Marie: Possible Future Challenges, Patronages and Successes as Princess of Denmark

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by Odette

No matter what she does or how fast she learns she will always play second fiddle to Mary.

Whch is expected, considering Mary will be Queen.

[GlitteringTiaras]

Marie has a lot riding on her back thus she cannot afford to be slow with the language, patronages, and so forth despite being the second wife of the second son of a reigning monarch. She should quickly find her niche in this small royal house otherwise, people may begin to question her and dare I say begin to dislike her. Her other major hurdles: Mary and Alexandra. Pretty self-explanatory.

When the magazine, BT, wrote a recent article about her lack of Danish skills eight months and six hours a month later, noting that she still can't speak Danish, I was surprised. It is my understanding that BT is pro-DRF not as over-the-top as Billed Bladet, but still...

It still bugs me to this day when she noted (during the press conference in October) that she would be happy sitting around the castle (for sometime) before taking on patronages. Hello?!! McFly!!! Jimmy Choo in the mouth! I don't know... I still have good hopes for Marie, but I have my doubts at times.

[Madame Royale]

I still have good hopes for Marie, but I have my doubts at times.

Yer, I'm the same. And perhaps it isn't fair of me, but there's something about Marie that I feel is rather feign. I hope I'm wrong.

[marmi]

Wow well now you've both come out of the wood work with your feelings I can add mine to the list - I dont know what it is (why) but for some reason I too have doubted Marie. To me, that she will be the second wife is not relevant - she will be a Princess of Denmark and needs to learn the language, and learn it yesterday! (As an aside - how long did it take Mary and Alexandra???)

I hope that I have been unfairly harsh, but feel that she has yet to impress, or show signs of doing so even really...

Yet if she makes her future husband happy, and is a 'good' stepmother, then whilst not so great for the monarchy, not a totally bad thing

[LadyCat]

Can we please, please, please give Marie a break! Yes, she needs to learn the language, we all agree on that, but has it even been determined she will be a working member of the Danish Royal Family? We don't know what sort of timetable is in place for her to take up royal duties, if she ever does. Perhaps she and Joachim plan to have a child immediately and she will wait until after that. Who knows. We all assume she will be a working royal but to my recollection no such statement has been issued.
Sorry, don't mean to preach!

Cat

BTW Marmi, from what I understand Alexandra learned Danish fairly quickly and Mary still struggles with the nuances.

[Madame Royale]

Alexandra's fluency in German (her mother being Austrian) is what made her Danish transition all the more easy.

but has it even been determined she will be a working member of the Danish Royal Family?

Respectively, are you at all serious? To marry into the royal family and not fulfill a supporting role of HM The Queen and indeed, the royal family in an official capacity? This is no deposed dynasty but a ruling institution and will receive her share of Joachim's income. To be payed, yet contribute no service to crown or country would be completely unimanagable, and insulting beyond belief. Talk about a 'meal ticket' if ever there was one.

Being a Danish Princess means more than bearing the title..much much more. Being a wife is one thing, being a Princess is an entirely different ball game.

Without a doubt, she shall, and should, pick up the representative role which was relinquished by the countess of Frederiksborg, and make it her own. We have all stated we hope we're proven wrong in our pre judgements, so I hardly think we're giving her a public flogging. Merely expressing our right to disucss our thought's. We are just uncertain at this point in time and look forward to seeing her in the role she's about to embrace. Time will tell.

[GlitteringTiaras]

Originally Posted by LadyCat

Can we please, please, please give Marie a break!

Thank you for your perspective, LadyCat; however, I want members to feel that they can express themselves without feeling they should hold back if their opinion is vastly different from others. This is a discussion forum, and in order for it to work people should be allowed share their perspectives without being lambasted for it.

but has it even been determined she will be a working member of the Danish Royal Family? We don't know what sort of timetable is in place for her to take up royal duties, if she ever does. Perhaps she and Joachim plan to have a child immediately and she will wait until after that. Who knows. We all assume she will be a working royal but to my recollection no such statement has been issued.

