Had a closer look at the more serious articles. And that may lead to a more nuanced view.
Was it a bail-out or a pull-out? A bit of both, I think.
At around ten years Joachim was told he was to inherit Schackenborg from the Schack family, the then owners of Schackenborg being childless themselves and other relatives of the family not wishing to take over.
In other words Joachim was never asked whether he wanted or was even interested in being a gentleman farmer.
In 1993 Joachim took over Schackenborg, which turned out to have been neglected for many years, was hopelessly oldfashioned and in serious need of a major renovation. The agricultural part of the estate was also in serious need of investments and then he also inherited a debt of 20 million DKK,
As Joachim's personal fortune must have been very limited, his parents had to help him financially, that's no secret. Nor is it a secret that this led to a split between the DRF and the Schack family.
Last year Schackenborg the estate, for the first time in years had a solid surplus of 400.000 DKK. (Usually the surplus is after the management i.e. Joachim and our Marie, have got their "salary").
He also had a loan in Schackenborg the estate for 40 million DKK, supposedly to pay for investments but also running costs of the estate. - We must keep in mind that investmens and loans are tax deductable. Joachim do not pay tax of his apanage and personal expenditure, but he pay tax of his estate and investments.
We must also keep in mind that the divorse from Alexandra was very costly for Joachim.
Scackenborg the manor and estate was recently valued at 130 million DKK, not counting livestock, machinery and other assets, but only the value of the land and buildings.
The new foundation, which very much consists of a number of Joachim's very wealthy friends took over the manor and land for 100 million DKK, provided Joachim paid off the debt of 40 million DKK. On top of that Joachim returned 13 million DKK, which was a part of a public wedding present for which he renovated parts of the manor.
In other words: the foundation have taken over a renovated manor, a modernized farm and lands and buildings worth more than 130 million DKK, for what is de facto 47 million DKK. That is a serious bargain!
The foundation is also created for "the common good" of the public, which means further tax deductions, making this investment by Joachim's friends even more palatable.
Apart from that Joachim still owns land and buildings in the area. The value is uncertain but conservative estimates puts the value in the tens of millions of DKK.
That means that Joachim instead of having to struggle to a considerable degree (and how much can be debated since he apparantly didn't have to sell off other assets in order to keep Schackenborg) now is free of any debt and he is at the very least, repeat very least, worth some 70 million DKK personally. That is very serious money!
With four children who by law has the right to an equal share of the inheritance, Joachim has ensured that all his children now can have a comfortable life after his death. - It is after all a problem to share the value of Schackenborg into four parts without having to sell the estate eventually anyway. Even two parts would be crippling. Because those children who do not want to have anything to do with Schackenborg will have to be bought out.
The court has confirmed that QMII for a long time has been kept fully informed and most likely gave her OK to the proceedings. Whether that was in her capacity as the head of the DRF or as a mother who helped her son is unclear. Perhaps both.
We must also keep in mind that Joachim, nor the DRF, as such has a particular personal affiliation with Southern Jutland. The DRF has rarely lived outside of the greater Copenhagen area for at least the past 500 years. Gråsten and Marselisborg manors and the hunting lodge in Trend are temporary residences.
Joachim is a patron of the foundation behind Schackenborg and as such he has apparantly been given free access to come and live there when he wants to. Probably during holidays. It will of course remain to be seen how much time his family will actually spend there.
The story about his two youngest children needing to remain in one insitution or school, rather than pendling between two, is in my opinion secondary and actually more of a bonus. There are schools in Southern Jutland, also schools of high standard, albeit some distance away from Schackenborg. The better schools are obviously located in the major cities, so Copenhagen is an obvious choice for a family like Joachim's to settle. On a personal level I can easily understand the argument about considering the needs of your children.
It is very much speculated and to a considerable degree expeted that Joachim and Marie will take over considerably more public duties in the future. With M&F de facto being the regent couple already now, and with the Regent Couple being in semi-retirement (certainly in regards to PH) that must be considered a logical move. It will after all be some twenty years before M&F's children can take over in earnest.
So looking at the issue as emotionaly detached as possible, Joachim has made a very sound choice. It will, at least for a period make him unpopular, but then Joachim has never been particular popular and a glance at his bank account will probably be a comfort...
Was it wise? IMO? - You bet! He has spend twenty years building up Schackenborg and he is now reaping the fruits. What was the alternative? Keep struggling? Going bankrupt? - Knowing that there would be a more than serious risk of Schackenborg having to be sold anyway after his death.
Was it moral? IMO? - Why not? Just because he's royal why shouldn't he be allowed to ensure his future and not least the future of his children financially?
We must keep in mind that Joachim's dynasty is now only one generation or perhaps just one marriage away from being commoners. It is very likely that most of Joachim's children and certainly grandchildren will be reduced to counts/countesses of Montpezat.
I cannot blame him for planning for that eventuallity.
Is he deserting Southern Jutland? IMO? - Yes. Just keep in mind: He was never asked whether he wanted to settle there in the first place.
It is a deep pity Joachim left Schackenborg, when you look at it from outside Copenhagen. Because the royal affilliation is important, perhaps more today than previous because Copenhagen is no longer the absolute centre of Denmark.
Unfortunately we will have to wait another 20-25 years before we may expect a royal family to settle outside Copenhagen. And that family will probably be one of M&F's children.
I think it would be a very nice touch if the DRF, and perhaps especially the Regent Couple, (since they don't have young children) were to visit the rest of the country and also live (Gråsten and Marselisborg) more often than they do now.
Am I disappointed that J&M leave Schackenborg? Yes, a little. It would have been nice to have members of the DRF living outside of Copenhagen and they did mean a lot to the locals. I also realise howeve that it was perhaps utopian to think that a member of the DRF, who are comparatively poor, to be able economically to live at a manor.
Perhaps Schackenborg will quietly be taken over by the state and in time become another residence, because in 25-30 years from now they may be an acute shortage of homes for junior members of the DRF.
I've heard a figure around 50 million DKK. How accurate that is I don't know, but it seems very plausible to me.
