WA, Máxima & Daughters: Summer Holiday in Argentina & Lawsuit against AP: Summer 2009

[susan alicia]

excellent posting Marengo! Thank you.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Thanks for this excellent contribution Marengo.

... everything was so normal that one would almost forget that Willem-Alexander was a member of a special family, with special privileges. Normal children do not live in a palace, have lackeys or are tutored by renowned university professors. They do not get to fly over the country in their very own plane. So it seems that 'normal' applied mostly to the princes' duties, not to his privileges ...

Nothing more needs to be said.

Maybe for next occasions WA should tell his wife to switch off her megawatt smile and look miserable instead. Even on these debatable "private" occasions Maxima seems to really appreciate the same cameras her husband wants to ban.

When it comes down to the list of "arrogance in royalty", listing those who will pull their status card depending on when it suits to have privileges and when not, WA easily is a strong canditate for the top 3.

[susan alicia]

No, Maxima is good for the monarchy, the best thing that could have happened to it ........

It was just all the above that was imo not so good for the monarchy.

[olla86]

Great photos! The children are very cute!
________________________

LIFE IS GOOD!

[Regina]

Originally Posted by Marengo

his grandmother's, who even at her enthronement remarked: 'Who am I to be allowed to do this?'.

wow! What a remark! Fantastic.

The article is very interesting, thanks for it, Marengo.
But I think it gives the idea that the Prince is the only responsible for all this mess with the press. I believe Princess Máxima likes the media as much her husbands does lol.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Marengo

A rather well written article by Daniela Hooghiemstra in the NRC. Hooghiemstra is the co-author of several royalty books and she is a well respected journalist, dispite comments otherwise on several royalty boards:



Read the entire article here.

----

What especially struck me is that the author remarked how very different Willem-Alexander's approach is from hsi grandmother's, who even at her enthronement remarked: 'Who am I to be allowed to do this?'. The prince indeed seems to forget that all the immense privileges are thanks to his position too, he could show some modesty in his eternal complaining, nagging, law suits etc.

Another interesting observation:


And another one:

No.This is not worth the paper it's written on and I tell you why miss Hooghiemstra isn't worth mentioning and the article is one of the worse.

It might seem quite something of a piece to the many here that do not know her,nor her "work",but she's got this wrong and the facts are vamos through the window in this piece again as is costumary with this Hooghiemstra woman.
She just rides on what already is outdated and old news and therefore alone deserves no credit,at all.She can post in the NRC not due to her knowledge,she lacks that and makes mistake after mistake,as usual,but she can post in the NRC because of some she knows there,or her family knows.

She's still fiddling with the mediacode in the article,the ruling however was on the bases of the European Court of Human Rights.The media-code had nothing to do with it,yet she blabbers on and on without,again,checking facts at all.To her facts are there to be overseen as they don't fit in her story telling disability.

She's also known for a book on three Kings,Willem's I II & III,and it was so awfully poor,it wasn't worth the display they were in nor the stands that sold it,poorly tho too.It was so full of mistakes and lacked so much knowledge and factwise it was as if either they never existed or were made up to fill a page,in short,it was a disaster.I don't know who at the paper she is seeing after hours,but it can't be the lightbulb of the NRC either nor is she a royal expert.She's the risée of us who do know above average in the field of our Royalty but still used to help those make a point who just can't stop to give W-A a kick here and there for not allowing taking photo's all the time and any time.We're already a spoiled rotten lot in our demands for pics and stories,seems no-one is awake enough to watch us all become such addicts that we fail to see reason and what is reasonable anymore.

Really,and that woman stating Willem-Alexanders approach is so different from his grandmothers...?What unseeming nonsense is that?The "who am I that I may do this" bit is of a different situation alltogether and who says Alex won't have the same feeling /approach towards his future tasks?Exactly,no-one.I believe if anyone HE looks more then his grandmother then all the rest.She too hated photographers and even had them send away during State Visits,as I vividly recall her State Visit to Marshall Tito in the 70's where she told the RVD to send the press away as "they didn't deserve another photo-shoot".No,the love/hate relationship between the House and the press is a long standing one,and in the end is always won by the House,Full House as I call it.The House can rule without the press to a larger extend then visa versa.

And you know,todays news is tomorrows filling for another cat litter...

Btw,miss Hooghiemstra is of a noble family that hates to be put aside by our RF as they do not take anyone in service for sake of their name nor ancestry,but because of their knowledge and skills,and manners.She just can't get over that,poor thing.In fact,she's not that good in anything at all,what a wasted life only comforted by spilling some out of her vinegar bottle towards the Family.

[dee4855]

Originally Posted by Marengo

A rather well written article by Daniela Hooghiemstra in the NRC. Hooghiemstra is the co-author of several royalty books and she is a well respected journalist, dispite comments otherwise on several royalty boards:



Read the entire article here.

