Friday, July 30, 2010

Nathalie presents Konstantin Gustav Heinrich Richard

Princess Nathalie left hospital in Berleburg today with her young son, born Saturday, July 24. He weighed in at 3700 grammes and was 18.33 cm long.

Article from NW News. In German.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Billed Bladet #29, 2010

After a nanosecond's headscratching by the BB editors, all the focus this week is young Felix's 8th birthday portraits with his older brother Nikolai. "Two sweet prince charmings"! What handsome young men! They both are looking so much more like their father Joachim. How izzit that he can produce such lovely genetic specimens while "cute brother" Freddles made a couple of pudding heads, even if one is more pleasant than the other? (We're looking at YOU, darling Izzy!) Mary's been relegated to just a line of text above the titleblock as she exhibits her pre-Denmark habits of rock concerts with the masses instead of gentle socialising with cultured interesting people. Baroness Caroline, a society wedding and Miss Marple (ouch!) get the rest of the coveted photo slots. Picture, dear audience, Prince Beelzebub Amin Ceaucescu Mugabe, aka Prince Christian of Denmark, in close-up on the cover. Ain't never going to happen! Buyers would mistake it for Mad Magazine!

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Mary and Fred attend a rock concert in Tisvildeleje with their friends Jean Ahlefeldt-Laurvig (gives Mary Georg Jensen freebies), Caroline Ahlefeldt-Laurvig (countess & landowner's wife), among others. The open concert was held at the hotel owned by Rigmor Zobel's half sister's boyfriend Alexander Kølpin. Careful, Mares! You're playing with fire!

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Fred & Mary took Izzy and Christian to the beach. Madam was in her usual wide brimmed, don't-look-at-me, look-at-me Garbo attire made from the curtains some students threw away after they graduated and left the student housing for more grown up digs. Mindful perhaps that Denmark is no democracy, and Mary is scary, they did not publish the photos where Mary notably assumed what she misguidedly believed was a sexy Ursula Andress pose - thigh turned out toward the photographers. Note to Mary: all the photographers have hot models for wives! They're not likely to be impressed by a Scotch Nanny pretending to be on heat! Mind you, perhaps Mary's aim was to make them close their eyes and shoot out of focus. Meanwhile, Fred gazes into the distance and looks forward to his next encounter with Katja.

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Week's fashion - no Mary, Daisy or Marie! Come right up front, Mette-Marit, as you rock the AIDS Conference in Vienna! In stark contrast to the Women Deliver conference that Mary used as a cover for her trip up "Root 66" with Amber Petty over the following days. Oops! Amber blabbed. The tired, Gold Coast-wrapped-in-summer-woolens East Hampton is Amber's idea of top digs!

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Irene Wedell's funeral. Bouquets and condolences from the Danish Royal Family - well, some of them. Flowers from Should-Be-King Joachim and La Belle Marie; Queen Margrethe no doubt cut many of the flowers in her bunch herself. Margrethe and Henrik showed up. Mary's Thailand friend and beach bathrobe protectrice Malou Skeel showed up. Descendents from King Christian IX showed up. Caroline Fleming's parents were there, along with loads of other nobles. It is looking as though Mary is saving hard for her divorce. Can someone let her know that telling your servants to shred the death notice does not relieve her and Fred of their royal obligations?

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Society wedding at Knuthenborg Slot. Adorable 25 year old Stephanie Mikkelsen became Countess Knuth when she married the 36 year old Count Christoffer at the family castle in a fairytale wedding. The young count is a descendent of King Christian. What a pretty bride in her simple summer dress and lovely lace veil with family tiara. Young, discreet. And aristocratic. Nice! The guest list was the nobility's creme de la creme. Included is Prince Frederik's Friend Ellen Hillingsø's parents, her mother being the groom's godmother. Frederik was excused, apparently. Well, when you're driven to substances, people will understand and look the other way. The taps on Fred's shoulder will be starting now, though, as friends recognise that the kids only need the nannies, Fred and Katja, and Izzy alternately cries and sulks in Mary's company. Or looks downright scared.

