Skavlan/SVT interview with Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill: December 11, 2015

[LadyFinn]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Thanks, LadyFinn.

That review is to be expected by republicans. - And also by the "opinion-elite" who sit on their pedestals frowning on such personal details that only is of interest to the unwashed masses.
There is a good deal of snobbery from those who are against the royals.

The Republican Association normally comments every big event of the royal family and the interviews. They commented Carl Philip's and Sofia's wedding. They commented the news about the criticism towards queen Silvia talking against the drug use.
But the Republican Association didn't comment at all the big interview, which Daniel gave to DI Weekend in the beginning of November. The interview where Daniel said among other things "As a Prince I shall do good and serve Sweden and the Swedish people". And told about the projects he has started, the Prince Daniel Fellowship and The Healthy Generation Foundation.

Alex Schulman writes at his column in Aftonbladet:
TV interview with Madde and Chris was a Hell
He doesn't criticize Madeleine and Chris, but criticizes the program format, where the audience laughs at everything: Skavlan asks Chris how it goes with Swedish and Chris says he has learned a little. The audience explodes with laughter. I get a bit taken by surprise by this powerful reaction. Is there something I missed? Skavlan asks if Chris understands when talking Swedish to him, and he replies that he understands the most. The audience giggles. I am becoming increasingly worried. Why the giggles?
Skavlan wants to change the subject, so he asks how Chris is as a person. Chris: "I have a temper, it's horrible." The audience laughs now so hysterically that one can't hear his own thoughts. They laugh as if they never heard any living person to say something more fun in the world history. The guests said certainly some good things, but the only thing I heard was the crowd.
"Your recipes are an inspiration for me," said Chris to the chef Jamie Oliver. "Thank you so much," said Jamie. The audience laughs.
I ask myself on the sofa: is this Hell? Have I come there now?
Tv-intervjun med Madde och Chris var ett helvete _ Alex Schulman _ Kolumnister _ Nyheter _ Aftonbladet

Alex Schulman is the brother of Calle Schulman, Sofia's and Carl Philip's friend. Calle Schulman has collected money to Project Playground. At his Instagram is a link to the website of Project Playground.

[Muhler]

Yeah, I can easily understand why the SRF saying something sensible would be ignored...
I simply cannot understand why Queen Silvia could be criticized for speaking against drug-use. Apart from pushers, who on this planet could possibly disagree with that?

Anyway, we can discuss the setting for the interview, fair enough it was perhaps a bit too informal. But it's the intellectual snobbery that annoys me in this text!
No, it wasn't hilarious but that's the format of such shows, like it or not. Axel Schulman has a go at "the common riff raff, who are so easily amused in contrast to us, the enlightened ones". Come on!

However, the foreign press seems to have a more positive attitude towards the interview. Here is an article from BT: Alle kvinder smiler over dette klip med prinsesse Madeleine - og alle mænd kan nikke genkendende til det - Royale | www.bt.dk

It's a clip where Madeleine signals to Chris to bring his hair in order. And that is seen as evidence of a good communication within the marriage. - Yeah, okay...
But at least it's positive.

[princess gertrude]

I wish I could really like Madeleine, but for some reason there is just something about her that is offputting. Shy or aloof? I can't make up my mind on that. She does seem to light up when talking about her children which is nice and I had to laugh at her saying that Leonore is "wild". Chris on the other hand, I go through phases that I really like him and I don't know what to think about him. During the interview, he seemed funny, intelligent and sincere (except for the part about his job, I still don't know what he does), and the interaction between them at the beginning was nice. So score one for Chris for me. All in all, I'm not sure this will help their imagine, if this interview was intended for that.

[Empress Merel]

The most I got from this was that Chris is super charming. I never understood what she saw in him but he is more attractive in motion, has good banter and seems like a steadfast kind of guy.

Madeleine seemed very nervous, which is what she recognized herself too, and didn't seem to lighten up that much. She kept on saying ''you know...'' too.

I personally didn't hear anything that could be considered wrong. She was actually quite open about her answers and I liked that.

[PetticoatLane]

I will never understand the tendency for people on this board to tear down other royals in some sort of attempt to make their favourites looks better. Certain posters, in their need to continually reinforce how perfect Victoria and Daniel are, trip over themselves to latch onto every piece of criticism of Madeline/Chris and CP/Sofia. You see it elsewhere on this site also (certainly on the BRF section). It's so sad.