Well, she will be getting paid.

BTW Marmi, from what I understand Alexandra learned Danish fairly quickly and Mary still struggles with the nuances.

Alexandra's Danish, now, is practically perfect. Mary does speak the language, despite the nasty rumors from a few that she cannot. However, she still has a slight accent and some Danes note that she'll jumble a pronunciation or two once in a while.

[LadyCat]

Mea culpa, Glittering Tiaras. I wasn't trying to stop anyone from voicing an opinion, I just get a bit emotional when it comes to the underdog. We as a whole have a habit of finding something about one our royals, ex royals and soon to be royals to pick to death (Beatrice's thighs, Maxima's hair, Sarah's tights, etc.) and I just as guilty of this as everyone else.

We have already have five pages with 97 posts in Marie's jewelry thread, and most of them regarding the only piece of jewelry she has -- her engagement ring! (I'll concede I am one of the naysayers there )

I love the open discussion and back and forth of opinions of this forum and in no way would I ever attempt to stifle that. I just felt someone needed to stick up for Marie since it seemed there was very little that was positive being said about her. If I'm this bad regarding a woman I've never met, you can imagine what I'm like in defense of my friends and loved ones!


Cat

[marmi]

Well, no one could fault your loyalty by the sounds of it! Good for you. And no, no (or very few) positive things were being said, but we were all diplomatic in how we said what we did say, I feel we were anyway.

Thanks for the responses about the way M and A learnt Danish, but I wont comment on them again in the interests of keeping on topic!

[royaltywatcher]

Of all the princesses, this one is really a wild card. She appears a little less polished, sometimes saying things or acting in a such a way as might indicate she is a little fed up (like the interview on the ski slopes, for instance). I noticed she looked less than thrilled in the photos of the bacony scene for Q. Margrethe's birthday.

Yet she seems kind of warm and real, and interesting. Maybe she feels she can be a bit more casual since she will be a minor royal figure. But the whole thing will surely be interesting to watch!

[sophie25]

On a more positive note and without wanting to "jump the gun" as it were, I hope they do have a child quite quickley and that it will be a Princess as there are too many Princes in Denmark. Will their children be HRH?

[LadyCat]

I agree Marie is a bit of a wild card in the Princess Stakes, and she is going to have to live in the shadow of uber Princess Mary, who is without a doubt a very tough act to follow. I feel very sorry for her in that respect.

Due to the fact that she and Joachim are not exactly kids any longer, I feel pretty sure they will start their family fairly quickly, assuming of course Marie wants children -- some women don't feel the need to procreate but I don't think Marie is one of them. Mary and Fred probably started immediately for that very same reason, though the fact that all of Denmark was waiting with baited breath for the next heir probably factored in just a bit.

Cat

[Beck]

Originally Posted by angela

On a more positive note and without wanting to "jump the gun" as it were, I hope they do have a child quite quickley and that it will be a Princess as there are too many Princes in Denmark. Will their children be HRH?

I think their children will be HH, not HRH. Nikolai and Felix are HH Prince Nikolai and HH Prince Felix of Denmark

[GlitteringTiaras]

Originally Posted by LadyCat

Mea culpa, Glittering Tiaras. I wasn't trying to stop anyone from voicing an opinion, I just get a bit emotional when it comes to the underdog. We as a whole have a habit of finding something about one our royals, ex royals and soon to be royals to pick to death (Beatrice's thighs, Maxima's hair, Sarah's tights, etc.) and I just as guilty of this as everyone else.

I know you weren't, LC. In general my comment was to let those who may be hesitant to speak up (or post up) that it is okay to say something... even if it differs from others.

I love the open discussion and back and forth of opinions of this forum and in no way would I ever attempt to stifle that. I just felt someone needed to stick up for Marie since it seemed there was very little that was positive being said about her.

