Who is the boy with them
Who is the boy with them
(...)
"Every day at 8 am, Frederik and Mary accompany their children to school, distant about fifteen minutes on foot from their chalet except Wednesday, the only day when the whole family goes to school by car because it is the day of the physical education course, in Verbier, it is compulsory skiing ...on Wednesday 8 January, Prince Frederik ordered a birthday cake from the village pastry shop"
Not sure, but the blond woman with them looks a lot like a friend from Australia, Josephine Rechner (?). She is Josephine's godmother.
The boy could be her son.
That has been combined with some (again far left) politicians disapproving that Frederik has met a few times with very high ranking military officers - without going through the formal channels via the Ministry of Defense.
But others have pointed out that surely Frederik is allowed to have a cup of coffee with high ranking military chiefs, most of whom he will have known for years, without calling the Minister of Defense first!
https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/b...mmeligheder-sf-kraever-svar-fra?app_mode=true
Now to Verbier.
There have since the photoshoot on the 6th been some rumblings in the DK press regarding their house in Verbier.
With some (far left) politicians saying that the public should have been told that they have bought and own a house in Verbier and suggesting that if they can afford a house in Verbier, the apanage is perhaps too high.
I have kept an eye on it, but didn't bother post anything here on TRF. As I considered a part of the "silly season" here after Christmas.
If you can't get attention otherwise - have a go at the DRF. Or if you can't write about something else, write about the DRF.
[...]
Now for Frederik and the senior military officers he meet occasionally.
No one knows what they are discussing.
Since Frederik is likely to have worked with them on several occasions and certainly have known them for years, they may talk about old days or discuss tennis - perhaps they also discuss the current security situation in X, Y and B. But we don't know whether the officers are actually telling Frederik things that are highly confidential. But since Frederik attends the State Council meetings his knowledge and security clearance must be considered very high.
The criticism suggest a lack of confidence in Frederik that I don't share and a lack of confidence in the high ranking officers that I don't share at all!
To me this smells more of certain politicians marking their turf and emphasizing that the proper channels go through them - as if Frederik and the officers didn't know that.
So let's take a deep breath, shall we?
What's next? That Frederik can't talk to high ranking police officers without informing the Minister of Justice, lest they tell him something about the gang wars in Copenhagen?
Or that Frederik can't talk to senior doctors, with informing the Minister of Health, lest they tell him about the conditions at Rigshospitalet?
And even if Frederik was told something, to be honest I privately think he is, informal meetings is a part of life. When Frederik is briefed by the Minister of Defense he gets the official version. Perhaps he'd like to hear the real version?
I actually find it pretty commendable if Frederik really is unofficially briefed by those on the ground. It suggests he shows a genuine interest in the society and how the various aspects of the society works. A well-informed crown prince, and future monarch is IMO not a bad thing.
I read that now it is public knowledge who the owners are, it has become a security risk. Possibly they could still rent to select, vetted people?Is it the case that Frederik and Mary have abandoned renting out their house?
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-abandon-swiss-ski-lodge-rents-amid-criticism
I had seen the same Bloomberg article and my impression was they now have abandoned renting it out.Is it the case that Frederik and Mary have abandoned renting out their house?
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-abandon-swiss-ski-lodge-rents-amid-criticism
That's some broadside you fired there! ?
Okay, there are many ways Frederik could have ended up becoming friends with senior officers.
These are people of roughly the same age as Frederik, but being career officers they would in some cases be one or two stars above him in rank by now.
It is more than likely he would have met and worked with them several times in the past. On active service. In connection with his time in Frogman Corps. The Frogman Corps adhered directly under the Defense Chief at the time, where some of these gentlemen would likely have served as staff officers.
When Frederik taught at the Defense Academy. He also gave lectures on the situation in the Baltics. By that time these gentlemen would likely have been senior staff officers.
So claiming that there is no way Frederik could happen to be old friends with senior officers is erroneous.
Now, do Frederik and the officers discuss anything else than the latest camouflage-fashion? Personally I'm sure they do.
So what? It's not like Frederik is plotting against the government or considering supporting a military coup or trying to influence the defense policy. He is IMO simply keeping himself informally informed. - He is after all destined to be the formal commander in chief and the DRF have always had a close affiliation with the military.
Now this is admittedly a big problem, perhaps a huge problem, for theoretics. But for the more practically inclined it's just a part of the informal way of doing things behind the scenes.
Plausible deniability. As long as no one know exactly what is discussed they might indeed discuss knitting socks. And everybody is happy. The Minister of Defense doesn't have to confront the DRF and the Defense Command. And everybody can maintain a good working relationship.
And comparing Frederik to Ex-king Constantine and the situation in Greece 45 years ago is - what did you call it - a textbook example of false equivalence.
(I'll have to remember that phrase it's most useful! ?)
I had seen the same Bloomberg article and my impression was they now have abandoned renting it out.
"The heir to the Danish throne, Crown Prince Frederik, has had to abandon an arrangement in which he was personally collecting rent on a luxury ski lodge in the Swiss alps.
The palace said the decision was made after it became public knowledge that Crown Prince Frederik owned the Swiss property, meaning the “terms for subletting are no longer the same,” according to Danish news service Ritzau"
It is my impression they paid for the property with their own money and have owned it for over 10 years. I suppose this may have been kept under the radar a bit longer if they weren't currently living there for the 12 weeks their children are attending school in Verbier.
Investments in property including rentals is common. It appears some in the Danish Parliament are calling into question the "constitutionality". "The case has drawn criticism in Danish media and among some members of parliament, who called into question the constitutionality of the prince’s transactions. In Denmark, the royal family lives on a public allowance that can only be spent on foreign assets with the approval of lawmakers." Again, if they used their own money, foreign asset or not, should this not be a private business transaction? Regarding the security risk it appears there has not been an issue until now. Interesting!
The apanage goes to cover the expenses of running a court, paying salaries, representation, transport, accommodation of foreign guests, maintenance and so on - basically all the things needed to run a company.
Apart from that there is in the apanage an amount (in DK called "rammebeløb") which cover personal expenses, that is basically the "salary" to the individual members of the DRF to be used as they please.
And that's where it assumed that part of the money to pay for the cottage in Verbier could have come from.
Well, like I said: A huge problem for theoretics.
So you are comparing DK today to Greece anno 1970 or so?
You must be, since you brought it up and is talking about this being a slippery slope. Come on!
Where is the danger in the Heir having a chat with high ranking military officers, without calling the Minister of Defense to ask for permission first?
The DRF meet high ranking and not so high ranking officers all the time, without politicians being present. Where they can get all sorts of information if they ask for it. Is that a problem too, you think? Should the DRF members be chaperoned by a politician each time they meet high ranking officers, lest they talk outside the proper channels? - Because that IMO would be a problem!
To me this is a storm in a glass of water, based on... nothing.
So let me ask you, why is this a problem? I'm serious, why is it a problem that a member of the DRF is having talks with high ranking military officers, even if what they are talking about is indeed military and security topics?
I don't suspect the DRF in plotting with the military against the politicians or in the hope of the DRF influencing the politicians - especially as the military get pretty much what they want these days. New planes, new frigates, new brigades, new commands (Arctic and digital warfare commands.)
Nor can I envision a military coup anywhere in the horizon. The thought that Danish soldiers would fight against democracy let alone turn their guns against their own fellow citizens is beyond me - even though it admittedly is a suggestion I to me bewilderment see uttered often in another democratic country that shall remain unnamed here.
So yes, I will downplay the "gravity" of this, because I honestly don't see a problem.