Christening of Princess Athena: May 20, 2012

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by imojeen

Prinsesse Athenas dåb - Kongehuset

Who is the young lady in the photo while christening next to Nikolai?

It can also seen in home page now.
Kongehuset - Forside

Standing that close would have to be a godmother, which one I do not know. But it's not Carina, so that leaves Julie and Henriette.

[ricarda]

Originally Posted by Lumutqueen

The capital is known as Athens, by the majority of people even possibly in Greece it is Athens. It is not known as Athena, or Atene or Athen by the majority of people in the world. In Greek the worlwideweb tells me it is known as Atine or Athine.

If you think the majority of people in the world use the English name for the capital of Greece then you are quite wrong (unless of course they are talking in English). There are as many different names for it as there are languages (no matter how many people speak those languages).

[sophie25]

I think most people in Marie's shoes would prefer it if their husband had not been married before and had children by another woman, it's just human nature. HER family consists of Joachim and their two children but HIS family consists of four children and it would be very unusual for anyone to feel the same about their step children as they do their own. I am sure Marie is lovely to the older boys but I wouldn't blame her if at events like this she would prefer the emphasis to be on herself, Joachim and their children. I'm not saying that she DOES feel like that but that I wouldn't blame her if she did.

[imojeen]

Originally Posted by biboquinhas

Very strange and peculiar for someone who is not Greek and doesn t have any Greek family...and also more strange for a Danish royal couple....of course they are free To choose the name... but they should have choosen a more Danish name...she is a Princess in DEnmark not in Greece...Very strange indeed and I really don t think that was a Very wise thing.

Such names are internationally accepted, actually most names are from Greek such as, Sophia, Alexander, Alexandra. They are common so it isn't weird to you. Athena is weird to you because it is not common.
Diana(Roman mythology) and Athena(Greek mythology) are the same. Why people think the name is weird? I think it is such a lovely name.

Originally Posted by angela

I think most people in Marie's shoes would prefer it if their husband had not been married before and had children by another woman, it's just human nature. HER family consists of Joachim and their two children but HIS family consists of four children and it would be very unusual for anyone to feel the same about their step children as they do their own. I am sure Marie is lovely to the older boys but I wouldn't blame her if at events like this she would prefer the emphasis to be on herself, Joachim and their children. I'm not saying that she DOES feel like that but that I wouldn't blame her if she did.

Yes, you are right. But the boys are related 3/4 of Marie's family. She knew Joachim has two boys before. That's why they should have been sit together and come together. Haakon always put Marius into his family, I think that's better.

[empress sissi]

Originally Posted by ricarda

I would have preferred Geneva, but Athena isn't that bad.
I would have preferred Athina though (like Athina Onassis).

Yes, you have right, Athina is something else! It is much more feminine! I would preferred too! But, of course, is not my choice. I wish all the best for the little girl.

[Muhler]

Here are some clips from the christening from DR1.
VIDEO: Se alle højdepunkterne fra dåben - dr.dk/Nyheder/Indland

I think Athena is a lovely name, I predict Athena and the other variation Athene will become popular. (Athene is the Danish name for the goddess).
I also find the name sweet. Our Marie and Joachim's little goddess. That's pretty cute, eh?

It's also a name that can be pronounced in many languages - like Vincent and Josephine to name two other names.
It may not be a common Scandinavian name - yet, but nor were Felix and Vincent common names.

I doubt very much it has anything to do with the Greek capital, which is called Athen in Danish. - And pronounced very differently from the English Athens. Nor do I believe it's a nod to Joachim's Greek branch of the family, even though they may appreciate it.
My guess is that they simply liked it.

Here is a clip from TV2 focusing on how Isabella entertained the audience: http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/article.php/...rede-alle.html

Originally Posted by Zonk

We could go back and forth with this all day, and everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinions BUT at the of the day IMO riding with your younger half siblings (and really I hate the word half) and your father and stepmother in a car or posing with them in front of a church does not make you a family.

You know what makes you a family....showing love, respect and compassion to each other at all times not just because you are in the public eye for show. It what happens behind closed doors. Marie and Joachim showing Felix and Nikolai (as well as Henrik and Athena) that they are loved and cherished by showing them love with affectionate hugs and kisses, attending school recitals, listening to their stories, going to soccer games, etc. Helping them grow into positive members of society. That's being a true family.

And you know what, Marie showing affection to her stepsons at the` end of the christening, gives me hope that this is a true family.

Very well said, Zonk. I couldn't agree more.

[Meraude]

Originally Posted by imojeen

Diana(Roman mythology) and Athena(Greek mythology) are the same.

