Design the perfect program for an heir!

[Windsor]

They didn't 'have' to marry a foreigner - they just happened to fall in love with a person born abroad. No law in Denmark requires members of the Royal Family to marry people from abroad.

[Canuck]

No law requires it, but I've read that the current Queen strongly encouraged it because she thought it was helpful in building ties with other countries.  She married a man from France, and her two sons have had three marriages between them, all of them to women from other countries.

[Windsor]

That is just pure gossip and utter nonsense in my opinion! Queen Margrethe II is the most liberal of Royals, and she would have insisted on her sons marrying for love. She played no part whatsoever in the selection of Royal Brides nor encouraged them for the purpose of international diplomacy.

France, Australia, nor Hong Kong for that matter play any significant role in Danish Foreign Policy.

[Canuck]

I'm sure she wanted her sons to marry for love, but she does seem to have encouraged them to look for love with women outside of Denmark.  I don't think it's a power play or anything, just a desire for Denmark to build ties with other countries.  Australia certainly knows more about the Danish monarchy, and probably Denmark generally, than it would have had Mary not married Frederik.

[TLLK]

They didn't 'have' to marry a foreigner - they just happened to fall in love with a person born abroad. No law in Denmark requires members of the Royal Family to marry people from abroad.

I have to disagree Windsor. None of the Danish royals in the line of succession have married a fellow Dane for generations. While there is no law that requires that they marry a foreigner they've been "encouraged" to marry outside the country so there would be no impression of favoritism to  a native family.
Double post auto-merged: November 14, 2014, 03:29:25 PM

No law requires it, but I've read that the current Queen strongly encouraged it because she thought it was helpful in building ties with other countries.  She married a man from France, and her two sons have had three marriages between them, all of them to women from other countries.

As did their father as Ingrid was Swedish, and her sisters. While I understand that it was more customary for royals to marry royals in past decades all have chosen partners who are not Danish.

[Limabeany]

I agree with @Windsor I don't see why they would be encouraged to do that, it is a big enough country @TLLK I think those are just the people they have wanted to marry...

[Windsor]

And even if that were true, how marrying a nobody from Australia/France/Hong Kong improved Danish relations/trade/etc with those countries?

[Canuck]

I know in the case of CP Mary, she and Fred have done several Australian tours and draw pretty big crowds and a fair amount of press attention (especially when they're in Australia, but also press coverage in Australia even when they're in Denmark).  By contrast, they were in Canada a few months ago and got very little press attention or crowds.  So I would say in that case it's been helpful just in keeping Denmark in the consciousness of a country that otherwise probably wouldn't think of that random northern European country much at all, and has more specifically created greater attention when they visit Australia and e.g. visit Danish stores, discuss Danish business, etc.

[TLLK]

I find it odd that every person who remained in the current line of succession including Knud's descendents didn't marry a Dane.  Those who married Danish commoners were "demoted" and were removed. IMO there is a strong encouragement to not marry a fellow Dane. Now the rule regarding marriage to a commoner has been removed but I'm curious to see if a future King Frederik will continue it as it would affect his nephews/niece and obviously his own children.

[DaisyMeRollin]

Have to agree with both Lima and Windsor. I don't see it more than coincidence as far as the contemporary Danish royals. Previous generations were married off to Germanic, Lutheran monarchies, but I don't see what benefit would be there for actively encouraging marriages outside of Danish citizens.

[TLLK]

Still thinking it is more  a case of not showing favoritism to a specific Danish family over older economic or political ties.

[Curryong]

The Swedish monarchy has been much the same, however. Marriage to German noblewomen for the most part, through the generations, with a sprinkling of English royalty. Those who married commoners of any nationality were demoted. Carl Gustav married a German-born commoner when his grandfather died.  As far as the current crop is concerned Crown Princess Victoria is married to a Swede, her brother Carl Philip is engaged to one, but Princess Madeleine is married to an English-born American and lives in New York.

[TLLK]

And don't forget that Prince Bertil had to wait decades before he and Lillian could marry. I understand that they waited until Silvia was expecting Victoria before they wed.
Double post auto-merged: November 15, 2014, 01:57:13 AM

Still thinking it is more  a case of not showing favoritism to a specific Danish family over older economic or political ties.