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The Royal Mailbag has a letter regarding Mary's Swedish order - it is the lowest and the one Fred is wearing is the highest. Now that's about the only way Victoria and her folks can express their reservations about Mary, hey. The sort of coding that would escape the hoi polloi. But not the Royal Dish mob! Another letter about Henrik's long haired dachshund Vega who is seen here sleeping through the Cayx press conference.

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Queen Elizabeth is going to be a great grandmother by her Canadian grand-daughter-in-law. Congratties to Peter and Autumn Philips, who manages to be a much classier bogan than Mary could ever dream of being.

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Felix's birthday shots. The boys are best friends. Can't see Princess Izzy and Prince Xian Beelzebub being besties at any age! Shiver! Try not to recall Prince Christian hovering murderously over his baby sister's cradle as you gaze upon the precious photo of Nikolai being very happily interested in the new baby! No doubt the security detail were briefed some time ago, and are kept updated on Xian's "village idiot" brute strength as it develops.

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Caroline Fleming is no longer going to be the TV Baroness. She's giving up working for her footy player/baby daddy. (Shades of Mary and her 17-year-old footy beau Ryan O'Keefe.) With the possible settlement she could get from her James Bond-heir first husband, that non-working thing shouldn't be a problem!

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Three birthdays to celebrate: young Prince Felix of course, the husband of Mary's classy first lady-in-waiting (the one whose soft, kind jaw set hard in Mary's company, and who lasted just a year) and Prince Frederick's still-hot ex Malou Aamund, source of much gauche angst on Mary's part!

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Royal Roundup featuring Camilla, a slimmer but still womanly Beatrice, Pauline Ducruet and Queen Beatrix with the Dutch footy players.

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Bubbles!
Daisy's: "So it's only four hours to Harzen"
Joachim's: "Oops, the Dannebrog won't be able to sail any more for years"
Marie's: "The little prince hand rolled them himself"
Henrik's: "According to the map, Tønder should be right here"
Charles's: "Turn off the faucet, I've got to pee"

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Style Finder. Mary's mug, but Izzy's dress they're concerned with! It's by Sofie Schooner, a Danish designer. At least someone in the family wears Danish stuff!

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Opera at society summer hang-out Skagen. All Fred's friends, including Julie Mølsgaard, Peter Herring's parents, Katja's boss from the posh auction house she works for and a few other aristos. I see Katja is very gently being brought into the fold while the divorce settlement is worked out.

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Daisy opens the summer season at Graasten after she and Henrik arrive via Dannebrog at the local port. Handmaiden Marjo (whom you'll remember from The Monarchy Within tv series) waits to serve.

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Nice little filler piece to annoy Mary some more. Victoria is called out as Daniel's loving support. Nice dig at Fred and Mary not being a support for each other at all - quite the contrary, as enablers seems to be what best describes the Danish crown princely co-dependency, er, marriage!

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Another subtle dig at the Kancellihuset pair right on the heels of last issue's publication of the summer photo spreads of the adorable Dutch royal girls and the lovely Spanish Infantas with the World Cup champions, here are the happy, fecund Belgian crown princely family. What togetherness in a series of activities geared around activities for the children, not just circus shows. Those brains are getting better massaging than the Danish childrens' ones! Perhaps Dr. Geldstein's report on Xian Beelzebub came back blank. There just may be nothing there to stimulate!

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Peter Warnøe in financial trouble

Peter Warnøe, Crown Prince Frederik's friend, Mary's Navision "boss" is featured in this article in Berlingske's Business section about his sour financial situation. Peter's mother is Anne Fabricius-Bjerre who is divorced from Bent Fabricius-Bjerre, the famous composer of the Matador soundtrack. Hm, no more freebie Verbier visits for Derf and Yrma?