No, Diana and Athena is not the same goddess, the Roman goddess equated with the Greece Athena is Minerva, Minerva - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia , while Diana was the Greece goddess Artemis, Artemis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia the goddess of the wildland.

[imojeen]

thank you for correcting.

[Molly2101]

I love her name choices, Athena is beautiful. I was definitely not expecting it. I think it will suit her.

I wish British Royal christenings were shown on TV, they are such private matters here. We only ever see one image normally.

[sophie25]

Originally Posted by imojeen

Yes, you are right. But the boys are related 3/4 of Marie's family. She knew Joachim has two boys before. That's why they should have been sit together and come together. Haakon always put Marius into his family, I think that's better.

Oh, I have just seen footage of the ceremony and I completely agree with you. I was originally referring to Marie and Joachim posing for pictures with their own children but I didn't realise that Felix and Nikolai had been relegated to the pews during the service. Joachim has banged on since both Henrik and Athena were born about how much his elder children love their little brother and sister. To then have Henrik sitting by the font and not the other two brothers is hypocritical to say the least. Children pick up on everything and Felix and Nikolai must have been wondering why they were not up there with Henrik. What a totally rotten and insensitive thing to have done. What was their father thinking?!!!! And as far as the "no room in the car" for the elder boys goes they could have followed in another car and still walked in together.

[carlota]

marie is the daughter of separated parents herself. she spoke long about how this marked her. she obviously understands N+F's position. i've seen this couple throughout and in no occasion i have seen marie having a bad or even ignoring behaviour towards joachim's kids. they are clearly a family.

i think marie has shown several times how close she is with felix and nikolai. she has been so before the wedding and continues after:

holding hands in greenland:
http://static1.purepeople.com/articl...ie-637x0-2.jpg
marie and nikolai in the balcony:
http://www.billedbladet.dk/Kongelige.../hj524135.ashx
marie and the boys skiing:
http://svenskdam.se/files/2010/01/Ma...ix-250x152.jpg
skiing together prior to the wedding:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...-royals-3a.jpg

i don't know why people tend to invent their own stories. fair enough, we all grew up with the story about the mean stepmother, but i really don't think this is the case. why would joachim have married marie if there was already a problem between her and the kids prior to the wedding? they have enough pressure on them already.

[ghost_night554]

Originally Posted by Lumutqueen

Nowhere I can find yet, but it should be up on youtube soon enough. DRFGARDEN usually gets them up quick enough.

Thanks for that Lumutqueen, I'll keep an eye out on their youtube account.

[Meraude]

Originally Posted by angela

Oh, I have just seen footage of the ceremony and I completely agree with you. I was originally referring to Marie and Joachim posing for pictures with their own children but I didn't realise that Felix and Nikolai had been relegated to the pews during the service. Joachim has banged on since both Henrik and Athena were born about how much his elder children love their little brother and sister. To then have Henrik sitting by the font and not the other two brothers is hypocritical to say the least. Children pick up on everything and Felix and Nikolai must have been wondering why they were not up there with Henrik. What a totally rotten and insensitive thing to have done. What was their father thinking?!!!! And as far as the "no room in the car" for the elder boys goes they could have followed in another car and still walked in together.

We don't know whether Nikolai and Felix wanted to sit with Joachim and Marie or not. It they didn't want that (perhaps not wanting their friends tease them for being in tv), do you mean that they should have been forced against their wishes to sit in the front just to show what a happy family they are??

[NGalitzine]

Maybe some of you should get a petition together to nominate Joachim & Marie as worst Danish Parents of the Year for not having their 2 oldest sons with then in the car and sitting with them during the christening ceremony. I am sure I have never seen a worse case of child neglect, verging on abuse, in my life. Nikolai and Felix were probably left psychologically scarred. Surely these 2 should never be allowed to be around their children without your supervision.

[sophie25]

Originally Posted by carlota

marie is the daughter of separated parents herself. she spoke long about how this marked her. she obviously understands N+F's position. i've seen this couple throughout and in no occasion i have seen marie having a bad or even ignoring behaviour towards joachim's kids. they are clearly a family.

i think marie has shown several times how close she is with felix and nikolai. she has been so before the wedding and continues after:

holding hands in greenland:
http://static1.purepeople.com/articl...ie-637x0-2.jpg
marie and nikolai in the balcony:
http://www.billedbladet.dk/Kongelige.../hj524135.ashx
marie and the boys skiing:
http://svenskdam.se/files/2010/01/Ma...ix-250x152.jpg
skiing together prior to the wedding:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...-royals-3a.jpg

i don't know why people tend to invent their own stories. fair enough, we all grew up with the story about the mean stepmother, but i really don't think this is the case. why would joachim have married marie if there was already a problem between her and the kids prior to the wedding? they have enough pressure on them already.