----

What especially struck me is that the author remarked how very different Willem-Alexander's approach is from hsi grandmother's, who even at her enthronement remarked: 'Who am I to be allowed to do this?'. The prince indeed seems to forget that all the immense privileges are thanks to his position too, he could show some modesty in his eternal complaining, nagging, law suits etc.

Another interesting observation:



And another one:

It does seem to be do it his way or the highway. He acts like a spoiled brat. I cannot help but wonder why is it OK to photograph the family at a hockey match, yet not OK to photograph them skiing. I wish the press (all of them) would totally ignore them. I am sick of hearing about his temper tantrums and endless lawsuits. Like I have said before time to put on his big boy pants and deal with it.

[RubyPrincess168]

Originally Posted by susan alicia

excellent posting Marengo! Thank you.

Well done Marengo!

Originally Posted by dee4855

It does seem to be do it his way or the highway. He acts like a spoiled brat. I cannot help but wonder why is it OK to photograph the family at a hockey match, yet not OK to photograph them skiing. I wish the press (all of them) would totally ignore them. I am sick of hearing about his temper tantrums and endless lawsuits. Like I have said before time to put on his big boy pants and deal with it.

I think WA needs a little attitude adjustment!

[Regina]

Originally Posted by lucien

I believe if anyone HE looks more then his grandmother then all the rest.She too hated photographers and even had them send away during State Visits,as I vividly recall her State Visit to Marshall Tito in the 70's where she told the RVD to send the press away as "they didn't deserve another photo-shoot".No,the love/hate relationship between the House and the press is a long standing one,and in the end is always won by the House,Full House as I call it.The House can rule without the press to a larger extend then visa versa.

Do you think WA's anger toward the media is a product of his grandmother's influence?
How about Queen Beatrix, lucien? Was she more tolerant/friendly with the press all over the years? Or does she supports WA and Máxima on this?

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Regina

Do you think WA's anger toward the media is a product of his grandmother's influence?
How about Queen Beatrix, lucien? Was she more tolerant/friendly with the press all over the years? Or does she supports WA and Máxima on this?

No-one in the Family likes too intrusive press,or the RF having way more attention then the projects cq engagements get in the press,as that needs more attention then the umptiest pic of them as they say themselves.And they are right,who needs to talk the colour of HM hat when she visits patients suffering from cancer?I take this example as that happened once while visiting the Daniel den Hoed clinic in Rotterdam and more attention was payed to her then to the patients,their partners and staff or in short,the whole issue,they just hate that.She had the press send out.

HM The Queen is known for saying so during functions from time to time,quitly but in a tone not to be mistaken and with an icy look god you wish you were never there.HM wasn´t that much different as her son is now but it was a different time remember,we didn´t have pc´s at the time,that´s something of the last 20 years only believe it or not so she didn´t have the problem as we see it today,but she told them,the press,off on more then one occasion yes.And rightfully so.

Alexander is very much his own man and not as much the product of his grandmothers influence in this,it's the whole family that has this love-hate affair,allthough those further away from the Throne do not "suffer" that much and live in relative peace & quiet.Granddad Bernhard was the one that got the family in order towards the press allthough even he was known for an occasional outburst.Who wouldn't when under constant 24/7 scrutiny by some photo junkies?You wouldn't?
But for Alexander being under his grandmothers influence.It is generally known that he prefers a Reign in line to his grandmothers rather then that of his mother,he said so himself I think 20 years ago already.He finds his mothers approach far to serious and he summoned up the hard work into the nightly hours by HM as she is a perfectionist,almost to the extreme,and he said he could never live up to that sort of expectation but would be more inclined to take his grandmothers approach in due time.And talking about tantrums,she had them too,allthough she pictured almost like a saint,she was a naughty girl in that department as well from time to time.It´s their Romanov blood you see,as they say themselves with a broad grin...

HM thinks her son and his family have their own responsibility towards their children,or in their relation to the press,she doesn´t meddle in that.

[Regina]

Thanks for your answer, lucien!

[TLLK]

Does anyone know how the late Prince Claus felt about the press? Perhaps his thoughts have influenced his son's feelings toward the press.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by TLLK

Does anyone know how the late Prince Claus felt about the press? Perhaps his thoughts have influenced his son's feelings toward the press.

Claus hated the intrusion and especially as a consort he felt like a zoo animal. He once said that his prognosis for monarchy in general was bad simply because there won't be enough people who are willing to live in a glasshouse. And that anybody who volunteered should be welcomed with open arms (I think that was around the time when Maxima joined the family).

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Claus hated the intrusion and especially as a consort he felt like a zoo animal. He once said that his prognosis for monarchy in general was bad simply because there won't be enough people who are willing to live in a glasshouse. And that anybody who volunteered should be welcomed with open arms (I think that was around the time when Maxima joined the family).

