Christening of Princess Athena: May 20, 2012

[Madame Royale]

Heck, if my grandmother were a Queen I'd be more than happy to accompany her to whatever family occasion it was!

For practicality sake, it just made sense that the two older boys sat with their immediate, yet extended family, while Joachim and Marie watched over the two little ones.

Personally I think some people are looking for an issue when there isn't one

A favoured past time amongst many 'here'.

 

[carlota]

Why are the guests kept waiting outside of the house with the doors closed.

my guess is that there is not enough space inside? although it seems quite harsh to keep some people outside (it must be cold in denmark in may!)

i did notice how an elder lady went inside at one point in time and frederik opened the door for her, so maybe it's just that it takes time for the people to get into the house.

there were some young ladies welcoming marie and joachim, were them the nannies?

 

[NGalitzine]

Given that they arrived in a regular Volvo with Marie, Henrik and the baby in the backseat and Joachim in the front passenger seat next to the chauffeur where were Felix & Nikolai suppose to be seated. They even looked crowded in the car with the Queen and the Prince Consort. Really I think some people are just looking to find offence.

 

[Poolbabe]

Is there any links online to watch the highlights of christening?????

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

To me it was more the fact that the little family wasn't sitting together in the church, obviously it would be too crowded for them all to drive together.

 

[grevinnan]

Athena is somehow nice and i like that they took the french versions of Margrethe and Maria. So it is allright. But Athena - i am not totally happy with it. It is ways better than the Estelle-disaster. But i think, it would be better to take an more regal first name, like Louise etc.. But as Felix and Nikolai don't have regal names, i should not have expected it.

All "regal" names were at one time non-regal. Names are added and names are lost. Henrik is a new Danish royal name. Mary will be considered "regal" in a generation or two.

 

[Danish girl]

According to the statistics from Jan 1st:

63 danish females have Athena as their first name
61 danish females have Marguerite as their first name
31 danish females have Francoise as their first name
18.388 danish females have Marie as their first name

 

[Madame Royale]

Mary will be considered "regal" in a generation or two.

In Denmark you mean?

Mary, and it's regional variations, is a long time established regal name in aristocratic circles throughout much of Europe, not least of all where monarchy is concerned.

 

[carlota]

athena sounds to me very regal, albeit unconventional.

it's funny how marie and joachim chose the danish version of the name henry for "henrik" and the french version of margrethe for athena's name...

 

[grevinnan]

Given that they arrived in a regular Volvo with Marie, Henrik and the baby in the backseat and Joachim in the front passenger seat next to the chauffeur where were Felix & Nikolai suppose to be seated. They even looked crowded in the car with the Queen and the Prince Consort. Really I think some people are just looking to find offence.

Felix and Nicolai probably arrived from Copenhagen with the Queen and Prince. Perhaps they simply preferred to stay with them. All of them are after all one large family.

In Denmark you mean?

Mary, and it's regional variations, is a long established regal name in aristocratic circles throughout much of Europe, not least of all where monarchy is concerned.

Didn't realize I had to be so very specific.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Love the name! It's one of my name choices when I eventually have children. So glad they used it

 

[CharlotteAmalia]

All "regal" names were at one time non-regal. Names are added and names are lost. Henrik is a new Danish royal name. Mary will be considered "regal" in a generation or two.

Henrik is very regal to me - Heinrich in German or Henri or Henry (in french respec. English) is the name of Kings over centuries.
Same is it with Mary and it is the name of Jesus mother. Even if Maria would be more in common in Denmark.
And Margrethe is the firstname of queen Margrethe in the 14. century.

All that i criticize on the name is Athena. I would have prefered they use Athena as a second or third name (as Frederik and Mary did with "Ivalo") and took Margrethe or Marguerite as the real first name, which is used every day.

 

[Madame Royale]

Didn't realize I had to be so very specific.

Didn't realise there's any harm in pointing out the facts.

63 danish females have Athena as their first name
61 danish females have Marguerite as their first name
31 danish females have Francoise as their first name
18.388 danish females have Marie as their first name

Thanks Danish_Girl. It's interesting to note how many people are known to share what names.

