Queen Margrethe II & Prince Henrik, Current Events Part 4: Jan. 2013 - November 2015

[Roskilde]

Queen Margrethe was today at a 'private' visit to Fuglsang Art Gallery at Toreby on Lolland. Here she saw the current Skagen painter exhibition with works by Laurits Tuxen.

Dronning Margrethe på overraskelses-besøg | TV ØST

 

[Muhler]

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #48, 2014.
Written by Annelise Weimann.

A couple of weeks ago QMII visited the municipality of Egedal (= Oak Valley/Valley of Oaks) and at one point the more stern "aunt queen" came up!

It was an ordinary visit, the locals had showed up in force with a general mobilization of kindergartens and OAP's and also with everyting and everybody that could be painted getting a fresh coat of paint.

That included 25 children from a kindergarten giving a circus performance, with a super-strong four year old lifting mega-heavy cardboard weights to QMII's delight. But also a visit to the medieval and utterly unigue church, and as everyone who knows just a little bit about QMII, that is something that has her interest! In fact the tour of the church went over time.

But the main purpose of the visit was to inaugurate the new townhall slash communal centre slash fitness centre for elderly. Hypermoden glass building and all. The mayor gave his speech and people applauded and the smiles were broad.
Now it was time for a cup of coffee and a little patry and judging from QMII's big smile looking at the table, that was something she needed!
However, there were loads of people around so "aunt queen" remarked: "Even though the house is transparant, I'm not that certain I care for drinking coffee in full public view". - Anyone not directly involved in the event were quickly shoed away.

- "Aunt queen" is QMII's own expression for her more sharp-tounged side.

 

[dazzling]

HRH the Prince Consort participate as President of WWF in a trip to Madagascar 29 November to 10th December 2014.

Information on the trip can be found here

 

[iceflower]

.

As Patron of the Anglo-Danish Society Queen Margrethe yesterday evening, December 3, attended a gala dinner at Drapers' Hall in London celebrating the Anglo-Danish Society's 90th anniversary. The British Royal Family was represented by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.



** BB: Dronning Margrethe til fest i London ** translation **

 

[cepe]

This is how the Court Circular described the event:

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester this evening attended a Royal Banquet, in the presence of The Queen of Denmark, to mark the Ninetieth Anniversary of the Anglo-Danish Society at Drapers’ Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2.

 

[iceflower]

.

A few pics of Prince Henrik's WWF journey to Madagascar can be found here:



** kongehuset.dk: Rejse til Madagaskar **

 

[Roskilde]

Margrethe will participates in H.M. Queen Fabiola funeral in Brussels Cathedral, Belgium pm. 10:00.

H.M. Dronningen deltager i H.M. Dronning Fabiolas begravelse i Bruxelles domkirke, Belgien kl. 10.00 - Kongehuset

 

[Muhler]

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #50, 2014.
Written by Annelise Weimann.

Each year a few weks before Christmas QMII go to England.
But apart from buying Christmas presents for family friends and her staff, what is Her Majesty up while over there?

Well, she visites the Princess of Wales' Regiment, for which she is honoray colonel.
She also visits the Anglo Danish Society and they threw a dinner in her honor at the Draper's Hall, originally build by the tekstile guild that is third oldest in England. And there QMII was very appropriately seated under a large portrait of Queen Victoria,
There were 250 guests present, among them the Duke and Duchess of Glouster. Birgitte van Deurs the Duchess of Glouster is originally from the Danish city of Odense.
Quite a number of the Princess of Wales' Regiment were present as well. (They had visited QMII in Copenhagen a few weeks ago). And indeed one of the officers colonel Wayne Harper attended to QMII during the dinner.
Apart from that represetatives from the Danish embassy and Danish businesses were also present.

QMII usually also visit the Danish Club while in London.

- For those who may wonder where she is staying during her visit, it has previously been known that she stays at a discreet but classy hotel. In other words apart from protection it's the Danish taxpayers who foot the bill.

https://app.box.com/s/bm2ppgl1eu4n5gcf2p6r
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https://app.box.com/s/nh5k09t0s50k9lbppc66

 

[polyesco]

Thanks Muhler

Has it been explained why the Queen is a honoray colonel of the Princess of Wales' Regiment?

 

[Muhler]

There has, but I can't remember.

 

[gerry]

There has, but I can't remember.

You are tired Muhler: too much christmas cheer and beer, no doubt! I did the research and found out that an ancestral regiment to the Princess of Wales Regiment had queen Margrethe's great grandfather Frederik VIII as patron. When the Princess of Wales Regiment was formed, both Queen Margrethe and the late Diana, princess of Wales,were co colonels in chief. When the Princess divorced, she resigned her commission so that Queen Margrethe became sole honorary colonel; a task she fulfils diligently and to the benefit of the British economy, I understand

 

[Muhler]

Thanks, Gerry

I understand the idea of honorary colonels is not so common anymore in the British army?

