Frederik went Sailing while Willem-Alexander had a Birthday Party

[norwegianne]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

It depends if an invitation was snubbed in my opinion. If Frederick and Mary were invited, turned it down and the only reason was a jaunt in a boat then it's a snub to Willem and Maxima but it isn't a snub to the Dutch as it's hardly a contradiction of foreign policy or government spat. It's more like a family falling out if there is any falling out and I dont think attendance at a birthday party provides a measuring stick for suitability as monarch and just as CP Victoria can be held up as dutiful for going, she could also be criticised for jetting to every party there is. It wasn't a state matter so it's really not that important IMO, though a shame if F and M did turn down an invitation when they had nothing better to do.

Participation in the World Championships in Farr40 is a "jaunt in a boat" now? Frederik was instrumental in bringing these championships to Copenhagen, is an honorary member of the yacht club that was hosting the event, and has a boat that was participating. To say "I'm not participating because I have to attend a birthday party, which was postponed in the first place because the wife of the birthday boy gave birth..." wouldn't have shown much team-spirit to his team-mates.

If he hadn't been competing, but sailed for leisure, I would have understood the critique. But as it is... not really.

King Harald misses his own wife's birthday most years because of the way it is situated in the middle of the competitive sailing season - but few here on these boards are in an uproar about that.

[Henri M.]

Ach... let us hope to see The Crown Prince and -Princess of Norway in the Netherlands when the Prince of Orange will assume the kingship. I look forward to see the Danish couple attending the festivities and the Enthronement ceremony.

In January Queen Beatrix will celebrate her 70th birthday. It is not known yet if something special will be organized. But in such a case I expect Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik to attend, for several reasons of course.

[biboquinhas]

Sailling for him is a very important thing, just like a job, he is competing, not pleasure and if he had this schedule for a long time (this races are all schedule from the beginning of the season) I don't think we should critizice him for not beeing present at this private birthday party, lets hope now that Willem-Alexander don't get angry with them!! Lets hope that!

[stellam]

I did not refer to Prince William twiddling his thumbs but Fred. Be that as it may, quite a few of you put it so rightly Fred played a huge part in getting the sailing championship in Denmark way before Prince William's birthday so there was no way he would not participate. I'm sure that Prince William would be understanding of that.

Stellad

[Aurora810]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

Actually the Prince did succeed in his plan: he absolutely wanted an as private as possible party. And indeed a whole bunch of royals, nobles and other guests had the time of their life, even having a relaxed sports and games competition with each other, larded with a lunch in one of the hunting lodges on the Crown Estate. On Friday there was a private program, a banquet and grand royal fireworks in the palace park. They were barely disturbed by public or media. This must have been absolutely great for all the guests.

I'm sure that it was not the Prince's initial idea to 'snub' the public. It was his initial idea to create a careless and "free-to-breathe-because-there-is-no-media-around athmosphere" on his birthday party. And he did succeed.

The interested public finally did got nice videos on the news and lots of pictures in the newspapers, the magazines and on internet. I have not heard anyone so far in the Netherlands complainig that it was so discrete. There was -as always- nagging about the costs, but as this is a private event all costs are for the Prince, except the security which is a responsibility of the State. Since that became clear the nagging ended (except for the occasional die-hard here and there of course).

Prince Albert of Monaco is a head of state, by the way. And he has never had any substantial relationship with the Prince of Orange and/or Princess Máxima. In contrary to Crown Prince Frederik, or Crown Princess Victoria, or the Eearl of Wessex, he has never been private guests on the princely private estate.

Perhaps you missed my point entirely. I don't care that W-A achieved his secret and private birthday party. Hooray for him that he did though! It's just that to me it was a bit of a snobby production and a reminder of just how wonderful and high the royal family is. I say this only based on how the production took place. Yes, Henri I know that Albert and W-A aren't of equal status I never actually mentioned Albert I just stated Monaco in general. I was simply making a comparison of how stupid it is that people are thinking badly of Fred when Monaco didn't send a respresentative and the British sent an Earl but didn't send someone of equal status really. I truly understand the circumstance for Charles and Camilla not attending. And that is exactly my point, well part of my point. Who am I to judge what is an important enough reason for a Crown Prince to miss the birthday party of another Crown Prince. All countries all positions of these RF's differ somewhat. Maybe to the Danish it would have been completely inappropriate for Fred to leave Copenhagen for a birthday party just as it would have been inappropriate for Charles to attend.

[HMTLove23]

Maybe Frederik had it planned to be sailing at the same time as the party.

[Stefanie]

There are a few possibilities: Either the Prince of Orange and Frederik aren´t THAT good friends and therefore Frederik wasn´t invited.
Or he was invited but prefered to sail and cancelled. (Might be another sign that both aren´t big friends)
Well, we´ll never find out what happened. So let´s go on.
I must admit that I´m also a bit disappointed that none of (my favourite) Greek royals came. (Not invited or cancelled.) (I noticed that on Constantijn´s wedding only his godfather Constantine of Greece came but NOT Anne-Marie f.i. (to me a sign that the invitation of Constantine was only because of politeness but he and his godson don´t have really a relation...) I wonder why f.i. the Bulgarians were invited.
Might be because they´re good friends or the Prince of Orange finds it diplomatic to keep up relations with special royal houses for some reason.
It might also show a light how important some royal houses are considered all depending on whether they were invited or not. If that is the case I´m a little worried concerning the Greeks....

[Katrianna]

Marengo and Henri, please correct me if I'm wrong, but on a royal MB it was stated that Frederik was present on Aug. 31st for the fireworks display, but Mary wasn't with him. Apparently there is a picture of Frederik observing the display with other Royals.

