On January 4, 2023, Queen Margrethe of Denmark hosted the third traditional New Year reception of 2023 at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. Officers from the Defence and the Danish Emergency Management Agency, and invited guests of major national organizations and royal patronages were among the guests of the third new year reception. Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary also attended the reception.
Although QM seems to me a kind, modern and fashionable lady, I do not understand that she is still wearing all those old fur coats and capes. Real fur is not done anymore. Well Denmark wants to start a new mink breeding program, so the Queen is maybe the representative for that program.
ReplyDeleteAgree 1000%
Deleteshe is of an older generation, she is not going to think/wear like u do
DeleteWell, maybe she figures if she's got them she might as well wear them. She's from a different generation/age ***and*** culturally that part of the world has worn fur for eons.
DeleteAt this point I figure people should just get over it already. Not wishing any ill will but she's not going to live forever and the custom will most likely die with her. Either way, it's not going to bring back the animals that died for the goat!
Btw, I'm a meat eater so I feel it hypocritical to call her out for wearing fur while I'm enjoying my cheeseburger!
DeleteMink breeding, ugghh. One more level of respect I've lost.
DeleteChel
I can't say that I would put QM in the "fashionable" category, Anon 13:17. I would reserve that compliment for Benedikte. I, too, am bothered by the furs, but that isn't going to change with Margrethe on the throne. As long as they aren't new furs, it isn't as bad. If she was keen to move the monarchy forward, I would have preferred a step in the direction of banning the fur trade instead of taking her grandchildren's titles. That would have actually made a difference in the world.
DeleteI'm going to cut her some slack. It's really cold in Denmark, she's old, and that cape is probably 50 years old. If she was wearing a brand new fur, I'd be bothered but it comes from a time when fur was acceptable.
DeleteI seem to remember that mink breeding is a quite significant activity in Denmark. So she is consistent with activities in her country.
DeleteI just checked Wikipedia : "The main producing countries of mink fur are Denmark, China, the Netherlands, Poland and the United States".
In addition press info says : Denmark, the world's largest exporter of mink, adopted a law banning their breeding until January 1, 2022, giving a legal basis to its decision to slaughter all of its huge herd of more than 15 million animals to fight against a suspected dangerous variant of Covid-19.
(risks of contamination through groundwater resources came in addition).
I do not understand why fur is unacceptable and animal hides (leather) and meat is not. And don't talk about animal farms. Have you ever seen the feed lots for cattle outside Amarillo Tx? That should put you off beef for ever. Ladyofthemanor
DeleteThose coats are decades old. Why not wear them? Denmark is very cold in winter also. Those animals have died long, long ago. It is not as if they were killed recently to make the coat. Why waste their lives by not wearing their fur?
DeleteQueen did not change her dress, First i thought the 3rd New years party is the same day as the 2nd but cp Mary changed her dress. all this partying must be tiring. they look lovely.
ReplyDeletePretty color on Mary. Fred still looks snozzled.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, and agreed.
Delete- Anon 9:13
Snozzled! 🥰
DeleteHow come do they have three New Year parties?
ReplyDeleteIkr? Way too many parties.
DeleteI have understood that more than "parties" they are "receptions" ie. arranged for different groups of people (eg. civil servants, diplomats and most important the Order of the Elephant). The old palace where they are arranged has limited space that's why more than one event. Why the Order of the Elephant??? Because it was founded on January 1st (can't remember the year).
DeleteSimilar new year receptions are arranged also in many other countries, even in republics, with lesser dress codes and without royalty and thus without interest from foreign countries.
Margot
CP Mary’s burgundy dress and cape is beautiful. Love the full length mink coat of the Queen.
ReplyDeleteLadyofthemanor
It needs to be in a museum. Times have changed. But I don’t think she gives a dam-. After all, she’s the Queen.
DeleteAs I just commented above, I do not see why fur is unacceptable when animal hides (leather) and meat is not. Do you honestly believe that animals raised for fur are treated any worse than in the pig and chicken industry, not to mention the awful cattle feed lots. Ladyofthemanor
DeleteI agree, she doesn t care at all. She is an old fashion Queen, Fashion wise and her way of behaving...
DeleteIs there any Danish commentators here who know how well Mary speaks Danish? What about Marie? Always interesting how some pick up languages like sponges and some not at all.
