Princess Madeleine and Family Moving to London: May 2015

[miss whirley]

The UK tabloids are so obnoxious with zero scruples. If they do move to London I can only imagine what crazy articles will spring forth. "Princess Madeleine and Prince Harry enjoy secret flirtation, could the Swede's marriage be in trouble?!" "Watch out Carole, Eva Maria is plotting a union between George and Leonore!"

 

[Muhler]

There is one thing about London that may be a disadvantage - for Madeleine.
If Madeleine wish to be a more active member of the SRF she can attend more easily by flying in from London. - But then she and Chris will get heat from the press asking why Chris isn't around.
If Madeleine only attend the odd SRF event, she'll get heat in the press saying she's lazy because London is only a couple of hours flight away.
- And as others pointed out London may not be the safest place if you want to avoid the press and photographers - and as long as the Swedish press is willing to buy...

So sounding pretty pessimistic, perhaps it would have been better if they stayed in New York. Because as long as Madeleine and Chris' roles are not clearly defined they and especially Madeleine will get heat.

The only thing that will endear M&C to the Swedish press, and here I'm being pessimistic again (!), is if Sofia in particular become unpopular. And who would wish for that?

 

[hernameispekka]

The UK tabloids are so obnoxious with zero scruples. If they do move to London I can only imagine what crazy articles will spring forth. "Princess Madeleine and Prince Harry enjoy secret flirtation, could the Swede's marriage be in trouble?!" "Watch out Carole, Eva Maria is plotting a union between George and Leonore!"

Hhaha, I had this thought as well!!

 

[miss whirley]

Hhaha, I had this thought as well!!

It would be a nuisance for them.

"Desperate to lose the baby weight, Kate and Madeleine call each other for postnatal fitness tips!!! Will they ever get their bodies back?"

"Pippa sends green juice smoothies to Chris' office, will Madeleine lose her man?"

I give them 9 months in London before they flee to Switzerland. Even the young British royals (William,Harry,Beatrice,Eugenie,Peter,Zara) have all left London. No one wants to put up with the UK media.

 

[Roslyn]

Would the British press really care so much about Chris and Madeleine as they do about the British royals? And would Chris and Madeleine care what they print?

 

[PetticoatLane]

No, I don't think the British press would really care. There'd be the occasional recycled article half way down the Daily Mail's mammoth 'sidebar of shame', as there is for other European royal ladies, but on the whole I'm pretty sure they'd be left alone.

The odd photographer might take pictures to sell to Swedish publications but I don't see it being any worse than it was in New York.

The vast majority of Brits don't know other countries have royal families let alone what their members look like.

 

[tommy100]

I doubt the british press would care much about Madeleine and Chris. Lots of foreign royals have lived or live in London and few if any of them get reported on except for times of high drama or scandal. I mean how often does the Daily Mail or the SUn report on The former King & Queen of Greece, Crown Prince Pavlos and Marie Chantal, Princess Mabel of The Netherlands, Princess Martha Louise of Norway (although she has moved back to Norway now) not to mention the large number of middle eastern royals?
TBH if its not William or Kate (or maybe Harry or another dig at Beatrice) they don't really care.

 

[Rocketmom]

I think folks are making a lot of assumptions about how seriously Chris takes his Catholicism. A lot of Catholics don't much care about the more arcane aspects of Catholic law and wouldn't worry about it.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community mobile app

I suspect he is at least somewhat serious about Catholicism since they met with the Pope.

 

[HRHHermione]

I suspect he is at least somewhat serious about Catholicism since they met with the Pope.

Right but so did Madeleine and Silvia who are Protestant. Chris wasn't the focus of the visit nor is it likely that he instigated or arranged it.

Like I said, a lot of Catholics don't lose sleep over having stuff like a dispensation to marry a non-Catholic. My only point was that I think reading into that as a big decision he made is silly.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community mobile app

 

[miss whirley]

No, I don't think the British press would really care. There'd be the occasional recycled article half way down the Daily Mail's mammoth 'sidebar of shame', as there is for other European royal ladies, but on the whole I'm pretty sure they'd be left alone.

The odd photographer might take pictures to sell to Swedish publications but I don't see it being any worse than it was in New York.

The vast majority of Brits don't know other countries have royal families let alone what their members look like.

I wish I could agree but I see the potential for a maelstrom.

Pippa Middleton gets 300-400 paparazzi photos a day taken of her. I imagine that Chris and Madeleine could get at least 100, especially with two cute babies in the mix. The media will know where they live and they won't have to worry about pissing off Buckingham Palace. It could be no holds barred. The media will trumpet that they give George and Charlotte reasonable privacy all the while stalking Leonore and selling her pics to Hello!, Bunte, ¡HOLA! and Grazia.