As I said in a previous quote I am sure Marie is very fond on the elder boys. My point is that children feel things deeply and it will not have been lost on Felix and Nikolai that they were not sitting by the font today. If Joachim really wants them to embrace Henrik and Athena as their brother and sister then Henrik should not have been presented today as being more her brother than they are. Biologically of course he is and that will never change but having them sit seperatley will only foster a "them and us" mentality among the children. IMO it was a stupid, hurtful and totally unnecessary thing to have done

Originally Posted by Meraude

We don't know whether Nikolai and Felix wanted to sit with Joachim and Marie or not. It they didn't want that (perhaps not wanting their friends tease them for being in tv), do you mean that they should have been forced against their wishes to sit in the front just to show what a happy family they are??

If they worried about being on TV I suppose they wouldn't go on to the palace balcony either-which they do-every year.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by angela

Oh, I have just seen footage of the ceremony and I completely agree with you. I was originally referring to Marie and Joachim posing for pictures with their own children but I didn't realise that Felix and Nikolai had been relegated to the pews during the service. Joachim has banged on since both Henrik and Athena were born about how much his elder children love their little brother and sister. To then have Henrik sitting by the font and not the other two brothers is hypocritical to say the least. Children pick up on everything and Felix and Nikolai must have been wondering why they were not up there with Henrik. What a totally rotten and insensitive thing to have done. What was their father thinking?!!!!

That's a very harsh judgement.

Is there anything wrong with accompanying and sitting with your grandparents? Especially if you drive in the same car.
If Nikolai and Felix were to sit next to the font, the only place for them to sit were behind M&J, Henrik is after all so little that it would be natural that he stayed up front.
Here Nikolai and Felix sat with the adults and had a very fine view of what was going on, also during the boring bit where the priest talked a lot.

I watched them on the way out. Nikolai rushed up to M&J with a big smile on his face then he grabbed bette Henrik's hand spontanously. Hardly something a child would do, if he felt a younger halfbrother was preferred by his father and bonus mother.
Felix on the other hand went to Marie, who put her arm around him. Hardly something a child would do, if he felt his bonus mother didn't like him that much.
Nikolai and Felix didn't walk out the church with J&M because they were to ride with their grandparents - and it might still be raining outside.

Try turn the situation around before passing judgement.

Oddly enough in none of the Danish articles I have glanced thorugh so far has there been any mentioning that it was inappropriate for Nikolai and Felix to follow their grandparents.
Had Nikolai and Felix left their grandparents you could just as well argue that they were being snubbed by their grandparents.

[Artemisia]

Joachim, Alexandra, Marie and Martin have all proved that when it comes to Nikolai and Felix, all four do what's best for the children.
I strongly doubt hat the decision for the elder boys to sit separately had anything to do with "separating" them from the rest of the family. Marie's interactions with the boys have always been warm and genuine; it's clear they love their step-mother and younger siblings, are happy, content kids. I'm sure that's what all 4 adults in their lives want for them.

[sophie25]

The only other Athena I have heard of is Athina Onassis but then she is of Greek heritage so the name makes sense for her-nice name though.

[camelot23ca]

Athena. Another royal baby name I look forward to having grow on me. The baby herself is sweet, though. It's funny, in some pictures she looks like a nice mix between her parents but in a lot of other photos she looks like she could/should be one of Frederik and Mary's babies.

I thought everyone looked nice today. Nikolai is looking very grown up lately! All three of the older boys looked very dapper in their suits and little Isabella was charming and very pretty.

I didn't put much meaning in Nikolai and Felix being separate at the christening. I think it had more to do with them being much older than Joachim and Marie's children - Frederik and Mary's eldest two kids are often paired off and separated from the twins and it's not seen as any sort of problem. I realize there are additional dynamics at play when you're talking about a blended family, but I didn't get the sense that anyone in the family, (most importantly Nikolai and Felix), minded how things were arranged.

[Meraude]

Originally Posted by angela

If they worried about being on TV I suppose they wouldn't go on to the palace balcony either-which they do-every year.

It's quite different being perhaps ten minutes on a balcony far away from the cameras and to sit in the front row for almost an hour while the camera will catch every move they make and every facial expression and showed on a big screen for anyone to see and comment. Now they were present and even if they were filmed there was not the same pressure on them as if they were in the front. Little Henik is not yet aware of the camera and felt free to move around and do whatever he wanted, I would think the two elder are far more aware of what kind of pictures will show up in the papers.