I know almost nothing about the Swedish RF (I watched this for Adele who's a Great British icon), but Madeleine and Chris came across pretty well, I thought. I'm used to Prince Harry attending such high-brow public events as The X Factor live shows and televised darts competitions (which basically consist of a bunch of rowdy people getting well and truly sozzled) so this informal setting didn't annoy me at all.

From what I gather, Madeleine is a part-time royal, who lives away from her home country, put diligently shows up for the important family events. I don't understand the need to crucify her at every turn for basically not being Victoria.

[SnowBirds]

Originally Posted by LadyFinn

And how the press could be more serious about Madeleine and Chris? They don't give the press any possibilities to that. Madeleine comes to Sweden only to big gala events and family celebrations. Those are about clothes and jewellery only to the press. Madeleine doesn't do solo work events where the press could interview her about her work. She has no work she could tell about to the press in royal context. She can't show her work in Childhood because "those children are vulnerable and they can't be shown", or something like that. When Chris is in Sweden, the only causes for the press to write about him is that he often goes to restaurants for a lunch or to a dinner. Or is seen smoking somewhere.

Besides, this interview yesterday is something the swedish people could well live without it. There wasn't nothing important and no news how their princess is going to work for the swedish people.

I am going to jump in here and will admit I know very little about this couple, yet just "why does Madeleine have to work? Is there a law/rule that says she has to *work* for anybody? Just because she was born a Swedish Princess, doesn't she have a right to some part of her life for herself? I have read that she gets no money from the Swedish government nor from her father except when she is doing events/engagements for the royal/Sweden? If this is true, then I think it is a bit harsh to judge her for not working for the royal family, do people want her to punch a timeclock saying she is working 9/5, 5 days a week, she is still a young mother with 2 *babies* and married to someone who works for himself and provides for them as Chris does *Not* get money from the people.

As for Chris, he is not royal, he has no title, he gets no money from the people, so what is the big deal if he goes out to eat or smoke, I don't get that. He is a private person and works for himself, supports his family, ask for nothing in return, I would think that the royal family and the people would respect that for that shows to me, MO, a man of self confidence and integrity, he stands on his own 2 feet and want nothing from the people.

Now this is JMO only, it seems this is all the media, the press to appease them,why? Goodness sake, do they now have to live their lives according to what the media/press want them to do? It's like nothing is ever enough for the media, do they need to know; what they had for breakfast, lunch and dinner, do they use napkins, what color is their sheets on the bed, do they sit or lay on the sofa, what tv shows to they watch or how many times to the loo? I think they did great and that they shouldn't even have to do the interview in the first place. Just think how anyone of us would feel about the media/press attacking us each day or when they decide to roll the dice each day and say, let's go after one if us today. I try to put myself in her shoes to see how well I would handle it. You don't want to know the answer to that for Princess Madeleine handled the interview really well, a lot better then I could. This isn't meant to be critical of anyone here, it is just an outsiders look at the situation.

[SnowBirds]

Originally Posted by LadyFinn

About the interview at the website of the Republican Association
She is an adult with a degree from Stockholm University and with access to all information in the world. She has also made a conscious choice to be a princess. Almost hundred years the royals have increasingly began to opt out of the titles because they wanted other things with their life. Madeleine Bernadotte has not been interested of that.
This has unfortunately not reached Fredrik Skavlan, supplier of nonsense questions. One wonders how Skavlan feels, deep down, to sit and ask about lullabies, stuffed animals and romance? No one had expected the strict political journalism, but there is surely a middle way somewhere between yesterday's nonsense and real, serious, sincere questions?
When the princess says that the couple is living a "normal life", and it is known that they live in an area of ​​London which Wikipedia describes as "one of the wealthiest districts in the world", wasn't this worth questioning?
When the princess announces that it is not out of malice, she doesn't answer to questions - wouldn't it have been then right to ask what is the reason?
When she implies that she lives in London because it is a major Swedish export market, perhaps you could then ask how she has thought to contribute there?
No, instead it is being on your toes around each subject, everything wrapped in thick layers of cotton, here you are, put out the text - the interviewer is just there to help! The result was certainly good for the court. But a sad defeat for the public service.
Statsskick utan makthavare - Republikanska föreningen
Translation

How can anyone say *She made the conscious choice to be a Princess*, for heaven's sake she was *BORN a Princess of Sweden* that was not her choice. None of us on this earth have a choice of who our parents are, what country we are born into, or anything about it, we are who we are the day we are born, just accept it. That is her title, those are her parents, and so what if she married a man without a title, this isn't the 16th century when parents married daughters for land, titles or to stop a war. She does not have to give up something she was born with, goodness gracious how horrible can some people be. Should she give up her parents or siblings along with the title?