Thank you Duke of Marmalade.

[Marengo]

Although the prince of Orange has won this battle in court, it is actually a false victory. The judge decided that a general ruling about publications can not be given and each case has to be judged individually. This means that each time a photo agency/ magazine/ newspaper / etc. places a picture that violates the media code, they have to be dragged to court. Considering the prince halready had several law suits this year and more will follow, that does not do his image any good. Never before has there been so much discussion in he media about the code. While the serious press ignored most previous episodes, this time respectable newspapers, opinion programme's on television and political magazines paid a lot of attention to the case, and the general opinion wasn't all too positive. Everybody agrees that the prince and his family deserve some kind of privacy, but the way he wants to achieve it doesn't do his image or the cause any favours. Nobody sympathises with a whining crownprince, complaining about his life while buying villa's in Mozambique & Argentina, ski-ing during summer and going on holiday 25 times a year, esp. during this time of recession.

Unlike other royals, the Dutch royal family has always seen the press as an enemy, but knew how to use them when they wanted to. Queen Juliana frequently refused to pose, put her purse in front of her face etc. But she was at an age that people are more willing to accept this behavior. The same goes for prince Bernhard, who called members of the press to tell them his thoughts in a not so polite manner, after which he hung up the phone. Queen Beatrix always has been alergic to the press, and somehow seems to think that they are her biggest enemy, something she passed on to her son(s). Sadly the crown prince is doing the same, as he is telling his daughters: 'smile as much as possible so it will be over the quickest', he told his daughters during the last photo session.

It will be interesting to see what the crown prince does with the house in Mozambique. My guess is that he will go on with the project unless the prime minister will finally pull the plug. But 'knowing' the prime minister that won't happen and the prince will continue on his way to another political mine field. It is intruiging to that for somebody who is trained to be a constitutional monarch, he seems to have very little idea about what this means for his behavior and he thinks he can do anything he pleases.

Considering the attitude of the prince, I wonder if it wouldn't be better for him, his chilren and the whole country to call it a day and end the whole thing after Beatrix' reign. After that he can pay for his own security, home, cars, airplanes, , staff, clothes, festivities, 25 holidays-a-year etc. For the time being I would be very much in favour to lower his income and that of his wife to the 'Balkenende-norm', a norm that says that anybody in the public sector can not earn more money than the prime minister (€ 126.400).

[lucien]

Aren't you in a cheerfull mood.

Never before a Prince has reacted to the press in this manner,maybe,but never before do we see so many creepy crawlies calling themselves press and being intrusive as if everyone is nothing less then a vulgar popstar and public property all the time only.Not.

Royals are not,and add to that,that what other RF's might or might not do is never the norm,at least not to me,each decides for themselves,and like everyone else they are entitled to privacy,never mind if a pic was taken from hundreds of meters of distance or right in the face,it is about leaving one alone,or learning to leave one alone for once a year.And that's asking too much?Don't think so.The judge ruled well,based on the European Court of Human Rights and others will be dragged to Court if need be,no problem.
And btw,all the programs you mention were not halve as harsh as you make it sound,some minor flack,yes,but nothing that wasn't expected.

[susan alicia]

Imo he should have used his ammunition for a more deserving moment, it was an overreaction, perhaps not his fault even, when we saw on tv Maxima asking the palace entourage whether she did an interview well (on that programme about royal daughter in laws) perhaps WA might have been badly advised. But still you can assume he takes the final descision.

And you know he will not call it a day when it is his turn, he might have if he had not married Maxima and had such cute children but they are still very popular. When you see them they represent Holland, it makes you feel patriotic, I noticed it personally when seeing the AAcars at the Historisch Museum, just before Dodenherdenking, I merrily sang along Oranje Boven en hieperdepiep hoera when Beatrix, WA and Maxima walked to their car. And I am not the type to be ecstatic about Royals -no matter what they do- like some .

I disagree with you about what WA said to his children which I thought pedagoglicly good to say "als je zo vriendelijk mogelijk bent dan ben je er zo snel mogelijk vanaf" if you are as friendly as possible you will be done with it as fast as possible (with their obligation, duty).

About the money, I have not got a clue but I suspect that if they receive an allowance that lies in the middle of what they receive now and that of the PM they will be fine.

