King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, Current Events Part 2: June 2004 - April 2005

[Josefine]

he was driving to slow so the reporters gave up on him

 

[GrandDuchess]

Originally posted by King Christian@Jun 24th, 2004 - 2:39 am
A serious question:
- is this the first time that CG drives outside of Sweden?

No, The King has driven abroad before - on the continent on their holidays.

 

[hrhcp]

excellent ... nice boat. Looks like it can sleep eight below (the windows at the back) ?

 

[mixer2002de]

Originally posted by King Christian@Jun 23rd, 2004 - 7:39 pm
When I got my fine, I was informed of photo-radar. Surely CG didn't want that embarrassment.

Well as non German they would stop him at once to make him pay at once. Back in Sweden he might not pay!

 

[hrhcp]

mixer2002de  Posted on Jun 27th, 2004 - 3:16 pm
 
Well as non German they would stop him at once to make him pay at once. Back in Sweden he might not pay!

I thought photo-radar is more efficient.

Strange ... the German police-man only comes out into the open (to catch speeders) when he knows a gentleman - that CG is - will stop to receive his fine.

 

[mixer2002de]

Originally posted by King Christian@Jun 27th, 2004 - 5:27 pm

mixer2002de   Posted on Jun 27th, 2004 - 3:16 pm
  
Well as non German they would stop him at once to make him pay at once. Back in Sweden he might not pay!

I thought photo-radar is more efficient.

Strange ... the German police-man only comes out into the open (to catch speeders) when he knows a gentleman - that CG is - will stop to receive his fine.

It depends wether its a permanent radar station. Then the police is not present. When its a mobile one they are. And fine you at once usually!

 

[greg]

Has anyone heard about the advertisement in German TV (it was about 1993) in which Kungaparet presented their country as the ideal place for tourists? Is there any link to that video? Thanks for any replies

 

[mixer2002de]

Originally posted by greg@Jun 29th, 2004 - 3:28 pm
Has anyone heard about the advertisement in German TV (it was about 1993) in which Kungaparet presented their country as the ideal place for tourists? Is there any link to that video? Thanks for any replies

This is more than a decade ago. and its before the WWW. So i think it is not online!

 

[Lena]

There will be a new fragrance on the market...with the signature of the king and the queen on the flacon...it´s called "Solliden eau de toilette" and there will be a male and a female version and parts of the revenues will go to the king and the queen (and to the childhood foundation-the queen´s charity project).
Of course there are some people, who criticise this development...but on the other hand they criticise as well, that the RF needs so much tax-money

Who knows maybe it´s a success and they will produce a Victoria-fragrance as well...then Dennis probably would buy a few cartons and would bathe daily in it

The king & queen

The flacon

Kungaparets parfym- affär får hård kritik


Kungen och drottningen ger sig in i parfymbranschen.
Kungaparet har lånat ut sina namn till en parfymtillverkare - snart säljs den kungliga doften i hela världen.
- Det här är klart på gränsen, säger statsvetaren Peter Esaiasson.
Den svenskgrundade internationella kosmetikajätten Oriflame lanserar i september sin nya parfym över hela Europa. På etiketten: Kung Carl Gustafs och drottning Silvias namnteckningar.
- Det svenska kungaparet har gått med på att vi ska distribuera deras doft över världen, säger Nigel Mould, marknadsföringschef på Oriflames huvudkontor i Bryssel.

Okänd summa
En del av intäkterna för varje såld flaska kommer att gå till drottningens barnfond World Childhood Foundation som bland annat arbetar med att hjälpa gatubarn. Hur mycket vill Nigel Mould inte uppge.
- Det här verkar som ett steg på vägen mot det som Gudrun Schyman föreslagit, att privatisera kungahuset. Det låter som om det är på gränsen för vad som är tillåtet, säger statsvetaren Peter Esaiasson.
Hovets informationschef Elisabeth Tarras-Wahlberg bekräftar att ett avtal skrivits men ser inga problem med att ett privat företag tjänar pengar på kungens och drottningens namn.

Tjäna pengar
- Visst kommer de att tjäna pengar på det, men en stor del av vinsten går till World Childhood Foundation. Vi har gjort bedömningen att det kommer att generera medel som kommer barnen tillgodo, säger Tarras- Wahlberg.
Den nya parfymen kommer att heta "Solliden eau de toilette" och ska finnas i en manlig och en kvinnlig version. Den baseras på en redan befintlig parfym med samma namn som sedan fyra år går att köpa i souvenirbutiken på Solidens slott. Den nya parfymen kommer att kunna köpas i tusentals butiker i 55 länder.

