Prince Henrik: "I Should Be King" Discussion

[camelot23ca]

I think Henrik disrespects his wife every time he does something like this. Even if Margrethe is used to it by now, even if he's, (kind of but not really), joking, even if he has a valid point, he still needs to stop. And I say that as someone with an overall favourable impression of him. IMO, whenever he's tempted to bring this subject up again he needs to think not of who he wants to be but of who he already is - the Prince Consort of Denmark - and behave with the dignity expected of someone in that position.

The Prince should also be more cognizant of the 99 out of a hundred times gender inequality works in his favour! There would be much less patience for any royal woman who persisted in stepping out of line like this.

 

[Blog Real]

I've seen some of these and other images like this before. And I know that the grandchildren is fond of him, but I've seen him with them in documentaries and I found him very controling.

The pictures I've seen, Prince Henrik always seemed to be a good grandfather. Maybe it was a good father, have not seen many pictures of him when the children were small.

 

[hernameispekka]

I think Henrik disrespects his wife every time he does something like this. Even if Margrethe is used to it by now, even if he's, (kind of but not really), joking, even if he has a valid point, he still needs to stop. And I say that as someone with an overall favourable impression of him. IMO, whenever he's tempted to bring this subject up again he needs to think not of who he wants to be but of who he already is - the Prince Consort of Denmark - and behave with the dignity expected of someone in that position.

The Prince should also be more cognizant of the 99 out of a hundred times gender inequality works in his favour! There would be much less patience for any royal woman who persisted in stepping out of line like this.

I fully agree. It's rude and rather stupid. Ofc the press will catch on too that instead of the important things. It's his job to think about that stuff..

 

[Roslyn]

I think Henrik disrespects his wife every time he does something like this. Even if Margrethe is used to it by now, even if he's, (kind of but not really), joking, even if he has a valid point, he still needs to stop. And I say that as someone with an overall favourable impression of him. IMO, whenever he's tempted to bring this subject up again he needs to think not of who he wants to be but of who he already is - the Prince Consort of Denmark - and behave with the dignity expected of someone in that position.

Precisely! It's very foolish of him to make such comments. He knows full well how the system works, and why he is a prince rather than king, or he darn well should by now.

The Prince should also be more cognizant of the 99 out of a hundred times gender inequality works in his favour! There would be much less patience for any royal woman who persisted in stepping out of line like this.

Yep. Some men just can't help themselves though. Maybe he'd had a testosterone spike or something had happened to make him feel "unmanly" for some reason. Or maybe he just thought it was funny.

 

[QueenJen]

I wonder if he was permitted to whine when he was a child?

 

[GracieGiraffe]

If he's this bad about it in public, one can just imagine the whining he does in private...

 

[hernameispekka]

If he's this bad about it in public, one can just imagine the whining he does in private...

Absolutley.... Poor family

 

[MARG]

Methinks Henrik is getting old, and not in a good way.

If he's this bad about it in public, one can just imagine the whining he does in private...

Unfortunately you have hit the nail on the head. Like most people, he is getting less tolerant of the things that bug him. It's like the "diplomacy" filter gets turned off and they say what they really feel when they really shouldnit!

Perhaps the media will chalk it up to "that's just Henrik" and move on in much the same way they do for Prince Philip's sense of humour/political incorrectness, which just means he's getting away with heaps now that he is "old"!

As for what he's like in private? He's like Henrik/Dad/Grandad/the in-laws!

 

[Roslyn]

Just imagine a private conversation between Prince Henrik and Prince Philip alone in a room with a bottle of cognac!

 

[Nice Nofret]

.. with Prince Philip I never got the impression he wanted to be King, rather he would have prefered to be Admiral of the Fleet and his wife, just the wife of an Admiral .. which is not quite the same thing ..

 

[Roslyn]

.. with Prince Philip I never got the impression he wanted to be King, rather he would have prefered to be Admiral of the Fleet and his wife, just the wife of an Admiral .. which is not quite the same thing ..

I agree about Philip, but their situations are, nevertheless, analogous. As Admiral of the Fleet with Elizabeth just the wife of the Admiral, Philip would be the kingpin if not The King; his wife would be the secondary character. As it is, he and Henrik are both married to women who are the monarch, and higher in status than they can ever be.

 

[Nice Nofret]

quite so

 

[MARG]

.. with Prince Philip I never got the impression he wanted to be King, rather he would have prefered to be Admiral of the Fleet and his wife, just the wife of an Admiral .. which is not quite the same thing ..

True.