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

All that i criticize on the name is Athena. I would have prefered they use Athena as a second or third name (as Frederik and Mary did with "Ivalo") and took Margrethe or Marguerite as the real first name, which is used every day.

That would have been a bit cheasy, wouldn't it?
I think it's a bit over the top having the elder Henrik and Magrethe and the younger Henrik and Margrethe.

 

[Mirabel]

Would it have killed them to give her at least one Danish name? She IS a Danish princess after all. I know her paternal grandfather and mother's side are French, but her title is Princess of Denmark, even just spelling it Margrethe would've been nice.

That's sort of how I see it too.

 

[Meraude]

To me it was more the fact that the little family wasn't sitting together in the church, obviously it would be too crowded for them all to drive together.

I agree that there wouln't have been room in the car with Joachim and Marie for the boys, especially as little Henrik was stapped to a child seat. As for the boys sitting with their grandparents, it could very well be their own choice to have a less noticable seat. They are old enough to express what they want and they are probably at an age where they are aware of the cameras and may not want that attention, who knows if their friends would tease them about that.

 

[ironical]

I do not like the name of little Danish Princess and Sweden as well,it's a real royal disaster. And I don't understand why all the family wasn't sitting altogether. Looked very strange for me.

 

[Meraude]

I love the name Athena, and even if there is no known royals with the name Athena, there is Athénais de Montespan, mistress of Louis XIV of France, she is an ancestor to the modern House of Orléans and also the Belgian and Luxembourg royal families. Athénaïs de Montespan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[chelly]

How are the names Athena and Estelle royal disasters? I think Estelle is a very nice name.

 

[imojeen]

I think they could enter the chuch with Nikolai and Felix. Although the boys caught them, they didn't pose with them after the ceremony. That seemed to me the boys are not a part of the family. I know there is no place in the car, however the queen's car was also crowded with them. During the twins' christening Mary, Frederik came with a car with twins, Christian and Isabella came with another car. They entered the church as a big family.
I think Joachim and Marie could do the same. It seemed too seperate to me. I also think that it was not a good idea for boys to sit with grandparents. They did the same thing while Henrik's christening. Crown Prince couple of Norway was always with Marius during both christening.

As for the name, it is nice. I also realised that Isabella wears the same dress.

 

[Kit]

I have just rewatched the part where Marie reveals her names. It is definitely pronounced Atena (maybe a danish version of the Greek name ?) and not Atina or Athina (that would be the usual way to pronounce it) , etc.

I like the names to be honest. Quite unusual but beautiful nonetheless. Besides that little girl is simply adorable.

You can watch and hear the names pronounced here: TV 2 Nyhederne - Live

it is the video that starts at 17:32
http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/live/Prinsessedaab200512/

 

[sirhon11234]

I love the name of Athena. Princess Athena sounds very regal.

 

[Noble Consort Ming]

I hear Atina when I listen to it(by that I mean ah-TEE-nah).

 

[Kit]

I don't. It is always Atena

 

[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.

 

[corazon]

wow! loverly name. may be this century is the century of the rare names for the princess and princes. isla, savannah, estelle, leah and now athena. nice to see a little of changes.
no official photo?

 

[imojeen]

I hear Atina when I listen to it(by that I mean ah-TEE-nah).

danish pronounciation is different from english. They pronounce Josephine like Yozephine.

 

[Danish girl]

I have just rewatched the part where Marie reveals her names. It is definitely pronounced Atena (maybe a danish version of the Greek name ?) and not Atina or Athina (that would be the usual way to pronounce it) , etc.

Yes. In Denmark we do not pronounce "th" as you would in english. The "h" is silent. So it's pronounced "Atena"

 

[FasterB]

Prinsesse Athenas dåb - Kongehuset

Gallery from Kongehuset.dk

Afgang fra Schackenborg Slot til Møgeltønder Kirke - Kongehuset

 

[Kit]

Thats true. The don't pronounce it english but danish therefore it is definitely A - te - na which is also the german pronounciation of the name.