[Aurora810]

I really think that all royal houses reigning and non-reigning had people that were invited that seems like the only fair thing to do. But I'm just guessing. I don't think that one can read anything into certain royals attending and certain ones not attending. That's just my opinion. Maybe people that didn't show were just busy, after all royal or not we all have pretty busy lives.

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by HMTLove23

Maybe Frederik had it planned to be sailing at the same time as the party.

The logic in that is...?

As UserDane has already mentioned...

In this link - Farr 40 Worlds - Home - from September 2006 - it says at the bottom of the article that "The Rolex Farr 40 World Championship is in its ninth year and will celebrate its 10th anniversary in Copenhagen, Denmark in the summer of 2007".

It might also show a light how important some royal houses are considered all depending on whether they were invited or not.

That is a rather naive basis as to whether foreign royals were invited or not. If adhering to that "ideology", then Denmark being the oldest monarchy in continental Europe would have most certainly been in attendance.

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by Katrianna

Marengo and Henri, please correct me if I'm wrong, but on a royal MB it was stated that Frederik was present on Aug. 31st for the fireworks display, but Mary wasn't with him. Apparently there is a picture of Frederik observing the display with other Royals.

I haven´t heard that story yet. All I heard was that a lady of the public told a poster of a Dutch language message board that she thought she could identify CP Mary during the fireworks. Not a very reliable source. The same goes for Frederiks presence. A poster said she thought she saw Frederik arrive later at the party. Unclear again. But in the end it is of no consequence if they were or were not present. This was not a state event but a private one, as was stressed my the Dutch RF several times. As I said before, the only people who care about this are probably a handfull of royalty fans.

[juliana]

The Farr 40 is simply a very expensive boat and the so called "world championship" simply an extravagant OTT competition promoted by the Farr 40 yacht builder for very rich people- it doesn't rate as a world championship as the boat races in the Olympics for example do. Nobody follows the Farr 40 races other than the extremely rich yacht owners as far as I am aware.

I think Henri M's posts are always very sensible too.

[COUNTESS]

I think it is all nonsense. It was a birthday party. Some came, some, probably, didn't. The Ducth Royal family is very warm and loving. The Danish Royal family is warm and loving, too. They are all nice. There are so many difficulties in this world and the focus of who came and who didn't to a birthday party is just banal. Let them work this out amongst themselves. No one here know what discussions took place, or even if they were invited.

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by juliana

The Farr 40 is simply a very expensive boat and the so called "world championship" simply an extravagant OTT competition promoted by the Farr 40 yacht builder for very rich people- it doesn't rate as a world championship as the boat races in the Olympics for example do. Nobody follows the Farr 40 races other than the extremely rich yacht owners as far as I am aware.

Frederik does and helping secure it in Denmark, HRH had an obligation to be there..that simple.

[pollyemma]

Originally Posted by COUNTESS

I think it is all nonsense. It was a birthday party. Some came, some, probably, didn't. The Ducth Royal family is very warm and loving. The Danish Royal family is warm and loving, too. They are all nice. There are so many difficulties in this world and the focus of who came and who didn't to a birthday party is just banal. Let them work this out amongst themselves. No one here know what discussions took place, or even if they were invited.

I disagree that this is just a case of some people came and some people some people didnt. ALL the other heirs to the thrones who are in Willem Alexander's generation came. they thought this was an important enough milestone in their colleague/friends life to take the time. So F and M were conspicuous by their absence.

I definitely think this suggests that Frederick and Mary are not very close to WA and Maxima. Not that they dislike each other or don't get along, of course, but simply that they are not the closest of friends. when people are important to you, you make time for their milestone events.

[Madame Royale]

when people are important to you, you make time for their milestone events.

Unless of course you have an obligation which was diarised a year in advance...

[UserDane]

Originally Posted by Madame Royale

Unless of course you have an obligation which was diarised a year in advance...

Precisely!
The only good thing about this ongoing - and in my view totally superfluous discussion of WHY Frederik and Mary could not attend - is that the thread would have been infinitely longer if Frederik had let 9 or 10 people in his crew and the entire Danish organisation behind the competition down by being a no-show and not live up to the obligations he had to them. Now that would have been a valid reason for discussion his non-appearance - this isn't!
Why is it so difficult for some posters to understand that if you have a previous engangement and you have committed yourself to it - you stick to it?????

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by UserDane

...if you have a previous engangement and you have committed yourself to it - you stick to it?????

Absolutely, UserDane.

HRH The Duchess of Cornwall celebrated her birthday not so long ago and a member of her husband's own family, HRH The Prince Edward, Duke of York was a no show because he had committed himself to another engagement..did he not attend because he isn't close to Camilla? I would assume not. It's more likely he didn't go because prior plans had already been finalised.

[MissSaga]

Originally Posted by UserDane

Precisely!
The only good thing about this ongoing - and in my view totally superfluous discussion of WHY Frederik and Mary could not attend - is that the thread would have been infinitely longer if Frederik had let 9 or 10 people in his crew and the entire Danish organisation behind the competition down by being a no-show and not live up to the obligations he had to them. Now that would have been a valid reason for discussion his non-appearance - this isn't!
Why is it so difficult for some posters to understand that if you have a previous engangement and you have committed yourself to it - you stick to it?????

I agree completely.
I also think this thread is sort of stupid. I never meant to wtart a whole new thread, when I posted a simple comment on M&F in their events thread.

[UserDane]

I know you didn't MissSaga