Namnteckningar
Oriflame har vidareutvecklat doften, som "baseras på det öländska landskapet" och ska ge den en ny flaska. Kungaparets namnteckningar kommer att ingå i logotypen.
- Kungaparet har inte stått och blandat doften själva, men de har godkänt den, säger Tarras-Wahlberg.

 

[Dennism]

Great photos indeed. Silvia does indeed not look 60. Yes, bathe daily. Lena, you know me so well. Yes, I hope they do not criticize.

 

[GrandDuchess]

Article from Aftonbladet today with some interesting facts about the staff of the Royal Court - the link to the article with more statistics

Staff of the Royal Court - highest income, name & kronors:

Hovauditör, Bengt Ljungqvist 3 752 670
Kammarherre, Lars Engwall 2 677 169
Ståthållare, Björn Sprängare 2 660 294
Kammarherre, Dag Ekman 2 534 343
Kabinettskammarherre, Bo Ramfors 2 362 974
Kammarherre, Johan af Petersens 10 601 120
Hovjägmästare, Johan Adelswärd 2 299 013
Överhovmästarinna, Alice Trolle-Wachtmeister 2 255 425
Ceremonimästare, Peter Forssman 1 921 984
Slottsfogde, Gunnar Haeger 1 773 666

Staff of the Royal Court - the richest, name & kronors:

Överhovmästarinna, Alice Trolle-Wachtmeister 315 872 309
Hovjägmästare, friherre Johan Adelswärd 25 130 321
Kammarherre, Gustaf Svensson 18 807 474
Förste hovintendent, Wilhelm Reuterswärd 12 544 040
Kammarherre, Johan af Petersens 10 601 120
Hovdam, friherrinna Christina von Schwerin 8 594 613
Expeditionschef, Sven-Olof Hedengren 7 324 608
Överintendent, Bengt Telland 7 074 815
Kammarherre, Dag Ekman 6 750 331
Kammarherre, Lars Engwall 6 733 961

 

[GrandDuchess]

Reerfume

I must say that I got really really upset when I heard this the first time! This is not a good stepp for them to make, and I can't believe that ETW or someone else has NOT managed to talk them out if it! BAD MOVE!...

 

[Lena]

But haven´t other Royal houses done the same?! And what is about Marabou-chocolate (btw this chocolate is "yummy" )...there on the wrapping the Royal coat of arms is printed (?)

 

[Chatleen]

But the Court had a financial loss last year. And everybody should realize that something has to change. Either more money from the state or earning some money by some new ways. As it seems selling tickets and gifts to castle visitors is not enough!

Really? I didn't know that. I must admit, that I'm not that up-to-date with all aspects of the Swedish royal family. I actually had the impression, that the family were quite wealthy.

From the article in Ekstra Bladet I got the impression, that part of the profit would benefit a charity, and the rest of it would be profit for Oriflame. But the royal family would get an income as well???

Anyway, I don't like the idea of a royal family becoming commercialized in that way. I don't know, what the problem is - if the Swedish royal family are big spenders, or if the Swedish taxpayers are cheap. In case of the first mentioned, I would say, that they should cut their expenses. In case of the latter, I would say, that a country have to choose, whether it want a monarchy or not. A royal family, doing a good job for the country, should be receiving an appanage. If taxpayers don't want to pay for a reasonable amount of expenses, than they really don't want a royal family. IMO.

 

[GrandDuchess]

Originally posted by Lena@Jul 5th, 2004 - 4:15 pm
But haven´t other Royal houses done the same?! And what is about Marabou-chocolate (btw this chocolate is "yummy" )...there on the wrapping the Royal coat of arms is printed (?)

That is very different - Marabou is a Royal Warrant Holders by official standing, and most of those have the Royal Arms with the text "By Appointment to H.M. The King of Sweden" on their products! The system with Royal Warrant Holders are used by most European Courts, and in Sweden it has been used for a thousand years (although in a different form in the beginning I think). Today there are abou 130 Royal Warrant Holders in Sweden.

This thing with Oriflame is a pure business deal - The King & Queen lets a PRIVATE company use their names and all that comes with that to launch themselves internationally, and at the same time launching this perfume of which they will most certainly make a profit (only "a part" or the profit will go to WCO). I feel that this is ALL WRONG! They have now crossed the line by gaining a private company in this way, and I believe it is a stepp in the wrong direction. Now all Swedish companies who wants to launch themselves internationally could say that they too want something like this, and why are they not chosen etc. etc...