Tired, yes. - Sounds a lot better than the first explanation my otherwise loving wife would come up: me going senile.

 

[polyesco]

You are tired Muhler: too much christmas cheer and beer, no doubt! I did the research and found out that an ancestral regiment to the Princess of Wales Regiment had queen Margrethe's great grandfather Frederik VIII as patron. When the Princess of Wales Regiment was formed, both Queen Margrethe and the late Diana, princess of Wales,were co colonels in chief. When the Princess divorced, she resigned her commission so that Queen Margrethe became sole honorary colonel; a task she fulfils diligently and to the benefit of the British economy, I understand

thank you gerry for the explanation
What a great connection between the two

 

[iceflower]

.

On December 17 Prince Henrik met members of the Danish Proust society and read from Marcel Proust's "In Search of Lost Time" at the French Embassy in Copenhagen.



** BB: VIDEO: Prins Henrik læste højt ** translation **

 

[gerry]

thank you gerry for the explanation
What a great connection between the two

you are most welcome However, the more interesting question is why King Frederik became honorary colonel of a British regiment, but I will leave that one to our resident military expert Muhler when he has time and attention after the holiday glow/glueh!

 

[Muhler]

You do know how to ask the difficult questions, eh Gerry?

But I will find out the answer! Now it's a challenge.
I'll simply write someone and ask.

But let's return to the title.
To be correct it's Colonel-in-Chief - not Honorary Colonel, which is a translation of a now disused Danish title (æresoberst).

QMII and the Jordanian King are the only two foreign Monarchs presently having a title of Colonel-In-Chief of British regiments.
But I notice that the Australian and Canadian Governor-Generals are also Colonel-in-Chiefs of their own regiments.

Over the year many regiments have been almagamated so the numbers of colonel-in-chiefs have gone down as a result.

Originally the Colonel-in-Chief, was (mostly) a royal patron maintaining a personal affiliation with the royal family and the regiment. (A smart political and security move BTW) and thus became a part of the identity and esprit of a regiment - in other words giving the soldiers even more to bragg about in regards to other regiments.
It's up to the regiments to decide who they wish to ask being their Colonel-in-Chief and so far I haven't been able to figure out why on earth Frederik VIII of all people should end up being a Colonel-in-Chief of a British Regiment. The Buffs - Royal East Kent Regiment, which is a very old regiment.
Perhaps it had something to do with his sister? Perhaps geographically, because East Kent has enjoyed trade relations and intermarriage with DK over the centuries, even though a Yorkshire regiment would have been more logical.

Anyway, I'll ask a higher authority who has been helpful before in such matter.

 

[iceflower]

.

Prince Henrik attended the Royal Hunt at Gribskov today, January 14:



** sn.dk gallery ** sn.dk: Med prinsgemalen på kongejagt ** translation **

 

[iceflower]

.

The Copenhagen Opera House marked its 10th anniversary with a new production of the opera '"The Magic Flute" yesterday, January 15. Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik were present:



** BB: Dronning Margrethe til magisk jubilæumsfest i Operaen ** translation **

 

[maria-olivia]

Could someone say what sort of Shoes the Consort Prince was wearing for the Royal Hunt at Gribskov?

 

[Muhler]

Could someone say what sort of Shoes the Consort Prince was wearing for the Royal Hunt at Gribskov?

They are shoes you need not tie...
Very practical, especially when one's eeeh... figure... is in the way.
You only need a shoehorn.

 

[gerry]

Could someone say what sort of Shoes the Consort Prince was wearing for the Royal Hunt at Gribskov?

I was wondering the same thing; I do believe Muhler is correct that proper hiking boots are no longer an option for HRH with a view to his Tum-tum (the nickname I believe for Edward VII who had a similar figure!). But the Prince Consort's shoes are so unbelievably inappropriate for a winter hunt, that I believe he is wearing them to show solidarity with his son's inappropriate crossing of the Jutland bridge. Prince Henrik chose these shoes deliberately to show total disregard for safety; no doubt PET was alarmed but took no action Like son, like father

 

[Muhler]

I was wondering the same thing; I do believe Muhler is correct that proper hiking boots are no longer an option for HRH with a view to his Tum-tum (the nickname I believe for Edward VII who had a similar figure!). But the Prince Consort's shoes are so unbelievably inappropriate for a winter hunt, that I believe he is wearing them to show solidarity with his son's inappropriate crossing of the Jutland bridge. Prince Henrik chose these shoes deliberately to show total disregard for safety; no doubt PET was alarmed but took no action Like son, like father

Perhaps you are right.
However, when one has an, ahem... pondus... like PH, one does not walk to the spot, where one is supposed to stand, one is transported. Especially as I don't think this was a pürsch hunt (stalking the prey).

