2023 Schack's - News & Events

[Maria]

Maria...I'm really interested in the bit about the situation in the DRF being so dire.  Would you, or anyone else, be able to expand on that? 

I would say it’s obvious that the once very close and supportive relationships between Frederik and Joachim is totally done and that no one does anything about Marge using her family members as pas in a game of chess. Tbh I don’t think she is especially close to either child and I don’t think she really cares either. Joachim seems to have reached a point of Idgaf - because she went for his children - and Fred seems too lazy and frankly inept to do much of anything. Mary is, I think, probably mostly looking out for herself, the children and Fred (in that order) as much as she can which I think she cannot really be blamed because it’s not her mother being the problem and there has never been much love between her and Joachim..

[Maria]

According to Trine Villemann:

- it’s more or less a made up job to justify Joachim getting money from the state

- the situation in the DRF is so dire, it’s better for Joachim to stay out of the country

- he did well and worked hard in Paris. A real possibility was him getting a real, paying job in the military industry but the court did not think that would look right for them

- the real tragedy is that F&J used to be very tight, with Joachim often protecting and looking out for his sensitive older brother but that closeness is now completely gone

My take on this is that Marge isn’t much of a family person and Henrik did the legwork on that. Now where he’s gone, it’s falling apart.

I don’t like Fred and Mary at all, but I feel it’s hardly surprising that it’s difficult for a man like Fred to take responsibility for sorting out a situation that Marge seemingly has no interest in fixing.

I hope Joachim and Marie and the kids will thrive in Washington.

Wow! That would explain why Joachim was so excited about the move, then Marie seemed to back off from it, then the move was announced. I’m sorry for him if he lost out on a private industry job because of court politics.

I agree with you about Henrik, everything seems to have changed around the time he was declining and I don’t think Margrethe would have made such an abrupt decision about Joachim’s children if Henrik was still around. Wasn’t it Nikolai who said that they used to eat with their grandparents every fortnight but hadn’t been invited to eat with the Queen since Henrik died?

If he took a private job then he would have to pay his expenses and US tax and would have to qualify for a work visa ... I’m sure the visa would be arranged 🤣 but living there is very very expensive. He won’t get an exemption from tax from what I understand but depends on where they live. As an Embassy person the education and other expenses will be paid. I worked in NY so have some experience of the “arrangements” but dodging tax is not generally available unless he just submits expenses and gets reimbursement

It’s irrelevant talking about tax dodging Also it’s very possible to get higher pay than what he gets from the state so it’s likely a realistic scenario, especially if he’s actually really pissed and angry at his mother and brother.

[Oh_Caroline]

Maria...I'm really interested in the bit about the situation in the DRF being so dire.  Would you, or anyone else, be able to expand on that? 

I would say it’s obvious that the once very close and supportive relationships between Frederik and Joachim is totally done and that no one does anything about Marge using her family members as pas in a game of chess. Tbh I don’t think she is especially close to either child and I don’t think she really cares either. Joachim seems to have reached a point of Idgaf - because she went for his children - and Fred seems too lazy and frankly inept to do much of anything. Mary is, I think, probably mostly looking out for herself, the children and Fred (in that order) as much as she can which I think she cannot really be blamed because it’s not her mother being the problem and there has never been much love between her and Joachim..

That all makes sense.  

Poor Joachim (and Marie) they're so done with Marge so probably have no desire to be in Denmark FT but are still beholden to the court at to what they're allowed to do and where they're allowed to live.  I could easily see them holding out until Henrik and Athena are grown and then kicking the court to the curb (allowance and all).  If he is doing really well in this made up posts he could build a lot of contacts in order to launch a new life for himself (and Marie).

[RainbowUnicorn68]

So with only a few years of “light” military experience under his belt, Joachim is fully qualified to become a military industry attaché in the U.S. of all places! No doubt he’ll still receive his allowance and pay no tax. Denmark is great for meritocracy, unless you’re the Queen’s son.

Joachim took a degree at a French military school, which has very high standards for accepting students. This happened shortly before he took on the job in Paris.

[ralf103]

I don't blame them taking all they can if there is any truth to how the court has treated them. If they turned them off the idea of a private job then what other option is there.

Sounds like the Court wants its cake and to eat it - we want Joachim's children with no titles, F&M out the country but they can't make their own lives with their own jobs.

Gilded cage or what.

[VanillaMoomin]

I agree with you about Henrik, everything seems to have changed around the time he was declining and I don’t think Margrethe would have made such an abrupt decision about Joachim’s children if Henrik was still around. Wasn’t it Nikolai who said that they used to eat with their grandparents every fortnight but hadn’t been invited to eat with the Queen since Henrik died?

Yes, he said that.

It’s weird because I feel Henrik was often described as a strict, perhaps even harsh, father who was somewhat old-fashioned and critical and not especially supportive of his children. With how things have developed you have to wonder. At least he was obviously a lot closer to his grandchildren and I get the feeling he was a bit of a buffer for Joachim too.

Joachim has said that he became close friends with his father during his divorce from Alexandra, and I get the feeling that after Joachim married Marie the three of them formed a little Francophone circle in the court, and that Henrik championed their interests with Margrethe, partly because they could all have nice French gatherings where Henrik was the centre of attention as the papa and grandpapa and partly because Henrik was threatened by the idea of Crown Prince Fred as #2 royal, and so putting Joachim’s interests forward gave Henrik an ally in his struggles with his eldest son.

