I have translated the statements of Her Majesty and His Royal Highness at the Cayx press conference of August 9, 2006 as they were shown on DR1 and TV2. Most of the time, you do not get to hear the reporter’s exact question, but I have tried to clarify the subject in parenthesis.
Her Majesty (on holiday plans): “Our best plans down here are not having to do anything special.”
HM (on HRH Prince Christian): “He cannot quite manage to crawl yet, no, he cannot, but he is a very quick-on-the-uptake and happy little kid – it is very lovely. And he enters the swimming pool in his mother’s or father’s arms, and is very comfortable with the water.”
HM (on TH Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix): “The boys are so happy and harmonious and I am very pleased with that; that is the most important thing, I think.”
HM (on The Crown Prince): “He is so happy, and that… that is because he has a lovely wife and a lovely child.”
HM (on whether the birth of Prince Christian has made The Crown Prince even happier): ”I think that… the whole time, as he has become… in preparing for the wedding, the whole time… he becomes a happier and happier person, and that is lovely to see.”
HM (on HRH Prince Joachim’s civil status): “Things must develop as they can, and I do not think that he is in great haste; I think that those in most haste are certain magazines!”
(Her Majesty makes a funny face, and the press laughs)
Reporter: “What do The Reigning Couple think when you see that he is suddenly paired with a tennis trainer?”
HM: “Then we think: Well, what do you know!”
HM (on her knee surgery): ”I think that it has gone fantastically well. I am very grateful that it has gone incredibly easy for me, and very quickly, I think, or so they say; I can only say that I am very content!”
Reporter: “Has it been a hard rehabilitation?”
HM: “No, I really do not think so because with the summer weather we have had this year, it is an easy matter to get well.”
HM (on the leg trouble of her husband (leg ulcer) and herself): “We call it solidarity”
HRH: “Solidarity.” (laughs wholeheartedly with the press)
HM: “And it is even the left leg on both of us, it doesn’t get much prettier than that, does it?!”
(Her Majesty lovingly places a hand on her husband’s shoulder.)
HRH (on the consequences of his leg ulcer): “I have not had the time to play tennis because of the leg, so I hope that you will not bring too much attention to my stomach!”
(the press laughs, and The Prince Consort continues “It is because of tennis!”
Several statues in the gardens of Château de Cayx are the works of The Prince Consort himself. When asked why he has kept this artistic skill a secret, he replies: “I think that when… It is a hobby, so I say that I do not take myself seriously, but I like to work with my hands, so therefore, I do not talk about it, and I have kept it a secret in order to avoid getting criticised”.
DR1 also aired some recordings from previous Cayx conferences:
HRH (at a previous press conference, on some sort of illness): “I hope that it will pass over the next days.”
HM (from the press conference at Cayx in 1999, yelling at her late dachshund that barks loudly, thus interrupting her): “We have had… BE QUIET!”
HM (from the Cayx press conference of 1999 when expecting her first grandchild, on The Prince Consort and herself becoming grandparents): “We will probably be just as silly as all other grandparents seem to be.”
His Royal Highness (at the Cayx press conference of 1999, on grandchildren): “There is no doubt that I would like more and many grandchildren!”
HM (at the Cayx press conference of 1999, on her knee, which has troubled her before her 2006 surgery. Obviously, The Prince Consort's knee gave him some troube at the time): “It is very well, thank you.” HRH: “And therefore, mine is doing quite bad”. HM: “We share!”
HM (from the Cayx press conference of 2002, on the female interests of her eldest son): “I do not know what is and what is not at the moment!”
HM (from the press conference at Cayx in 2003, foreshadowing the October engagement when asked what she thinks of The Crown Prince’s girlfriend): “We have met her, as you are aware of, and we deeply appreciate her.”
HM (from the press conference at Cayx in 2004, on HRH The Crown Princess): “We are simply very, very happy to count her as part of the family.”
HM (from the press conference at Cayx in 2004, on when The Crown Prince Couple will produce an heir): “It will all happen in good time.”
HM (at last year’s press conference, on arthritis pains): “When I sit down, I experience no pain, so, it is not that grief.”
/Lasse Pedersen