Crown Prince's friend pressured to make fire sales

Former IT and property millionaire Peter Warnøe is put into administration by the Nykredit and BRF banks after a loss of over 100 million kroner in the past two years. Combined with a debt of over 400 million dollars, creditors have been allocated to push a sale through IT investing Danish properties.

The former founder of IT firms Merkantildata and Aston Group is now put into administration by the banks after losses of more than 100 million dollars the last two years.

The loss comes as a result of Peter Warnøe's recent investing heavily in real estate in Denmark, Germany and Dubai, through its private company Oyster Invest, which at its turn was indebted to, among others BRF and Nykredit, for over 400 million dollars.

Besides banks and credit BRF has control over the IT entrepreneur's business, they have also pledged his private residence at Taarbæk Strandvej looking out onto the Öresund.

The villa was bought in 2007 for 35 million dollars, and although it currently can only be sold for roughly the same amount, the large estate north of Copenhagen mortgaged for well over 60 million dollars from the two aforementioned creditors and Savings Lolland.

It is also clear from the accounts that Oyster Invest in just one year has increased its expensive, short-term bank debt from 68 to nearly 200 million dollars, and therefore Peter Warnøe now must sell off his many properties from the banks creating the capital needed for to him to keep the heavily indebted group afloat.

Sale in July

According to the accounts owner Peter Warnøe's properties are worth over 400 million dollars, but since then creditors, with Nykredit and BRF at the head, have pressured a sale through the rich man's Danish properties.

It is especially Danish properties and projects in Dubai, which have caused problems for Peter Warnøe, while his German properties have evolved relatively sensibly, as they have managed to rent several rooms that previously were empty.

"Here in July, I sold all my Danish property portfolio as a way to reduce my balance, in agreement with the banks. I have had a good dialogue with them and I am satisfied with the sale. I've never been a property man, and now it is IT I'll bet on. It is also there where I have my skills," says Peter Warnøe who has other investments together with Preben Damgaard.

Satisfied with the trade

In addition to his business in the industry, Peter Warnøe is primarily known for his close relations with the Danish royal family and especially Crown Prince Frederik. Besides the large villa he owns looking out onto the Öresund, he also has among other things a chalet in Verbier, that Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary frequently used.

"I am well pleased that I have sold my property. Running a property portfolio is a completely different game today than five years ago", says Peter Warnøe.

At Nykredit they do not want to comment on their exposure because the bank generally does not comment on customer relationships.


The article is accompanied by this photo of Peter and his then-girlfriend Julie at Princess Izzy's christening.



Interestingly, the article also shows these three photos: one of Peter with Prince Frederik's other friends Holger Foss and Peter Herring; one of Peter's chalet in Verbier where Prince Frederik and Princess Mary stay in Switzerland; and one of Peter's home in Denmark. They are really underscoring the Crown Prince's friendships.







Here is another article from Jyllands Posten. "The Bank has taken control of his portfolio and private residence".

Prince Henrik aims his bow

Prince Henrik practicing for use on one of his daughters-in-law?

Royal Couple visited Thursday Ribe, which put its 1300 year history forward. The Prince Consort was also tested in his skills as an archer.

Thursday, Denmark's oldest town, Ribe, was in a festive mood since the royal couple came to visit. The royal visit was dominated by the city's 1300 year anniversary in 2010. Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik both saw relics from the past in various parts of the city and met with it in its present form through the pair's visit to Ribe Viking Centre, which is a live-action Viking village.

You could see Prince Henrik testing his skills as an archer, and they're apparently quite good. After a brief introduction to the long arc, the Prince Consort was able to hunt deer with an arrow - but it was only an accessory fawn and therefore very grateful and still prey. The Prince Consort was able, however, to take home an arch made of yew, so he can train in the royal forests.