I’ve wondered if Fred & family got to eat with the Queen and Henrik on the alternate weeks, or if the fortnightly meals were only for Joachim’s family. Frederik had clear issues with his father and I doubt Mary ever learned to speak French and by all accounts Henrik had no time for people who couldn’t speak French, so it’s possible they weren’t invited.

I also get the feeling that Margrethe tolerated the family meals as a weird hobby of her husband’s, and saw no reason why she should continue with them after he died.

[periwinkle]

My guess is Rochambeau. Wash international is really for children of US government muckety mucks.

I guess the kids better get used to being the offspring of a Danish Govt muckety muck! 😹

It's not about the children when it comes to the culture of these places. The children would get the best education and make good friends in many places. With private schools at this level it is about the parents and the culture they want and create. If Marie wants to be friends with women who are in high level positions with the National Endowment for the Arts or the State Department or the NGO world that is fine but I would assume that she'd want to be friends with the parents from the foreign diplomatic world like her. That's the difference I wanted to highlight.

Also it will matter a lot where they are located. I don't see them in the District because the cost of living is so high unless they have negotiated something with the embassy. Rochambeau is in the Maryland suburbs. I could see them in Bethesda or Chevy Chase living relatively normal lives and not part of the Georgetown or Rock Creek set. They don't seem like they need or want to live at that level. But we shall see.

[Maria]

So with only a few years of “light” military experience under his belt, Joachim is fully qualified to become a military industry attaché in the U.S. of all places! No doubt he’ll still receive his allowance and pay no tax. Denmark is great for meritocracy, unless you’re the Queen’s son.

Joachim took a degree at a French military school, which has very high standards for accepting students. This happened shortly before he took on the job in Paris.

His military education is hardly “light”;

Military background
Prince Joachim’s military education began in 1987 when His Royal Highnesss was a recruit in the Queen's Own Regiment. In 1988, Prince Joachim was appointed as a sergeant, and in 1989, The Prince was appointed as a lieutenant of the reserve. After becoming a lieutenant, Prince Joachim served as a Platoon Commander of a tank squadron in the Prince's Own Regiment from 1989 to 1990.
In 1990, Prince Joachim was appointed as a first lieutenant of the reserve and in 1992, after completion of advanced training level I for officers of the reserve (VUT I), came his appointment as a captain of the reserve. From 1996 to 2004, Prince Joachim was the commander of a tank squadron in the mobilization force of the Prince's Own Regiment and, from 2005, was attached to the Danish Division’s staff as a major of the reserve.
Following appointment as a lieutenant colonel of the reserve in 2011, Prince Joachim was designated as the chief of the Liaison Officers Group in Total Defence Region Fyn, Syd and Sønderjylland.
In April 2015, Prince Joachim was appointed as a colonel of the reserve in the Army.
On 1 November 2015, Prince Joachim began a new position as a special advisor in the Defence in relation to the implementation of the new total force concept, which will strengthen the use of volunteers in the Home Guard and personnel from the reserve.
Prince Joachim began France’s highest-ranking military leadership education at École Militaire in Paris in September 2019. The education consists of two parts, which are carried through at Centre des Hautes Études Militaires (CHEM) and Institut des Hautes Études de la Défense Nationale (IHEDN), respectively. The Prince is the first Danish officer to have accomplished the complete education.

[Royal Me!]

I am wonder if J&A will be more tapped in to https://usa.um.dk/en/about-us

Then, no more need for FM to represent Denmark in the US.

[Hester]

So with only a few years of “light” military experience under his belt, Joachim is fully qualified to become a military industry attaché in the U.S. of all places! No doubt he’ll still receive his allowance and pay no tax. Denmark is great for meritocracy, unless you’re the Queen’s son.

Joachim took a degree at a French military school, which has very high standards for accepting students. This happened shortly before he took on the job in Paris.

Indeed. And anyone who has seen an interview by Joachim can see he is smart, knowledgeable and articulate.

[Hester]

It will be tough on Marie, won’t it, not to have patronages and royal duties to perform any more? With the kids at school, and she isn’t really the “ladies who lunch” type. I’d be keeping an eye on her mental well-being if I were her family and friends. I hope she develops her own career - and is being given a working visa.

[VanillaMoomin]

It will be tough on Marie, won’t it, not to have patronages and royal duties to perform any more? With the kids at school, and she isn’t really the “ladies who lunch” type. I’d be keeping an eye on her mental well-being if I were her family and friends. I hope she develops her own career - and is being given a working visa.

Maybe she willi be given a job similar to the one she had in France promoting Danish culture to French people? There’s lots of scope for her to promote Danish culture to Americans, she could be really busy!

[thecrownjewelthief]

The family situation is obviously sad but it sounds like a good role and good move for them. It's not Paris but Washington is a great city and I think they'll really enjoy themselves. Lots of culture and museums, and I'm sure they'll be in a nice neighborhood and have the kids in a great school. The city is quite pretty IMO and clean for a major metro. I'll have to keep my eye out for them when I go visit family there!

[periwinkle]

I hope Marie can keep the food waste program going. I have heard of it a little bit on the news as a general subject but she could really help it take off.

[VanillaMoomin]

I hope Marie can keep the food waste program going. I have heard of it a little bit on the news as a general subject but she could really help it take off.

I don’t know if it would work in America, remember when Jamie Oliver tried to teach Americans about healthy eating? He was chased away by outraged Americans fairly quickly. His thing works in the UK because he’s British, but Americans didn’t want to hear about their bad habits from a foreigner. Just as I don’t think Brits would like it if an American celebrity chef tried to come to the UK to preach healthy eating. Some things you only want to hear from one of your own! Marie’s food waste campaign works in Denmark because she’s a Princess of Denmark.