremonial uniforms too.

Banquet in the Palais de l'Élysée

The President of Italy flanked with two footmen of his Household.

Splendidly uniformed footmen at the Palazzo Chigi
(residence of the Italian PM)

:flowers:

Indeed. Guards units in older uniforms and ceremonies are (fortunately) in again.
There is nothing as boring as seeing guards in modern uniforms.

For uniform nerds like me, seeing a guard in a historical uniform is like reading an open book. Pure pleasure! :D

And I agree with you, I too was somewhat dismayed at seeing the cutlery and plates handled with the bare hands and I wouldn't dream about tossing our own finer china and cutlery across the table. (Celebrated our copper anniversary a few years back and got the traditional twelve sets of plates and forks. ;) So now we are - almost - ready for the silver anniversary. :p)

And you are welcome, ladies. :)
 
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What a delight to view this video of the preparations of the dining room, I had to watch it 3 times for it took my breath away how the table was set-up, the beautiful white damask tablecloth, the candles, the chargers, the silverware, the entire room was gorgeous. I hope you realize Muhler that this video was pure joy for me, if those walls could talk, the history books would be filled with hidden secrets and delights..........You just made my day with this link. Thank you so very much....:clap::flowers: :)

I enjoyed it very much and found the simple act of laying out the tablecloths to be very interesting. Folded over large pieces of cardboard/foam in order to neatly lay out the fabric.
 
Dear Grevinnan I don't know where you come from. I come from Greece and here with 5 degrees everyone, old and young people wear pullovers, jackets and gloves, sometimes also wool hats.

I grew up in Sweden, still spend lots of time there in summers as in winters, and while in California spend time in the Sierra Nevada where snow depth can be as much as three to four meters and temperature mostly are below zero (C) both day and night.

So very well said, Roslyn, and these uniforms are part of their heritage and history and they look grand to me. I hope that Denmark never changes to the present times of modern and contemporary for then they would lose their history in a sense. Seeing how the men dress, the women with all their finery and the beautiful palace there everything has taken place will do down in the books of Denmark for all times. The gentlemen look dashing and very regal. Hope to see more it on the 5th and 6th. :flowers:
Great answers to the very ignorant post about the uniforms. But please...there are women cadets too. US military academies all include women and as of very recently they can now qualify to serve in all military posts, no exceptions.
 
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