But I was thinking that both he and Henrik are known for their "clangers" rather than a common interest in wanting to be king. I think they might just call Philip "eccentric", but I am not sure that is the same nature of Henrik.

 

[Muhler]

True.

But I was thinking that both he and Henrik are known for their "clangers" rather than a common interest in wanting to be king. I think they might just call Philip "eccentric", but I am not sure that is the same nature of Henrik.

I think it's fairly safe to also label PH eccentric. I mean have you seen his hunting attire for starters? - There are deers roaming the forests still in a state of shock years after having seen him!
He's certainly colorful, also in literal sense...

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

I think both men suffer or have suffered from being No 2 behind their wives but the difference is that Philip has absolutely accepted from the beginning (he has voiced his doubts about the decision at the time in the past) that his first and foremost duty is to support the Queen and the institution. It is about her, not about him. From time to time, Philip would make an ironic remark but that's about it. He would NEVER question his position within the institution.

Very different when it comes to the private family. Philip did throw a massive public tantrum about his surname being neglected and the Queen finally gave in. “I am nothing but a bloody amoeba. I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children.”

 

[maria-olivia]

I really wonder if Count André de Montprezat , a joyful landlord , was happy to see his son loosing his freedom for ever.. and being a future's Queen Husband.

 

[GracieGiraffe]

.. with Prince Philip I never got the impression he wanted to be King, rather he would have prefered to be Admiral of the Fleet and his wife, just the wife of an Admiral .. which is not quite the same thing ..

He still wanted to be head of the household, that male perogative.

The way I see it, Henrik is complaining because he is being treated like a female. I find that a bit amusing.

 

[Viv]

I agree about Philip, but their situations are, nevertheless, analogous. As Admiral of the Fleet with Elizabeth just the wife of the Admiral, Philip would be the kingpin if not The King; his wife would be the secondary character. As it is, he and Henrik are both married to women who are the monarch, and higher in status than they can ever be.

Prince Philip came from a royal environment, Henri de Monpezat didn't, that's a big difference! Philip knew the ropes from the onset but had to renounce his foreign titles before he married and start from scratch!
However as I understand it, he complained about not having Mountbatten included in the dynastic 'family name', but AFAIK he never complained about his titles and styles in public! ..?
Just wondering.. and while am at it, I'm also wondering why Henri/Henrik won't let go of this silly idea of his ......

Viv

 

[Terri Terri]

I may be way off base here...If I am, the Danish members can correct me!

But I wonder if Prince Henrik's inferiority complex regarding his title is the reason why we don't see much of the behind the scenes work of Crown Prince Frederik's activities as acting or future regent, such as when he does audiences or meets political leaders.

I find it strange sometimes that Frederik's meetings with political leaders are not publicized or made public.

Maybe that was always the Danish royal family's way or is it that the family is so sensitive to Prince Henrik's feelings that CP Frederik is not to be seen as taking over too many duties from the Queen.

 

[hernameispekka]

He still wanted to be head of the household, that male perogative.

The way I see it, Henrik is complaining because he is being treated like a female. I find that a bit amusing.

Exactly. They are from a time when this was insane. Since the world has changed a lot I have much higher hopes for the future Prince Consorts that will fill Europe. Prince Daniel is the perfect example of this. A sporty/manly man that had a own business but that manages to proudly support Victoria while still having own focuses within his royal role. I think Prince Phillip is kind of the same but within the constraints in thinking from being born when he was. Henri just seems to be whining. The others made sure to carve out a role for themselves.

 

[lucien]

Petty Francais!He doesn't learn now does he?Daft as a brush!What an embarrasment to HM Queen Margrethe...she pinched him to make him stop from having this totally absurd verbal diarea...The man is mad!

It was for the same reason,almost,as he felt 2nd or even 3rd after QM and Frederik that he didn't attend the wedding of Alexander and Máxima in 2002...He's a sulky old bat,and thank heavens for not having him on the same level as his dear wife!

Is he going on about that again?!?

One should think that he in these days would have something better to worry about.
PH is not going to be king, won't happen, forget it! That has been made clear by both the politicians as well as the public opinion.
Gender egality does not apply here.

There are times when I want to whack PH in the back of the head with a shovel and this in one of those times!

 

[xenobia]

While it's more an explanation than an excuse (and God knows he might need one), I think that Henrik is very much a product of his time and culture. A man brought up in the french nobility in those days probably wasn't raised to become a person who walks a few steps behind his wife.

An interesting comparison is prince Daniel. He's married to a future Queen. So far I've seen no sign that he's unhappy with a supportive role. He's brought up in another time and culture. That doesn't mean that prince Daniel is a better person than prince Henrik. They are both children of their times, and that reflects in the way that they embrace their supportive roles.