Anyway, PH is not overweight! He's a sex-symbol who is merely living 500 years too late...

 

[gerry]

Perhaps you are right.
However, when one has an, ahem... pondus... like PH, one does not walk to the spot, where one is supposed to stand, one is transported. Especially as I don't think this was a pürsch hunt (stalking the prey).

Anyway, PH is not overweight! He's a sex-symbol who is merely living 500 years too late...

Well, I don't know about 500 years ago in Denmark, but I do wonder whether the ahem Pondus is a subject of discussion in Denmark. Indeed, I believe that the Prince is a happy man and, despite his size, oozes his own version of machismo! Certainly a lesson for those who are in the throes of January diets after festive excess.....

 

[Muhler]

Sometimes.
One nickname for PH is Kaptajn Vom = Captain Gut after this slightly... rounded... but very popular cartoon character: http://www.faraos.dk/Content/photos/Brugte%20Albums/9876543155542_large.jpg

 

[maria-olivia]

Ah Muhler, I like your posts ..Thanks MO

 

[gerry]

Sometimes.
One nickname for PH is Kaptajn Vom = Captain Gut after this slightly... rounded... but very popular cartoon character: http://www.faraos.dk/Content/photos/Brugte%20Albums/9876543155542_large.jpg

of course, the Prince would insist on being called Admiral (or Danish equivalent!) Vom Mange tak, I shall remember this image when next I see the Vom! By the by, and I don't know where to post this so that the mods may frown, but I purchased a new pair of Australian Blundstones today and the name 'Tasmania' is now added to the label. Furthermore, the dedicated Blundstone shop in Toronto also sells Danish slippers/house shoes! Here is yet another example of the economic power of the Crown Prince couple connection!

 

[Tarlita]

Mange Tak to Gerry and Muhler for bringing a smile to my face first thing this morning with your witty posts. Dear Henrik is a loveable cuddly farfar/ papa/granddad. A lovable character indeed. And I adore the photos of his closeness with Isabella especially the ones taken at the zoo.

 

[Muhler]

That he is, Tarlita, that he is.

Summaries of articles in Billed Bladet #4, 2015.

Having discussed PH's shoes in earlier posts you should now know that he went hunting with the boys at Grib Forest. The atmosphere appears to have been very merry indeed!
Having stuffed the well-rounded gentlemen into the open carriage, the royal footman closed the very small door with the words: "Let's close the door so that the heat won't escape". (See pic if you don't get the joke: http://sn.dk/modules/xphoto/cache/48/641048_950_1200_26_0_1521_1051_2.jpg)
There were seventeen hunters in total and riding in the (hopefully reinforced carriage) sat PH, along with Christian Lerche-Lerchenborg (nobillity), Christian Kjær (close friend and constantly bantering with PH), Ulrich Holstein-Holsteinborg (nobillity). The close (and lighter) friend of PH, Prince Pignatelli sat in the rear.

But the Regent Couple also went to the Opera in Copenhagen for it's tenth anniversary. Present were a decent selection of who's who of the Danish ruling society.
But on the way to the Opera PH dropped in at Scandinavia Hotel for the international bridge tournament, Copenhagen Bridge. The Regent Couple and especially PH is a very enthusiastic ridge player! And here he met two Danish contestants thirteen year old Søren bune ad elevn year old Christian Lahrmann, with whom PH appears to have had a warm and instant rapport. The boy is seen laughing and completely at easy putting his hand on the shoulder of PH. (He's good with children).

But the Regent Couple also went to the now traditional yearly Wiener-gala at the impressive home of businessman Frits Schur along with wide selection of the close friends of the Regent Couple.
Frits Schur is perhaps in particular a close friend of PH, but he handles the personal investments of the Regent Couple after the death of Mærsk McKinney Møller.

 

[Tarlita]

Great photo and story. Mange Tak. Many Thanks. I think he perhaps enjoys these hunting parties more for the company of others rather than the actual hunt itself.

 

[Muhler]

Great photo and story. Mange Tak. Many Thanks. I think he perhaps enjoys these hunting parties more for the company of others rather than the actual hunt itself.

I think so too. I remember some years ago reading about PH saying something about his eyesight no longer being well suited for hunting. - Probably hunting birds in particular, which requires that you are able to focus while moving your eyes rapidly.