I would've hoped that ETW would've stopped them and explained, but it doesn't seem so since the contracts are obviously already written.

 

[Lena]

So does this mean that they don´t get any money or rebates from e.g. Marabou?

I´ve understood it the same way like you...parts of the money go to the RF and then parts to the WCF.
But as I´ve said before, I can´t decide, what is worse or better. The people complaining about the tax money or those about their businesses.

 

[Chatleen]

Originally posted by GrandDuchess@Jul 5th, 2004 - 10:26 am
ETW

Sorry, but what is ETW?

 

[Lena]

Sorry, but what is ETW?

Elisabeth Tarras Wahlberg-spokeswoman of the court

 

[GrandDuchess]

Originally posted by Lena@Jul 5th, 2004 - 4:32 pm
So does this mean that they don´t get any money or rebates from e.g. Marabou?

I´ve understood it the same way like you...parts of the money go to the RF and then parts to the WCF.
But as I´ve said before, I can´t decide, what is worse or better. The people complaining about the tax money or those about their businesses.

Being a Royal Warrant Holder means that the company is a Purveyor to the Royal Court - that is the only thing. It gives the company some glitter, and the Royal Court use their products. A company can no apply to become Royal Warrant Holders unless they are regular purveyors already to the Court, and they are very strict about which company gets the distinction. As I said, only 130 companies are Royal Warrant Holders today. They do NOT get any money from this.

The products supplied by firms with Royal Warrants are used both for the Royal House's private use and for wider use in the Royal Palaces. A number of the Royal Warrant Holders supply merchandise for the Royal Palace shops, where goods such as brass candlesticks from the Skultuna brass foundry and stoneware from the Paradis workshop on the Baltic island of Öland are on sale to visitors. The Royal Couple frequently take gifts from Sweden, often from royal suppliers, on foreign tours and state visits.

When it comes to the contract with Oriflame - WCO will get a part of the sale's profit, and Oriflame as the company will take in most of the profit.

 

[Chatleen]

Originally posted by GrandDuchess@Jul 5th, 2004 - 10:26 am
I would've hoped that ETW would've stopped them and explained, but it doesn't seem so since the contracts are obviously already written.

Well, I actually think, that one would expect some kind of reasonable judgement from the couple themselves as well.

 

[hrhcp]

GrandDuchess  Posted: Jul 5th, 2004 - 7:26 am

I feel that this is ALL WRONG! They have now crossed the line by gaining a private company in this way, and I believe it is a stepp in the wrong direction.

I wonder how long this has been in the making .. after or before Brunei-gate?

Is this a courageous counter-move by the King to test (or expedite?) the republican nerve of deposing the "royal institution" ?

 

[Lena]

Originally posted by King Christian@Jul 5th, 2004 - 4:05 pm

GrandDuchess   Posted: Jul 5th, 2004 - 7:26 am

I feel that this is ALL WRONG! They have now crossed the line by gaining a private company in this way, and I believe it is a stepp in the wrong direction.

I wonder how long this has been in the making .. after or before Brunei-gate?

Is this a courageous counter-move by the King to test (or expedite?) the republican nerve of deposing the "royal institution" ?

You mean CG feels more and more in the age of being a retiree? And as he never wasn´t too fond of a female successor, the end of the monarchy wouldn´t hurt him really?

 

[Chatleen]

Originally posted by Lena@Jul 5th, 2004 - 11:07 am

You mean CG feels more and more in the age of being a retiree? And as he never wasn´t too fond of a female successor, the end of the monarchy wouldn´t hurt him really?

Yes, of course - everything is well planned

 

[hrhcp]

welll ... on the face of it ... the monarchy is on a "rocky road" in Sweden (and has been since ~1915), compared

to the monarchies in Norway and Denmark, where the monarchy is still an integral part of government,

as opposed to Sweden, where its -- I hate to say it -- becoming more of a frivolous fixture.

 

[GrandDuchess]

Well the Monarchy is not under any threat in Sweden today. The re-worked constitution that the Parliament are most probably going to work on this fall will not even take up the part about the Monarchy, only the other parts of the constitution - and the Monarchy also has a broad public support.