Unfortunately, Madeleine is one of Europe's most beautiful princesses(beauty sells) and she married a British man. Just like the Aussies take an interest in Fred and Mary. I think the UK tabloids will try to spin a soap opera narrative to get the British public interested in Madeleine and Chris. If the tabs are successful the couple could become fodder for The Daily Mail and overtake poor Pippa and Cressida.

I do hope you're right, though. I don't want them chased out of London.

 

[carlota]

press pressure in london must be quite high indeed. if they were already chased in NY, where interest in swedish royals is tiny in comparison to europe, then we can only imagine how it will be in london.
i guess for british royals, like W+K, at least they can take refuge in a big palace like buckingham or a house like anmer hall, and have the protection of the relevant authorities, but i am unsure how it will work for M+C. i guess the british authorities may provide some sort of security, given that madeleine has a diplomatic passport (unsure about chris?), but it won't be the same as having a whole team of professional people caring for your privacy and working to achieve it.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

No, I don't think the British press would really care. There'd be the occasional recycled article half way down the Daily Mail's mammoth 'sidebar of shame', as there is for other European royal ladies, but on the whole I'm pretty sure they'd be left alone.

The odd photographer might take pictures to sell to Swedish publications but I don't see it being any worse than it was in New York.

The vast majority of Brits don't know other countries have royal families let alone what their members look like.

That is correct. But given there are lots of paps around, its easier and less expensive for the swedish tabloids to send their people there or hire paps who earn a living there to take pictures. I don't think it will be worse than in NY but the couple can expect when they hit the streets with or without children that their picture will be taken. Lots of celebrities live around who get pictured every day.

The Brits don't know who Princess Madeleine is and are not interested in her. There will be no stories relating her to the BRF in any way.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I wish I could agree but I see the potential for a maelstrom.

Pippa Middleton gets 300-400 paparazzi photos a day taken of her. [...]

How do you know and -more importantly- how did you count?

 

[LadyFinn]

Prinzessin Madeleine_ So reagiert Schweden auf ihren England-Umzug - Royals - Bild.de
Translation

 

[Marengo]

Posts about the US political system have been removed.

Posts where hopes for a divorce were expressed, have been removed.

-> Let's move on and let's try to limit the amount of speculation/ wishful thinking on marriage troubles.

 

[janjan]

The kind of work Chris does he need to be based in cities like London and New York I think he told Madeline that sure we will move back to Sweden but then found out he would be spending to much time in airport I also don't think Chris wants to live in the Royal family fish bowl

 

[miss whirley]

How do you know and -more importantly- how did you count?

It came out during a press inquiry. The editors admitted they get around 400 photos of Pippa a day, sent to them by various paparazzi. Here's one of the links to the story.

Paparazzi snap Pippa Middleton up to 400 times a day | Reuters

 

[Frelinghighness]

It came out during a press inquiry. The editors admitted they get around 400 photos of Pippa a day, sent to them by various paparazzi. Here's one of the links to the story.

Paparazzi snap Pippa Middleton up to 400 times a day | Reuters

That is so depressing

 

[mslewis]

Gosh I wish they'd make up their minds where they're going to live! Do they have any idea how much grief they are causing us here with their indecision and moving around the world at the drop of a hat?

And, everybody knows that London and Stockholm are so, so, so, very far away from each other. I mean, it probably takes at least five days to fly between countries. Plus, there is zero communication services between these two third-world countries so no one in Sweden will know what the couple are doing from day to day in their private lives. This is just too much. What are you doing to us Maddie and Chris?

 

[mslewis]

I'm an American and I enjoy reading about royals, mostly British but, really all royals and it's fun for me. But I'm confused about why the Swedish press are so negative about Chris and Maddie. Yes, she's a princess but she's the third child of the King and her sister and brother (and any children they have/might have) are ahead of her in the line of succession. Why can't she just renounce her place in line and live as Mrs. O'Neill in Britain with her husband and children? What "perks" can there be that would make her want to continue as a "princess"? She'll still be rich; she'll still be a member of the royal family. Why go through all this stress? I don't get it but maybe it's because I haven't been a "princess" since age 6 when I was the only girl with five older brothers.


Whatever, I'm just wondering because it all seems just too much, too stressful, too awful, too unimportant in the scheme in things to continue like this. Life is too short and keeping a family together is far more important.

 

[rchainho]

Madeleine in the Oriflame magazine- Portuguese version.

imgbox - fast, simple image host

 

[Mbruno]

I had lunch yesterday with a university professor from Sweden who was visiting my workplace together with a Swedish delegation. He was not a royalist himself and might even be a republican, but I took the opportunity to ask him his opinion about the SRF. I must confess I (in a somewhat machiavellian fashion) omitted that I actually had a fair amount of knowledge about the Royal Family so that I could find out how he, as a Swede, would describe the RF to a complete stranger who he believed knew nothing about the Swedish royals. Here is what he said:

1) CP Victoria is "very competent" and "represents the country very well". She is also "very popular".