ReplyDelete@LisaNilsson I'm not a Danish native but I have heard some years ago that she speaks it well - as in: grammatically correct, but with a foreign accent. Perhaps someone can confirm? :-)
DeleteI understand that Princess Mary speaks the Danish language very well (but of course with an accent). Mary is an academic and knows how to optimise her learning skills.
DeleteFor most adult learners, it’s not always like that.
I’m a walking example of the difficulties an adult student has in learning a foreign language.
I’ve been told that it’s only about 5 percent of adults can easily learn a foreign language to the fluency level (like a sponge).
Therefore, for 95 percent of adult students like me, it’s hard work with mediocre results.
I’ve lived in my adopted country for over 30 years and every day I have problems with the language and my terrible accent.
My mother tongue is English.
But I must admit that I’m not a good/serious student.
So I blame myself for a lot of the problem.
If you want to pick up a foreign language like a sponge then you have to start at a very young age. Most language schools and systems sell false promises.
I feel sad when people criticise Princess Charlene of Monaco and her level of French.
She should suggest to her critics that they learn the Afrikaans language to a fluency level in the hope that they will understand her challenge with the French language.
For Princess Marie, I understand she has some problems with the Danish language.
No doubt Danish is a wonderful and difficult language to learn and credit to Mary for doing so but wouldn't it be expected that the Crown Princess of Denmark know the language of her subjects?
DeleteMarie and Alexandra learned Danish and also speak other languages. And Maxima learned Dutch...another difficult language which of course she would do being Queen of the Netherlands!
CP Mary looks lovely and the dress with cape is gorgeous on her, but I feel the mono-color look is too somber. It could have been brightened with sparkly sequined gold clutch and shoes, or belt, or hair ornament. Also it doesn't coordinate well with the light blue sash. S.M.
ReplyDeleteIt is not a party. It is a reception for the diplomats. Old court tradition dictates the long dress at daytime, as on prinsentag i Holland, New Year reception Japan and in Spain. Gold clutch etc would look ridiculous at this occasion. RH
DeleteIt's a daytime event. The first New Year's Reception is a gala, held in the evening, so tiaras and all are in order. The two following receptions take place during daytime. Protocol is court dress (long gown with no or very little embellishments/sparkle, except medals/orders) for day time.
DeleteLa couleur Bordeaux sied à merveille à toutes les deux ; magnifique le manteau de vison même si je le trouve un peu trop long !
ReplyDeleteThe queen belongs to another era. She should resign already.
ReplyDeleteNo, the rules, inc those of succession and who gets princely titels should be changed after she dies for future generation, avoiding future cruelty by removing titles from some and not others, especially vulnerable children.
DeleteSeriously? Not hip enough for you?
DeleteOuch!!! I believe HM is much loved and admired by her people and she took an oath to serve for life--the Danish monarchs do not abdicate. I think the Danish people, like British, support the idea of the lifetime service for their monarchs. Janet
DeleteBoth RL look stunning, such great color for both. I like the fur coat the Queen is wearing, looks fantastic. Yes, I know furs are a nono for many, I still like it a lot. css
ReplyDeleteIt is a stunning coat.
DeleteThe burgundy cape gown is stunning. The burgundy accessories look fabulous.
ReplyDeleteMary an academic?
ReplyDeleteShe holds a degree of Bachelor of Commerce and Law by the University of Tasmania.
DeleteNo kidding!
DeleteThen I am too
DeleteCP Mary looks so pretty and elegant her beautiful deep red gown and cape. Really a perfect outfit for the occasion. HM looks marvelous again in her new deep red gown.
ReplyDeleteJanet
As has often been mentioned, Queen Margrethe’s furs are old, have been lengthened, if you look properly, some of them might even have belonged to her elegant mother Ingrid. Is she supposed to burn them rather than wear them?
ReplyDeleteAll this criticism is absurd. Why should she abdicate? She is a gifted artist, speaks beautiful English without a trace if an accent, possesses many other virtues, in short, a very interesting person.
🇩🇰 Virginia
I agree!
DeleteAgree with Virginia!
DeleteRegarding linguistic skills, I would like to mention Princess, now Countess Alexandra from Hong Kong. I understand that her Danish is excellent. Her mother is Austrian and she probably speaks good German so that it was easier for her to learn Danish than for CP Mary.
ReplyDelete🇩🇰 Virginia
If you don't like the way the Queen looks then you are free to move to China or wherever. She has the right to dress how she feels she should as a lady. Get over it and get off her case. She's a first class lady so leave her alone.
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