Because the political parties have different views on the monarchy, they will most probably not take it up in a LONG time (the Parliament always wants unity on constitutional matters) - and they will also not dare to touch it as long as the monarchy has the huge public support that it has.

I must say that I'm worried about how ETW runs the Royal Information & Press Department, and also how other parts of the Royal Court works. They must start realizing that they have to use new working methods- and ways with the way that the Swedish media works these days. They need a better media strategy and to handle the media better, and "bloopers" like this should just not be allowed to happen. I don't think that this perfume thing will give republicans ammunition at the moment - but it is a wrong stepp in the whole "process", if you look at the whole. This perfume thing is NOT good, and a person with the experience that ETW does have, should see that and talk them out of it!...

And I'll just have to bite the sour apple and watch the critizism come this fall - yet another "blooper"...

 

[hrhcp]

GrandDuchess  Posted: Jul 5th, 2004 - 8:29 am

I must say that I'm worried about how ETW runs the Royal Information & Press Department

shades of the english court ....

Perhaps "we" should submit GrandDuchess as the new person to take-over and run the position of Director of Royal Information & Press Department? :flower:

They need a better media strategy and to handle the media better, and "bloopers" like this should just not be allowed to happen. I don't think that this perfume thing will give republicans ammunition at the moment .....

And I'll just have to bite the sour apple and watch the critizism come this fall - yet another "blooper"...

Instead of "biting the sour apple" .... you could be a bit more vocal?

 

[Lena]

Hm, I partly agree that the RF would have needed some advisors in the case of this new perfume-business. But what should they have done in the case of Brunai-gate or speeding-gate or Westling-gate?? IMO it´s clear, that the press (tabloids AND reliable newspapers, like DN) just want to bash the RF.
Ok, it´s maybe a bit 1-dimensional just to blame the press. To be honest I´m a bit disappointed of this swedish "Royal spring" as well. Yes, they were present at many Royal weddings (even a little bit to many weddings and baptisms...I would have prefered it to watch the spanish wedding in autumn...but that´s here OT). But there weren´t many interesting projects in Sweden. It seemed to me as if the RF would have "backed out" a bit. Maybe it´s because the crown princess is in an orientation-phase (wedding or not) and maybe the king is sulking...but IMO to back out is the wrong way...it would have been better to show some patriotism...e.g. through a presence at the EURO (The swedish team was in the quarter final!). Then the growth of the ppl, who become republicans (and I had the impression, that there were many this spring, who nagged about the RF...yes, there surely are still a lot of monarchists, but the other crowd shouldn´t be underestimated) could have been stopped.

BTW GrandDuchess as part of the Royal household-great idea :woot:

PS: I of course was NOT disappointed of

He was like Speedy Gonzales at the WASA-race. He seemed so likeable in this interview, which GrandDuchess translated and now this run with the torch.

And the strange jacket in Denmark...well, let´s forget it...at the weddings he looked gorgeous.

 

[mixer2002de]

Beeing at the Euro would hav been a nice thing!

 

[Dennism]

"Marabou is a Royal Warrant Holders by official standing, and most of those have the Royal Arms with the text "By Appointment to H.M. The King of Sweden" on their products! The system with Royal Warrant Holders are used by most European Courts, and in Sweden it has been used for a thousand years (although in a different form in the beginning I think). Today there are abou 130 Royal Warrant Holders in Sweden."

Including several products in my refrigerator and pantry right now! Anyway, I have to agree with GrandDuchess on this matter. I just worry. First perfume. What could be next?

"BTW GrandDuchess as part of the Royal household-great idea "

Yes, a good idea indeed.

 

[hrhcp]

Lena  Posted: Jul 5th, 2004 - 10:20 am

Hm, I partly agree that the RF would have needed some advisors in the case of this new perfume-business. But what should they have done in the case of Brunai-gate or speeding-gate

I have said it before in this or an earlier thread, that ETW should be fired for conspiracy against the throne.

I would hate to think this advisor is playing a double-game here, of helping the monarch, when in actual fact she is supporting the republican side. From the looks of Brunei-gate, perfume-gate (speeding-gate?), she is showing her grey (republican) side.

As I have mentioned before, I have noticed CG to be a bit of odds .. is part of this perhaps his dawning realization of the character of ETW that has been foisted on him ?

maybe the king is sulking...

.. well ... maybe he hates football... er soccer ... er, football.... you get my meaning?

BTW GrandDuchess as part of the Royal household-great idea

2 - for .... gained 1 vote. Nice !

oops 3 - for