Actually, I do believe there is a balance which can be noted all over and not just on this and other forums, but in the media. From my perspective, Marie is hard to pin down unlike other Crown Princesses and Princesses. At this moment I cannot place my finger on it... perhaps others may feel the same, and perhaps that is why there is a 50-50 opinion of her. In the end, no one is "ganging up" on her, LC. Some are simply trying to figure out who she is and so forth by expressing their thoughts.

[royaltywatcher]

Originally Posted by LadyCat

I agree Marie is a bit of a wild card in the Princess Stakes, and she is going to have to live in the shadow of uber Princess Mary, who is without a doubt a very tough act to follow. I feel very sorry for her in that respect.

I don't feel sorry for her, because I don't think she really cares, or will be trying to compete. I also don't think Mary is a very tough act to follow, unless you mean in the fashion sense. Alexandra was a tough act for Mary to follow, but Mary's superior rank and Alexandra's convenient exit made things easier.

I think Marie will either charm everyone and make her own place in the Danish royal family, or will refuse to play the role and be a complete disaster. Should be very interesting as it plays out.

[Bosana]

Marie seems to be quite naive in the interviews she gives, as if she (or he) haven't really thought past the "and they lived happily ever after" part of the story. The day after the wedding is the day when the real work begins in a marriage. Perhaps she is merely protecting her privacy by giving rather vacuous answers.

[marmi]

Originally Posted by royaltywatcher

I don't feel sorry for her, because I don't think she really cares, or will be trying to compete. I also don't think Mary is a very tough act to follow, unless you mean in the fashion sense. Alexandra was a tough act for Mary to follow, but Mary's superior rank and Alexandra's convenient exit made things easier.

I think Marie will either charm everyone and make her own place in the Danish royal family, or will refuse to play the role and be a complete disaster. Should be very interesting as it plays out.

I agree - it will be very interesting! I also think that whilst the role of a princess is relatively defined (in that there are normalities/commonalities, expectations etc), each one can certainly make it her own and bring something of herself to it. Just as examples (and obviously, this is just my opinion), look at Maxima (laughter and joy, bright happy colours etc), Mathilde (quiet classic elegence, great care etc) and Letizia (professional, hardworking, respectful etc) --- each of these crown princesses has brought something of her own to the role, and whilest Marie wont be a Crown Princess, she still has the opportunity to... make a difference, be a Princess.....

(I should, in the interests of clarity, probably add that I dont think that each of the characteristics which I 'gave' to each CP above are exclusive to them - they are for example, all professional, caring etc) I just chose qualities which are the first which come to my mind when considering each princess)

Now, I want this wedding to happen, because only time will tell...

[royaltywatcher]

Originally Posted by marmi

this is just my opinion), look at Maxima (laughter and joy, bright happy colours etc), Mathilde (quiet classic elegence, great care etc) and Letizia (professional, hardworking, respectful etc)

I think your opinion is pretty much on target. Maybe there should be a new thread--name the princess or royal figure that you are interested in and one word to describe him or her. Let's start with the soon-to-be H.R.H. Princess Marie of Denmark: independent.

[pamk]

I think that Marie is going have a very tough road to walk ---
Some of the photographs or her have been less than seemly - and to have to follow both Alexandra and Mary
I guess that Alexandra still has some official duties as I see her attending events and being given flowers
Alexandra is an especially tough act to follow - she has the two boys, speaks fluent Danish, has a handome very-much-younger husband, looks better than she has ever looked and seems to be impecable both in manner and speech
She will always be around -
The comparisons are sure to follow if Marie doesn't start get her act together

[MARG]

Originally Posted by pamk

The comparisons are sure to follow if Marie doesn't start get her act together

I think the poor woman is in a 'lose, lose", siuation. It's bad enough having CP Mary as a sister-in-law, but to have to compete with a hugely popular ex wife is well nigh impossible.

Alexandra is so talented and cosmopolitan and Marie? least said, soonest mended seems to be the order of the day. I think her best chance of surviving is to fall pregnant as soon as possible. That way the Danes may cut her a little slack and give her time to catch her breath.