2022 Derf - News & Events

[Mariola]

Has anyone ever seen or heard Fred lose his temper? He seems to be the kind of person who internalizes his anger and takes out his repression on exercise or alcohol.

It seems to be a characteristic maybe someone could take advantage of but it could be why he’s popular. He’s not very bright or hard working, but I would have a drink with the guy! He’s probably a kind dad.

He seems to have a good academic background so I think he must be bright enough (actually I was surprised by his studies). Also, I would guess that just as the way Princess of Wales's family background has helped her husband I will say Mary's family background will also have helped here. The four children seem pleasant and happy.

He was bright enough to get a college degree. He was a visiting student at Harvard (anyone with his money and status can be a visiting student), not studying for a degree at Harvard.  Didn't he repeat a year ? He was in the same year as Joachim, not as 'bright' as Joachim  .

It seems he has MSc in political science, and just because it is not from Harvard I do not see it diminishes the achievement. Maybe his brother has the same, I don't know, but I think his area of interest was farm management (?) so quite laudable in a different way (but I don't see a need for a competition between the two).

Daisy had Joachim studying farm management, not his own choice. I guess mom probably had Freddies studying political science too since he is the heir. Since it was likely mom's order, I don't see what was so hard to graduate with all the help he got.
It's hard to get admitted by Harvard,  but it doesn't apply to a visiting student especially for someone with Freddies' status.

I don't really get your point about Harvard unless he claimed to have graduated from there or something?

[PeDe]

Has anyone ever seen or heard Fred lose his temper? He seems to be the kind of person who internalizes his anger and takes out his repression on exercise or alcohol.

It seems to be a characteristic maybe someone could take advantage of but it could be why he’s popular. He’s not ver bright or hard working, but I would have a drink with the guy! He’s probably a kind dad.

Yes, when he kicked a sled dog in Greenland, this idiot.

He kicked a dog?!!

it was on one of those dog sledding ventures of his (I believe it was Greenland), and the dog was rambunctious, so Fred kicked him, and when reporters addressed this, he said that's what the 'native' people here do....some stupid shit like that. There was an article flying around, and I believe we have it here too - -  yup, here you go: https://royaldish.com/index.php?topic=5771.0

[Miss Marple]

Re Harvard: English is not his native language and even if you speak it fluently (studying and going in depth is an entirely different cup of tea) - especially at Harvard, where you have only extremely clever mostly native speakers ... so well, I would forgive him for only being a "visiting student". I would not say he was brilliant, but he seems clever enough, it is more a problem wit his work ethic than with his performance.

[Hester]

Has anyone ever seen or heard Fred lose his temper? He seems to be the kind of person who internalizes his anger and takes out his repression on exercise or alcohol.

It seems to be a characteristic maybe someone could take advantage of but it could be why he’s popular. He’s not very bright or hard working, but I would have a drink with the guy! He’s probably a kind dad.

He seems to have a good academic background so I think he must be bright enough (actually I was surprised by his studies). Also, I would guess that just as the way Princess of Wales's family background has helped her husband I will say Mary's family background will also have helped here. The four children seem pleasant and happy.

There is nil evidence that Fred is bright! He is dull and inarticulate and a drunk.

[dKaren]

Has anyone ever seen or heard Fred lose his temper? He seems to be the kind of person who internalizes his anger and takes out his repression on exercise or alcohol.

It seems to be a characteristic maybe someone could take advantage of but it could be why he’s popular. He’s not very bright or hard working, but I would have a drink with the guy! He’s probably a kind dad.

He seems to have a good academic background so I think he must be bright enough (actually I was surprised by his studies). Also, I would guess that just as the way Princess of Wales's family background has helped her husband I will say Mary's family background will also have helped here. The four children seem pleasant and happy.

He was bright enough to get a college degree. He was a visiting student at Harvard (anyone with his money and status can be a visiting student), not studying for a degree at Harvard.  Didn't he repeat a year ? He was in the same year as Joachim, not as 'bright' as Joachim  .