[xenobia]

My big problem with Madeleine and Chris can be summed up in one word: consistency.

I have no problem with her living in the UK or spending almost all of there time with her kids. And I don't have a problem with Chris declining titles or working with some kind of (more or less) incomprehensible financial business.

My problem is that we (aka people in Sweden) don't know what to expect from them. That includes the fact that even when they are scheduled for public appearances, we don't always know for sure if they will show up or not.

If they decide that they just want to come home for Nobel every year, and live as private citizens in the UK the rest of the year, I'm totally find with that. Just let us know. And no, the interview they did in Skavlan didn't clarify this issue.

[COUNTESS]

You have two worlds Madeleine wants to be a princess and Chris wants to be an ordinary guy. They think they can meet in the middle. London. He wants to be in New York and she wants, probably, to be in Sweden. They love their children and how this will play out is.......Chris is his own man. He is not Daniel. He doesn't want to be Daniel. I think he wants his wife and children and a house or Condo in New York. Sometimes being the frog isn't easy.

[Ashleigh]

Chris is not Daniel and Madde is not Victoria. So I don't get it, what is exactly the problem here. Why are there people insisting on making them Vic No.2 and Dan No.2? When Chris knew who Madde was when he was dating her, he knew that she is the youngest and so far down the line of succession, that's why he could decline the title and be his own man, earn his own living, doesn't this suppose to make people in Sweden happy bcos he doesn't get money from anyone.

I watched the interview and I loved it. Both are very charming and adorable. Very sweet together. I know Madde does not have a lot of fans here, she is being seen as spoilt, lazy , arrogant and unfriendly. I think we should all know that there are lots of royals out there who also behave like her, but it's sad that she is being hailed as the black sheep of whole Europe. I don't understand too that people keeps thinking that she wants to be Princess, only attends gala events, eats the cake...didn't she mention in her honeymoon interview that she and Chris and also her family had discussed about her removing her title and be like Princess ML of Norway, so that means something was being discussed behind closed doors and no one will ever know what was being said to Chris and Madde. Madde will never allowed to talk about this openly. She being lazy, not working, there is a reason behind and it applies to all the other royal families too. The younger siblings can never outdo and outshine the oldest, the heir to the throne. So of course Vic will always work the most and Madde works the least, that's how it should be done.

[Muhler]

I don't think it's so much about liking or disliking Madeleine and Chris. - Well, at least not for me.

It's more a question about who they are.

If Madeleine want's to remain a working royal, then I think it's understandable that the Swedes want her to act the part. I.e. actually be an active royal - in Sweden. And that means more than one appearance a month. That she and Chris wish to live in London is not the Swedes problems it's their problem, if they can't combine that with Madeleine's royal duties.
And if Madeleine wish to remain an active royal, that includes her husband, whether he likes it or not. - It comes with the territory, just as Madeleine will be expected to join Chris to business dinners and receptions.

However, if Madeleine wish to live a more withdrawn life, concentrating on her family. Fair enough, just say so.
I think most Swedes would be fine if she kept her title and only showed up for the very most important events in the SRF - if she just said so.

As Countess says, you can't be both.

[Roslyn]

I have a feeling they are waiting to see what happens with her siblings over the next few years before making a formal statement about Madeleine's status. Victoria is pregnant and Carl Philip will have a child soon afterwards and it may be that CP and Sofia will have a second child fairly soon after that. With every child Madeleine's older siblings have, it is less and less important for Madeleine and Chris' children to be raised in Sweden and it will be more acceptable for Madeleine to step down to nominal role only. I think they were hinting at that in the interview.

[hernameispekka]

Originally Posted by xenobia

My big problem with Madeleine and Chris can be summed up in one word: consistency.

I have no problem with her living in the UK or spending almost all of there time with her kids. And I don't have a problem with Chris declining titles or working with some kind of (more or less) incomprehensible financial business.

My problem is that we (aka people in Sweden) don't know what to expect from them. That includes the fact that even when they are scheduled for public appearances, we don't always know for sure if they will show up or not.

If they decide that they just want to come home for Nobel every year, and live as private citizens in the UK the rest of the year, I'm totally find with that. Just let us know. And no, the interview they did in Skavlan didn't clarify this issue.