Originally Posted by Marengo

Although the prince of Orange has won this battle in court, it is actually a false victory. The judge decided that a general ruling about publications can not be given and each case has to be judged individually. This means that each time a photo agency/ magazine/ newspaper / etc. places a picture that violates the media code, they have to be dragged to court. Considering the prince halready had several law suits this year and more will follow, that does not do his image any good. Never before has there been so much discussion in he media about the code. While the serious press ignored most previous episodes, this time respectable newspapers, opinion programme's on television and political magazines paid a lot of attention to the case, and the general opinion wasn't all too positive. Everybody agrees that the prince and his family deserve some kind of privacy, but the way he wants to achieve it doesn't do his image or the cause any favours. Nobody sympathises with a whining crownprince, complaining about his life while buying villa's in Mozambique & Argentina, ski-ing during summer and going on holiday 25 times a year, esp. during this time of recession.

Unlike other royals, the Dutch royal family has always seen the press as an enemy, but knew how to use them when they wanted to. Queen Juliana frequently refused to pose, put her purse in front of her face etc. But she was at an age that people are more willing to accept this behavior. The same goes for prince Bernhard, who called members of the press to tell them his thoughts in a not so polite manner, after which he hung up the phone. Queen Beatrix always has been alergic to the press, and somehow seems to think that they are her biggest enemy, something she passed on to her son(s). Sadly the crown prince is doing the same, as he is telling his daughters: 'smile as much as possible so it will be over the quickest', he told his daughters during the last photo session.

It will be interesting to see what the crown prince does with the house in Mozambique. My guess is that he will go on with the project unless the prime minister will finally pull the plug. But 'knowing' the prime minister that won't happen and the prince will continue on his way to another political mine field. It is intruiging to that for somebody who is trained to be a constitutional monarch, he seems to have very little idea about what this means for his behavior and he thinks he can do anything he pleases.

Considering the attitude of the prince, I wonder if it wouldn't be better for him, his chilren and the whole country to call it a day and end the whole thing after Beatrix' reign. After that he can pay for his own security, home, cars, airplanes, , staff, clothes, festivities, 25 holidays-a-year etc. For the time being I would be very much in favour to lower his income and that of his wife to the 'Balkenende-norm', a norm that says that anybody in the public sector can not earn more money than the prime minister (€ 126.400).

[Katrianna]

Not to change the subject, but from the information I've been gathering about the Prince's project in Mozambique, along with the other people involved with him, is turning into a real farce at the least and a scandal at worst.
The media may get the last laugh in the end. " What goes around, comes around........"

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Katrianna

Not to change the subject, but from the information I've been gathering about the Prince's project in Mozambique, along with the other people involved with him, is turning into a real farce at the least and a scandal at worst.
The media may get the last laugh in the end. " What goes around, comes around........"

That misses the point totally,what goes ´round comes ´round indeed.

[olla86]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Although the prince of Orange has won this battle in court, it is actually a false victory. The judge decided that a general ruling about publications can not be given and each case has to be judged individually. This means that each time a photo agency/ magazine/ newspaper / etc. places a picture that violates the media code, they have to be dragged to court. Considering the prince halready had several law suits this year and more will follow, that does not do his image any good. Never before has there been so much discussion in he media about the code. While the serious press ignored most previous episodes, this time respectable newspapers, opinion programme's on television and political magazines paid a lot of attention to the case, and the general opinion wasn't all too positive. Everybody agrees that the prince and his family deserve some kind of privacy, but the way he wants to achieve it doesn't do his image or the cause any favours. Nobody sympathises with a whining crownprince, complaining about his life while buying villa's in Mozambique & Argentina, ski-ing during summer and going on holiday 25 times a year, esp. during this time of recession.

Unlike other royals, the Dutch royal family has always seen the press as an enemy, but knew how to use them when they wanted to. Queen Juliana frequently refused to pose, put her purse in front of her face etc. But she was at an age that people are more willing to accept this behavior. The same goes for prince Bernhard, who called members of the press to tell them his thoughts in a not so polite manner, after which he hung up the phone. Queen Beatrix always has been alergic to the press, and somehow seems to think that they are her biggest enemy, something she passed on to her son(s). Sadly the crown prince is doing the same, as he is telling his daughters: 'smile as much as possible so it will be over the quickest', he told his daughters during the last photo session.

It will be interesting to see what the crown prince does with the house in Mozambique. My guess is that he will go on with the project unless the prime minister will finally pull the plug. But 'knowing' the prime minister that won't happen and the prince will continue on his way to another political mine field. It is intruiging to that for somebody who is trained to be a constitutional monarch, he seems to have very little idea about what this means for his behavior and he thinks he can do anything he pleases.

Considering the attitude of the prince, I wonder if it wouldn't be better for him, his chilren and the whole country to call it a day and end the whole thing after Beatrix' reign. After that he can pay for his own security, home, cars, airplanes, , staff, clothes, festivities, 25 holidays-a-year etc. For the time being I would be very much in favour to lower his income and that of his wife to the 'Balkenende-norm', a norm that says that anybody in the public sector can not earn more money than the prime minister (€ 126.400).

Your wondering is a normal thing, because this is an urgent problem for a lot of us...