2) Carl Philip is OK and so is his bride. BTW, he had met Sofia personally before and said "she seems to be a nice person". He specifically mentioned "she was involved in a program to help children in Africa" and didn't mention anything about her controversial past. The fact that he himself was involved in development programs in Africa (Kenya) might explain why he thought so highly of Sofia, but, in any case, his reply illustrates how Project Playground was good PR for her.

3) Queen Silvia, according to him, "doesn't speak Swedish properly". He also said she goes to Brazil very often, officially "on vacation", but people actually suspect she goes there "to have plastic surgery".

4) Maddie according to him "had problems in her youth" and decided to move to NY. He then said she married "a foreigner" and moved to the US where she had a daughter. He apparently resented that Madeleine had left the country.

5) He said nothing about the King and I didn't push the subject any further.


What do you think ?

 

[LadyFinn]

I had lunch yesterday with a university professor from Sweden who was visiting my workplace together with a Swedish delegation. He was not a royalist himself and might even be a republican, but I took the opportunity to ask him his opinion about the SRF. I must confess I (in a somewhat machiavellian fashion) omitted that I actually had a fair amount of knowledge about the Royal Family so that I could find out how he, as a Swede, would describe the RF to a complete stranger who he believed knew nothing about the Swedish royals. Here is what he said:

1) CP Victoria is "very competent" and "represents the country very well". She is also "very popular".

2) Carl Philip and so is his bride. BTW, he had met Sofia personally before and said "she seems to be a nice person". He specifically mentioned "she was involved in a program to help children in Africa" and didn't mention anything abou her controversial past. The fact that he himself was involved in development programs in Africa (Kenya) might explain why he thought so highly of Sofia, but, in any case, his reply illustrates how Project Playground was good PR for her.

3) Queen Silvia, according to him, "doesn't speak Swedish properly". He also said she goes to Brazil very often, officially "on vacation", but people actually suspect she goes there "to have plastic surgery".

4) Maddie according to him "had problems in her youth" and decided to move to NY. He then said she married "a foreigner" and moved to the US where she had a daughter. He apparently resented that Madeleine had left the country.

5) He said nothing about the King and I didn't push the subject any further.


What do you think ?

All these things has been written so many times in swedish press, there is nothing new in them, besides that we all know why Madeleine moved to NY, maybe not because of problems in her youth.

 

[Mbruno]

All these things has been written so many times in swedish press, there is nothing new in them, besides that we all know why Madeleine moved to NY, maybe not because of problems in her youth.

Yes, I know, but my question actually was if, although it was just an isolated conversation, his opinion was representative of the average public opinion in Sweden about the royals, i.e. favorable about Victoria and CP/Sofia, not so much about Silvia, and clearly negative about Madeleine, at leasr after her decision to leave Sweden.

 

[hernameispekka]

I had lunch yesterday with a university professor from Sweden who was visiting my workplace together with a Swedish delegation. He was not a royalist himself and might even be a republican, but I took the opportunity to ask him his opinion about the SRF. I must confess I (in a somewhat machiavellian fashion) omitted that I actually had a fair amount of knowledge about the Royal Family so that I could find out how he, as a Swede, would describe the RF to a complete stranger who he believed knew nothing about the Swedish royals. Here is what he said:

1) CP Victoria is "very competent" and "represents the country very well". She is also "very popular".

2) Carl Philip is OK and so is his bride. BTW, he had met Sofia personally before and said "she seems to be a nice person". He specifically mentioned "she was involved in a program to help children in Africa" and didn't mention anything about her controversial past. The fact that he himself was involved in development programs in Africa (Kenya) might explain why he thought so highly of Sofia, but, in any case, his reply illustrates how Project Playground was good PR for her.

3) Queen Silvia, according to him, "doesn't speak Swedish properly". He also said she goes to Brazil very often, officially "on vacation", but people actually suspect she goes there "to have plastic surgery".

4) Maddie according to him "had problems in her youth" and decided to move to NY. He then said she married "a foreigner" and moved to the US where she had a daughter. He apparently resented that Madeleine had left the country.

5) He said nothing about the King and I didn't push the subject any further.


What do you think ?

As a swede I'll give my candid thoughts on this:

1) CP Victoria is "very competent" and "represents the country very well". She is also "very popular".

Fully agree

2) Carl Philip and so is his bride. BTW, he had met Sofia personally before and said "she seems to be a nice person". He specifically mentioned "she was involved in a program to help children in Africa" and didn't mention anything abou her controversial past. The fact that he himself was involved in development programs in Africa (Kenya) might explain why he thought so highly of Sofia, but, in any case, his reply illustrates how Project Playground was good PR for her.