It seems he has MSc in political science, and just because it is not from Harvard I do not see it diminishes the achievement. Maybe his brother has the same, I don't know, but I think his area of interest was farm management (?) so quite laudable in a different way (but I don't see a need for a competition between the two).

Daisy had Joachim studying farm management, not his own choice. I guess mom probably had Freddies studying political science too since he is the heir. Since it was likely mom's order, I don't see what was so hard to graduate with all the help he got.
It's hard to get admitted by Harvard,  but it doesn't apply to a visiting student especially for someone with Freddies' status.

I don't really get your point about Harvard unless he claimed to have graduated from there or something?

My point was that had he had a political degree from Harvard, at least he had put lots of effort on the courses which are hard for a non-native English speaker.  You said he was bright, I haven't seen any of it except he followed mom's 'design'.
No matter how you think of Harvard, it's still the No.1 university for many young people. Anyone who gets in based on their own merit can be considered bright. Freddie's is not one of them .

[Maria]

I agree with Hester. There’s little evidence Fred is bright, especially compared to Henrik and even Marge. He can hardly say the simplest sentence in Danish (!) without making a mess of it and that is not an exaggeration. I have seen speculation that he speaks Danish as if he thinks in French and that’s possibly an explanation but the main point is that he is IMO too lazy to be bothered with anything he doesn’t find interesting. He is only really into sports and adventure, I feel. The rest he just sort of skates through.

The contrast to Joachim who diligently does his duty could not be more stark.

[VanillaMoomin]

I agree with Hester. There’s little evidence Fred is bright, especially compared to Henrik and even Marge. He can hardly say the simplest sentence in Danish (!) without making a mess of it and that is not an exaggeration. I have seen speculation that he speaks Danish as if he thinks in French and that’s possibly an explanation

If this is true (and given the fact that Marge and Henrik to all accounts lived their lives in French, and Henrik had more contact with the children and could barely speak Danish, it could well be) it is such extreme parental malpractice. Staggering. No that doesn’t let Derf off the hook of being a responsible adult, but honestly, poor child Derf, I feel really sorry for him.

[Stefanie]

I agree with Hester. There’s little evidence Fred is bright, especially compared to Henrik and even Marge. He can hardly say the simplest sentence in Danish (!) without making a mess of it and that is not an exaggeration. I have seen speculation that he speaks Danish as if he thinks in French and that’s possibly an explanation but the main point is that he is IMO too lazy to be bothered with anything he doesn’t find interesting. He is only really into sports and adventure, I feel. The rest he just sort of skates through.

The contrast to Joachim who diligently does his duty could not be more stark.

So he isn’t „bright“ - so what?! There are many people who aren’t and I don’t think you have to be only because your mother happens to be queen. Of course he had access to the best education, but that still doesn’t mean that he has to be an intellectual. Though I agree that a certain level of education is desirable and it certainly gives you more options if you bring home good grades, I‘d rather have people not judged only by their academic performance. There are many brilliant minds who are complete sociopaths, and I‘d rather have a king who is empathic than brainy, if you have to choose. As I’ve said before, I’ve dealt with quite some royals, and both Fred and Mary have been nothing but kind to „us inferiors“, much more than the oh-so-intelligent Maxima, who wouldn’t even say thank you.

[anneboleyn]

I'm confused that he can't speak a single sentence in Danish without making a mistake... isn't he Danish? How can he not speak his own language properly?

[Mariola]

Has anyone ever seen or heard Fred lose his temper? He seems to be the kind of person who internalizes his anger and takes out his repression on exercise or alcohol.

It seems to be a characteristic maybe someone could take advantage of but it could be why he’s popular. He’s not very bright or hard working, but I would have a drink with the guy! He’s probably a kind dad.

He seems to have a good academic background so I think he must be bright enough (actually I was surprised by his studies). Also, I would guess that just as the way Princess of Wales's family background has helped her husband I will say Mary's family background will also have helped here. The four children seem pleasant and happy.