Will wager a  pint of Hagen Das on this matter!!! Have the question posed at two other sites with Danish posters. :P

[Limabeany]

How about an ice cream cake @TLLK :xmas21:

[TLLK]

Actually might hold up a little better than regular ice cream for trans-Atlantic shipping.  :thumbsup:

[Curryong]

On another site (which has Danish posters) the subject is under discussion, and it was said (claimed) by a poster that Queen Margrethe (Daisy) gave an interview at the time of Fred and Mary's engagement. In this she stated that having fresh faces (blood) from other nations had been good for the Royal Family and for Denmark. So, sounds like her preference. (She apparently fell head over heels for Henri at first sight!)

Bertil of Sweden had to be there as a possible Regent for the present King Carl Gustav, who lost his father in babyhood. The King, Gustav (Bertil's father) was elderly and didn't approve of commoners in the family. Therefore it wasn't until the succession was assured that Bertil, who remained Carl Gustav's heir until then, was able to marry. (Carl Gustav was on the throne by then.

[snokitty]

^ That sounds to me like Queen Margrethe was just saying that she approved of her new Daughter in law.

It doesn't sound like forcing someone to be unable to marry a Dane.   :shrug:

[Curryong]

I don't think anyone is forcing anyone to do anything, least of all, Daisy. However, she has expressed that she likes diversity and obviously her children have followed suit.

[mod]Please do not quote the entire post directly above your own. [/mod]

[TLLK]

And it wasn't only her children but her sister Benedikte's family also chose partners who were not Danish. (I'm not going to include Anne Marie's children who would not be in line for the Danish throne.)

[mod]Please do not quote the entire post directly above your own. [/mod]

[Limabeany]

Actually :xmas1: might hold up a little better than regular ice cream for trans-Atlantic shipping.  :thumbsup:

Would require a larger refrigerated container. No one can say we are not willing to go the extra mile for ice cream!  :xmas1:

[TLLK]

 :hehe: Oh yeah!!! LOL BTW my Danish sources have found an interview with Henrik also sharing that he and Margrethe did not want their sons marrying Danes. I'll see if I can find it.

GET READY TO PAY UP!!! YES I AM GREEDY!!!! :xmas1:

[cate1949]

I recall reading on another site where there were a few Danes who made the claim that marriage outside Denmark was encouraged because there had been some hereditary diseases floating around in the family and so "new" genes were seen as a benefit.  I forget the details of who had what - but that was the assertion made.  Seems among the Danish aristocrats everyone was related.  There is some sense in that as every royal house in Europe is descended from Christian IX including a relationship to the BRF.

I doubt they deliberately go looking for a foreign bride.  Fred had a Danish GF before Mary so obviously it was not a requirement. 

But a spouse from another country is almost universal among the continental royals now - except of course the BRF where I suspect if Harry had a foreign GF there would be some gnashing of teeth rendering of garments and general woe.

[Curryong]

There certainly would among the local female population! Anyway, I think Princess Michael was a bit much for some people, in and out of the BRF.

[Canuck]

But a spouse from another country is almost universal among the continental royals now - except of course the BRF where I suspect if Harry had a foreign GF there would be some gnashing of teeth rendering of garments and general woe.

Is that true outside of Denmark?  A generation or two ago, sure, but these days I don't think so.  In Sweden Victoria and Carl Philip both married/are marrying Swedish partners.  Mathilde is Belgian.  Felipe and both of his sisters married people from Spain.  Maxima was not Dutch, but both of Willem-Alexander's brothers married Dutch women.  Monaco is an outlier, but given how tiny it is and how much time the Royals spend elsewhere, that's not really surprising.

As for Harry, I suspect there will be some gnashing of teeth and rending of garments regardless who he marries.   :wink:  But I think if it was a woman from a Commonwealth country -- Canada, Australia, etc. -- that no one would be too put out by her nationality.  It didn't seem to be an issue with Chelsy, after all.

[tiaras]

^As long as she is white (caucasian) a PoC would not be welcome into his circle with open arms considering his racist grandfather  :notamused:
After reading Philips comments My opinion is that the BRF is racist (subtly)  how can they respect a man who has made such offensive remarks ?