The Prince Consort was also at a display of hunting with birds of prey and could post even wearing a falcon on his arm for a meeting with the Queen, who in the meanwhile took a look at jewelry and glass art in the living Viking village.

The day ended with a festive worship in Ribe cathedral before the royal couple returned to Gråsten Castle, where they're spending summer holidays.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

TV Baroness not divorced but pregnant with another man's baby

Keeping it classy. Billed Bladet reports that Caroline Fleming's divorce from James Bond heir Rory Fleming is not final. Despite what is written here, nowhere has a wedding with Bendtner been offically publicised.

The baroness and football player Nicklas Bendtner have to wait for the wedding - she is not legally divorced.

Everything should be happy for the engaged celebrity couple who have known each other since the summer of 2009, and everyone had indeed looked forward to an impending wedding.

However, it seems that Caroline and Nicklas have to wait a little longer than planned to have their wedding.

Last week Se og Hør revealed to Caroline that her divorce from her former husband, the English billionaire Rory Fleming, has not yet been finalised and the shock hasn't yet subsided.

Caroline's family is apparently just as surprised at the lack of divorce, like most, and Caroline's great-uncle says to BT:

"It surprises me really much that they are still married. We were then not in our wildest dreams imagined that they were not divorced?"

According BT, one of the reasons for the lack of divorce is problems with the official documents.

British family court has issued a 'Decree nisi' giving Caroline right to be divorced.

Neither Rory or Caroline has 'sealed divorce papers' with their signature. Only when this has happened, can a new document - Decree absolute - be issued, which permanently dissolves their marriage.

Until this is formally in place, Nicklas Bendtner patiently waiting to get his beloved Caroline as his wife.


Niklas:


Rory:

Her og Nu posits pregnancy

The tabloid Her og Nu has Mary on this week's cover claiming that she has it hard and that she's struggling to get pregnant. "The Dream in Danger"!

Annual Gråsten photo call

A slide show can be seen here from Berlingske on the annual photo call the Danish royal family allows as they gather at Queen Ingrid's former summer home (now officially in the hands of Crown Prince Frederik) for a few weeks. The sixth photo in shows a distinct look of pride on Daisy's face toward Marie and Henrik.

There are articles in Jyllands Posten about how Fred has grown a beard for summer and one in BT trying to only notice Fred's beard and Joachim in espadrilles both of which indicate a deliberate decision to ignore the elephant on the steps - the sad state of affairs between Fred and Mary! Berlingske also seems preoccupied with the espadrilles - too foo-foo French for those manly Danish editors? - and the less-than-full beard.

The Schackenborg family (without Nikolai and Felix who are with their mother after time spent in Cayx with their father) look happy and relaxed. Lille prins Henrik is engaged with the world around him and obviously curious, hence his sometimes perplexed expressions. Marie looks less orange than the other day in Tønder when she and Joachim greeted Daisy and Henrik on an official visit to their hometown. A visit which makes you wonder if Daisy is signaling changes.



My god, could the Kancellihuset family look any worse? Xian Beelzebub looks stoned, and is that a Professor Half-Mast Sluuuuuurrrrpson face, or what!?





Izzy is dressed in oversized togs that she clearly finds overbearing and no one cared enough to run a hot iron over her top - then again, Mary may have tried with her in it!



Fred's faux-macho lumberjack shirt and beard can't hide the fact that he looks like a bundle of emotions dressed in a tight wrapping of depression on his newly fat frame - he looks like Popeye in pants so large, cinched with a belt he gives the impression of still being thin. Uh-uh. Hell, even Mary looks depressed, though not surgically enhanced - speculated because of her long holidays without work engagements. There is a gap larger than the Grand Canyon in those arm in arm shots, they don't even look at each other or engage at all. It's as if they've been told to pretend they like each other by Lene or Daisy.



The Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth clan look summery. Note that Jefferson's pants seem a little large - he may have lost some weight. Good for him. Perhaps Gustav will become inspired? Pretty orange dress on Alexandra and their kids look normal. Carina Axelsson seems to be making lots of goog-ly eyes at the cameras as well as the baby. Longing? Or trying to connect more with the real royals? Her behaviour at recent royal events showed that she'll schmooze with anyone without an introduction. Not how it's done in those circles. This isn't a backyard barbeque! Their faces here are aimed at Mary - wonder what awful thing she did based on their expressions!?



OK, Benedikte, time to get back to Berleburg and help Nathalie with little Konstantin Gustav Heinrich Richard!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Funeral of Countess Ruth of Rosenborg

The death announcement of Countess Ruth appeared today in Berlingske. You can see the image here.

She will be eulogised at Skovshoved Church in Klampenborg near Charlottenlund on Friday, August 6 at 2pm. She and her husband Flemming were married at this church. Ruth will be buried at Bernsdorff Castle, next to her husband.

Here is Ruth at the baptism of Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway, first row next to QM2.

Joachim & Marie cut loose on the dance floor

According to Billed Bladet, Joachim and Marie recently spent last Friday evening at nightclub A Porta in Copenhagen with some of their friends, including Oscar and Britt Siesbye who own the Ida Davidsen smørrebrød restaurant, which has sandwiches named after all members of the royal family including Alex and except for Mary.

According to onlookers, the couple took to the dance floor like a couple of newlyweds. The nightclub is around the corner from Amalienborg on the posh Kongens Nytorv square. There were other Danish celebrities there that night as well. Marie and Britt did some swing dancing together. Resourceful! Not sitting out a dance because you've decided you have one dance partner only - your date - and not being competitive with other women? Rare in a Danish princess!

The Siesbyes

Monday, July 26, 2010

Fred's secret travels

In an interview with Børsen Weekend last week, the life & style publication of the financial publication, as reported by BT Crown Prince Frederik's childhood friend Holger Foss talks about the travels around the US that both of them took one summer between studies at Aarhus University.

Frederick's childhood friend lifts the lid on the prince's private travel secrets.

Crown Prince Frederik with backpack as camper with sleeping pad and sleeping bag.

It's hard to imagine for those who know Frederik as the official Crown Prince, but nonetheless it is one of the Crown Prince's small private secrets.
Friday's edition of Børsen Weekend promises the prince's close friend, Holger Foss, lifts a corner of the man Frederik's unprecedented and private secrets.
Holger Foss met Crown Prince Frederik through his mother, who attended court balls with Queen Margrethe at Amalienborg Palace, and when the royal family was in residence in Aarhus, Holger was an ideal playmate for his contemporary Frederik, whom he has known since they were both only ten years old, Foss told Børsen Weekend.

Today's 42-year-old Holger Foss, who is sales director at Tieto Denmark, remains close friends with the Crown Prince, also reveals that Frederik stayed in a hostel as they toured incognito together around the US in an old beat up Cadillac convertible purchased for $2,500 after studying at Aarhus University.

"We got the Cadillac spiffed up a little bit, packed two backpacks, two sleeping pads, a casette player and a thick address book with all kinds of people we could call on the road and as we drove," recounts Foss.

On the trip into the unknown USA the two friends slept in the car, camped in a national park and stayed with ordinary Americans, whom they met along the way: "we came to stay at a hostel, on a ranch in Nevada, with a Mormon family in Utah; we camped in a national park and we stayed inside the car at Graceland (Elvis Presley's house) because it rained so much," says Holger Foss to Børsen Weekend.

The tour lasted one and a half months, and the prince was almost incognito: "the beauty of both Aarhus and the US was that people perhaps knew who Frederik was, but that was that. Back then we had our space," says Holger Foss.


Fred and Holger during their student days at Aarhus University. They shared a small house on the Marselisborg estate.



Holger and his wife Rose Gad, the ballerina, at the dinner cruise for Fred's 40th birthday.