Exactly!! That is basically my problem as well.

[carlota]

it was nice to hear madeleine and chris in the interview. they are a nice couple and look to me like a strong team. their interaction is quite sweet. i loved how madde gestured to chris to move his hair out of his face towards the end of the interview. they are obviously very trained on how to avoid replying to questions they don´t wish to address, like how long they would stay in london and such.

i have a hard time imagining madeleine as a shy person as she said she was. she always seemed outgoing to me and very interested in the press.

chris is quite a fun character, i like his personality and can see what madde saw in him. he is very relaxed and non charlant and at ease with people, whilst being very charming.

[xenobia]

Originally Posted by hernameispekka

Exactly!! That is basically my problem as well.

Yes, but why should the people on this forum pay any attention to what people in Sweden think about the swedish royal family?*




* This post may contain traces of irony, and perhaps even a little bit of frustration about people who don't even bother to listen when swedish people give them our view on swedish things.

[MissByrd]

I really enjoyed the interview and found them to be very likable young people who are trying to manage life. They have only been married 2 years and in that time have moved twice, had two children and attended several royal functions. They are, no doubt,still trying to figure out how to manage their life roles. At the moment, they seem to have a workable solution.
And, as for Chris' work; I thought he was simply being discreet on behalf of his clients, as well as, not giving info to any possible competitors.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by COUNTESS

[...] and Chris wants to be an ordinary guy. [....]

Whatever "ordinary" means when you are a rich investment banker, with a wife being daughter of a King, sister to a future Queen and aunt to another future Queen. With a sister married into a family owning vast estates like Rappottenstein Castle (picture), Maissau Castle (picture), Traun Castle (picture), Gut Schweinbarth (picture), the house Abensperg-Traun in Vienna (picture) and large Argentinean domains....

[LadyFinn]

Originally Posted by PetticoatLane

I will never understand the tendency for people on this board to tear down other royals in some sort of attempt to make their favourites looks better. Certain posters, in their need to continually reinforce how perfect Victoria and Daniel are, trip over themselves to latch onto every piece of criticism of Madeline/Chris and CP/Sofia. You see it elsewhere on this site also (certainly on the BRF section). It's so sad.

From what I gather, Madeleine is a part-time royal, who lives away from her home country, put diligently shows up for the important family events. I don't understand the need to crucify her at every turn for basically not being Victoria.

Yes, Madeleine is a part-time royal, like her brother. Of course Madeleine will not work as much as Victoria and Daniel. Nobody expects that. But unlike her brother, she hasn't done the "bread and butter" events in Sweden during the last six years hardly at all, doesn't want to talk with the royal reporters, who write about the work of the royal family. Madeleine is a Princess of Sweden, but she doesn't meet the common swedish people at her work in Sweden, unlike the rest of the members of the royal family. She isn't involved with the work with the problems in her home country, for instance this year, the other members of the royal family, especially the king, queen, Victoria and Daniel have been very interested in the refugee issues and met asylum seekers and people working at the refugee centers several times.
Yes, she is on a maternity leave. But she still chose to go to a TV-interview.

I'm not a Swede, but I see the role and responsibility of a member of the Royal Family the same way as Daniel: "As a Prince I shall do good and serve Sweden and the Swedish people".
I don't see Madeleine doing that. And that is why I'm so critical towards her. If she would take a big role in England for promoting everything swedish there, I could change my opinion. We will have to wait and see.

[SnowBirds]

I understand where your coming from, yet women have babies, since the beginning of time, that is never going to change, so, she is a very young mother, in just over 2 years she has married, had 2 babies(they are still babies for one is now probably being potty trained and the other in diapers), she has moved how many times across oceans of all things, so what does everyone expect her to do, jump when they say jump. I don't think at this stage in her life she should be doing anything except making darn sure the children come first, isn't that what mothers are suppose to do in life? She is lucky that she has a husband to support her, (lots of women don't) and that she has a very loving and supportive family behind her, take the time to watch your children grow for once that is gone, it is gone forever. In reading this thread and others, her parents were away alot, so now she probably does not want the same for her children and I think that says alot about the type of person she is, a loving mother and wife should come first at this stage in her life,then later with more time on her hands, do what ever she can do for the royal family if she still wants to. Her and the children are no where near close to the throne, and I see more babies in the future for other members of the family, so being so harsh on her at this time of her life is a bit overboard I think, JMO. There are no written rules or time tables on doing royal duties, no book, no law, just people's opinions and who are we to judge.