 

[hernameispekka]

While it's more an explanation than an excuse (and God knows he might need one), I think that Henrik is very much a product of his time and culture. A man brought up in the french nobility in those days probably wasn't raised to become a person who walks a few steps behind his wife.

An interesting comparison is prince Daniel. He's married to a future Queen. So far I've seen no sign that he's unhappy with a supportive role. He's brought up in another time and culture. That doesn't mean that prince Daniel is a better person than prince Henrik. They are both children of their times, and that reflects in the way that they embrace their supportive roles.

Exactly, that was a bit of my point in my post. It gives a little bit of an excuse but only if he was totally unknowing before he married her. Prince Phillip has handled the same situation much better and was aware that walking behind the queen was part of the deal when marrying her.

 

[polyesco]

I may be way off base here...If I am, the Danish members can correct me!

But I wonder if Prince Henrik's inferiority complex regarding his title is the reason why we don't see much of the behind the scenes work of Crown Prince Frederik's activities as acting or future regent, such as when he does audiences or meets political leaders.

I find it strange sometimes that Frederik's meetings with political leaders are not publicized or made public.

Maybe that was always the Danish royal family's way or is it that the family is so sensitive to Prince Henrik's feelings that CP Frederik is not to be seen as taking over too many duties from the Queen.

Interesting point

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Being a King does not mean you are always Number One anyway. King Willem-Alexander and King Philippe are often totally outgunned by their glamourous spouses. Yesterday there was a photoshoot in Lech am Arlberg (Austria) and the assembled international media only had attention for Máxima, Máxima, Máxima. And then Beatrix and the AAA-Princesses. The poor King, head of state of the kingdom of the Netherlands and the one thanks to whom Máxima can glitz and glam, was neglected by the press. In the Austrian media there were only pics from the ladies: "Our readers are not interested in the King" a reporter from the German magazine Bunte stated "The readers want the Queen, the Princesses...." Let this be a comfort and a lesson to Henrik: even a real King can be totally shoved away, despite title et al...

Luckily for Máxima King Willem-Alexander has no any problem to let all the glory and hallelujah be directed on his four ladies...

 

[MidwestMom]

This is an interesting thread, with many good points being made. I, too, wonder if it isn't a generational thing. My mother was a bookkeeper in a small office, at a time when that sort of thing was done manually, with the aid of only a calculator. She wrote checks totaling thousands of dollars for her employer, but Dad kept his own checkbook! Mom never wrote a check on that account, and Dad carried the checkbook in his pocket every day. He was a kind and generous man, but also a product of his generation and upbringing.

Henrik seems to have carved out a role for himself - as an artist, a poet, a wildlife activist, and now he's Dog Friend of the Year ! It's too bad he can't be satisfied with his life as it is. He'll probably never be asked about his feelings on the subject of his title again.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

[...]
Henrik seems to have carved out a role for himself - as an artist, a poet, a wildlife activist, and now he's Dog Friend of the Year ! It's too bad he can't be satisfied with his life as it is. He'll probably never be asked about his feelings on the subject of his title again.

I think Messire Henri de Laborde de Monpezat who became Hans Kongelige Højhed Prinsgemalen is more than satisfied with his wonderful life in Denmark and in France (Château et Domaines de Caïx). His remarks were an observation about the -in his eyes- inequality of the titulature but we must not conclude that he is "not satisfied" with life. The good man is clearly a bon-vivant who lives life to the max, with beloved dachshunds et al...

 

[Tilia C.]

I think you are right that it is a kind of generational thing. Prince Henrik comes from a generation when boys where educated to grow in to the male role of a family patriarch. Daniel Westlings upbringing in a Swedish society where gender equality already played a large role must have been very different. He probably was never taught that he would one day have to lord over his wife and children.

 

[QueenJen]

I understand that Henrik was also probably raised in a generation where you grow into the patriarchal family role, BUT, that was also a generation which did not whine. It was permissible to be angry, speak your mind, etc... but never, ever whine.

This may be harsh, but he reminds me of a spoiled child who didn't get his own way. He knew what he was getting in to when he married.

 

[COUNTESS]

First of all Philip, was and is Royal. Only, because of the situation did he give up his title as "HRH". Yet, once he fled the premises and didn't return for quite awhile, said he was just a "bloody amoeba". Henrick, sees himself, because of his generation being neutered. Philip, really knew his place. Daniel, is a personal trainer, who is now a prince. A male Cinderella. What could his complaint be?