I think this is more to do that he is involved in the area. It's not a very well known fact. Peoplpe know who she is but think it's good that CP is allowed to marry who he's in love with.

3) Queen Silvia, according to him, "doesn't speak Swedish properly". He also said she goes to Brazil very often, officially "on vacation", but people actually suspect she goes there "to have plastic surgery".

Hahah, that Brazil thing I've never heard, but the plastic thing is common known And she speaks sooo bad Swedish. She seems nice but a little stupid because of it.

4) Maddie according to him "had problems in her youth" and decided to move to NY. He then said she married "a foreigner" and moved to the US where she had a daughter. He apparently resented that Madeleine had left the country.

Never heard anything about problem in her youth (but I'm younger that her and don't know old stuff about them) but everyone saw it that she ran away after the breakup and disappeared and moved and married a non Swede. Chris is far less accepted than Sofia. I (and others) think that Madde seems like a spoiled perty princess. I'm not saying that I think she is as a person, but that is the image that is portrayed

5) He said nothing about the King and I didn't push the subject any further.

Oh, the king is a standing joke. Can't remember the name of the town he's in. He's known as stupid and having affairs. Thank god we have Victoria in our future.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

[...] Why can't she just renounce her place in line and live as Mrs. O'Neill in Britain with her husband and children? [...]

That is not possible (renouncing) but for the rest she can perfectly have a private life. There are many other royals whom are in a line of succession and do live a life in relative anonimity. All her aunts (however not in line of succession because before 1980 the succession was male-only) are all Princesses and they are seldom in the publicity.

Princess Margaretha lives a quiet life in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.
Princess Birgitta lives a quiet life on the Island of Mallorca, Spain.
Princess Désirée lives a quiet life on two castles in Halland, Sweden.
Princess Christina lives a quiet life, first at a pavillion in the park of Ulriksdal Palace and now in a mansion in Slottsbacken (the neighbourhood behind the Royal Palace in Stockholm).

They are the proof that Princess Madeleine can live a quiet life. Also in the enormous wide stretched beautiful country of Sweden with only around 9.5 million people. Plenty of opportunities for a secluded life as Princess of Sweden.

 

[hernameispekka]

That is not possible (renouncing) but for the rest she can perfectly have a private life. There are many other royals whom are in a line of succession and do live a life in relative anonimity. All her aunts (however not in line of succession because before 1980 the succession was male-only) are all Princesses and they are seldom in the publicity.

Princess Margaretha lives a quiet life in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.
Princess Birgitta lives a quiet life on the Island of Mallorca, Spain.
Princess Désirée lives a quiet life on two castles in Halland, Sweden.
Princess Christina lives a quiet life, first at a pavillion in the park of Ulriksdal Palace and now in a mansion in Slottsbacken (the neighbourhood behind the Royal Palace in Stockholm).

They are the proof that Princess Madeleine can live a quiet life. Also in the enormous wide stretched beautiful country of Sweden with only around 9.5 million people. Plenty of opportunities for a secluded life as Princess of Sweden.

Haha, different times, different rules.

Also, who could see Madde living out of the city? Not me, she's as much city girl as they come here in Sweden.

 

[LadyFinn]

Princess Christina has done more "official" work events than Madeleine during the last years. Her work events are hard to find because they are not at the royal calendar. And of the king's sisters only Birgitta is a HRH.

 

[Lady Nimue]

Haha, different times, different rules.

Also, who could see Madde living out of the city? Not me, she's as much city girl as they come here in Sweden.

The Internet changes things, as does the IPhone and digital cameras everywhere. It's very unlikely that Madeleine, a beautiful woman who happens to be a princess with beautiful children and a (relatively) wealthy husband, will ever get out of the limelight. And if she doesn't 'cooperate', the press will make it so she has to 'endure'.

 

[Mbruno]

Ι'm not swedish but struck me two things he said. First the Silvia Queen how many years? about forty amounts not yet know well the language? and second said nothing about the King imagining the opinion of him

As far as the King is concerned, I assume that, because he is viewed as "a joke" by some people in Sweden, they prefer not to say anything to avoid having to say something negative to a stranger who is not from Sweden like myself.

On the language point, I happen to know several people who have lived for 40 years or so in a foreign country and still can't speak the local language without an accent or without making mistakes. It's actually more common than you might think. What surprises me is that Silvia, prior to being queen, was, if I'm not mistaken, an interpreter. I assumed then she had a talent for, or at least an interest in learning other languages.

Now, going back to the topic of the forum, I don't really think we can compare Madeleine to the King's sisters as the latter are not members of the Royal House (except for Princess Birgitta ?), whereas Madeleine is. I also happen to think that leaving Sweden again to move to London won't help Madeleine boost her popularity domestically. On the contrary, it will probaby draw more negative feelings about her and Chris.