Experts on Prince Henrik's retirement: Stupid timing for the Royal Family
Prince Henrik's exit could have happened at a better time, says Thomas Larsen and Anette Kokholm.
Quite undramatic, but surprising and unfortunate, says DR's royal experts after Queen Margrethe's New Year speech, where she surprised Denmark with the Prince Consort retire.
''The Prince Consort have decided that it is his time to slow down. It's his decision. I understand it and respect it, the Queen said''.
But the royal experts wonder why.
''This timing is annoying for the Royal Family. If he had decided to slow done a year ago, he had done it on the top of his popularity. When there was a tendency that his and the Danish people's relationship was about to end happily'', says Thomas Larsen, who is a commentator for Berlingske.
''Before he complained about his place in the royal and the fact that he didn't participate in the Queen's birthday, his popularity surged in recent years. So it is surprising'', says Anette Kokholm, editor in chief of Family Journal.
However, there are none of them who believe that the sudden departure is happening because the 81-year-old prince consort is sick.
''My best guess is that it's quite undramatic, but there is something unresolved, precisely because it comes after a year when he was absent from the Queen's birthday and again expressed that he was not satisfied with his position in the royal family'', says Thomas Larsen.
Should we expect that the Queen will resign?
''I think I am certainly sure that this is not going to happen.
There is no doubt that he has meant an enormous amount for the Queen, as a crucial support and advisor in all this years, but you have to take it seriously when the Queen says that she intends to continue. It is her mission in life'', says Thomas Larsen.
They both agree that there is an emerging generation shift, where the Crown Prince will continue to take a more visible role.
''It really is a chapter that will be reversed, where the Queen will start to give the throne to the next generation'', says Anette Kokholm.