He was bright enough to get a college degree. He was a visiting student at Harvard (anyone with his money and status can be a visiting student), not studying for a degree at Harvard.  Didn't he repeat a year ? He was in the same year as Joachim, not as 'bright' as Joachim  .

It seems he has MSc in political science, and just because it is not from Harvard I do not see it diminishes the achievement. Maybe his brother has the same, I don't know, but I think his area of interest was farm management (?) so quite laudable in a different way (but I don't see a need for a competition between the two).

Daisy had Joachim studying farm management, not his own choice. I guess mom probably had Freddies studying political science too since he is the heir. Since it was likely mom's order, I don't see what was so hard to graduate with all the help he got.
It's hard to get admitted by Harvard,  but it doesn't apply to a visiting student especially for someone with Freddies' status.

I don't really get your point about Harvard unless he claimed to have graduated from there or something?

My point was that had he had a political degree from Harvard, at least he had put lots of effort on the courses which are hard for a non-native English speaker.  You said he was bright, I haven't seen any of it except he followed mom's 'design'.
No matter how you think of Harvard, it's still the No.1 university for many young people. Anyone who gets in based on their own merit can be considered bright. Freddie's is not one of them .

Actually I have written "He seems to have a good academic background so I think he must be bright enough", i.e. he is not dumb if he can get a master's degree and no, it does not make him an Einstein brain.
I think of Harvard as one of the best universities in the world and I still don't get why it is part of the conversation if he was there as a visiting student for a year.
Is there something bad about the University of Aarhus?
 

[Royal Me!]

Am truly surprised F&M Fam went on vacay in Verbier and didn't bring along the cameras.

[Maria]

I'm confused that he can't speak a single sentence in Danish without making a mistake... isn't he Danish? How can he not speak his own language properly?

It’s a true mystery! But he did grow up bilingual and lives in a bilingual relationship and probably speaks a lot of English when he works. And I guess he can’t be bothered.

[dKaren]

Actually I have written "He seems to have a good academic background so I think he must be bright enough", i.e. he is not dumb if he can get a master's degree and no, it does not make him an Einstein brain.
I think of Harvard as one of the best universities in the world and I still don't get why it is part of the conversation if he was there as a visiting student for a year.
Is there something bad about the University of Aarhus?
 

There are a hundred towns between dumb and bright  . Aarhus is a good university, but the CP of Denmark didn't need to be bright to graduate from there, the same as the CP of Netherland didn't need to be bright to graduate from Leiden  .

[anneboleyn]

I'm confused that he can't speak a single sentence in Danish without making a mistake... isn't he Danish? How can he not speak his own language properly?

It’s a true mystery! But he did grow up bilingual and lives in a bilingual relationship and probably speaks a lot of English when he works. And I guess he can’t be bothered.

I had no idea he was bilingual. How lazy. If you're going to be bilingual, that's great, but maybe you should pick the language of the country you're going to rule as your strength.

[Maria]

Actually I have written "He seems to have a good academic background so I think he must be bright enough", i.e. he is not dumb if he can get a master's degree and no, it does not make him an Einstein brain.
I think of Harvard as one of the best universities in the world and I still don't get why it is part of the conversation if he was there as a visiting student for a year.
Is there something bad about the University of Aarhus?
 

There are a hundred towns between dumb and bright  . Aarhus is a good university, but the CP of Denmark didn't need to be bright to graduate from there, the same as the CP of Netherland didn't need to be bright to graduate from Leiden  .

I think it’s a really good idea his degree is from a Danish university. He will be the first Danish regent with a university degree. I think it’s important actually it’s from a Danish university. Part of his education  - both for the degree and for his future role - is understanding and learning about the Danish society. He won’t, wouldn’t, learn that abroad.

Denmark is a small country. Even more so we’re a tiny language and cultural “area”. Going abroad and getting an education in a foreign language and culture would not be a good idea IMO, especially for a royal family as the Danish that is already somewhat removed from actually being Danish. There is more German, Swedish, French and now Aussie in them than Danish. Turning their back on the Danish educational system which is quite good would be a bad move indeed.