If we’re looking in the beginning. January seems to have been a fairly quiet royal month
on the royal front. Even the new year receptions in Denmark received less press coverage than normal – with Crown Princess Mary on maternity leave, and Joachim and Marie taking the opportunity to go on vacation under the radar. (Was hosting the Christmas with the Prince Consort and Queen so tiring that they had to have a break afterwards?)
Anyway, here are the numbers for January.
A bit late… due to a computer break-down.
I haven’t counted any appearances around Christmas day. Prince Daniel is moving on up in the world, with an independent appearance without his wife.
Today is December 1, and here are the numbers for November. December numbers might be low, due to the travel of Mette-Marit as well as Mary’s pregnancy and Christmas holidays all around.
Alphabetically.
Name: Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall,
Claim to Fame: married to the Prince of Wales.
Age: 63
Population size of the UK: Roughly 62 millions.
Number of total engagements: 30
Number of solo engagements: 22
18/62 = 0.48
Name: Daniel, Prince of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland.
Claim to Fame: Married to the Crown Princess of Sweden
Age: 37
Population size of Sweden : Roughly 9.3 millions
Number of total engagements: 8
Number of solo engagements: 0
8/9.3= 0.86
Name: Letizia, Princess of Asturias
Claim to Fame: Married to the Prince of Asturias
Age: 37
Population size of Spain : 46 millions
Number of total engagements: 17
Number of solo engagements: 2
Dividing: 17/46 = 0.36
Name: Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat
Claim to Fame: Married to the Crown Prince of Denmark
Age: 38
Population size of Denmark : Roughly 5.5 millions
Number of total engagements: 6
Number of solo engagements: 4
Dividing: 6/5.5=1.09
Presumably went on maternity leave by the middle of the month.
Name: Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant
Claim to Fame: Married to the Duke of Brabant, heir to the Belgian throne.
Age: 37
Population size of Belgium : 10.8 millions
Number of total engagements: 7
Number of solo engagements: 5
Dividing: 7/10.8=0.64
Name: Princess Máxima
Claim to Fame: Married to the Prince of Orange
Age: 39
Population size of The Netherlands : 16.6 millions
Number of total engagements: 16
Number of solo engagements: 15
Dividing: 16/16.6= 0.96
Name: Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway
Claim to Fame: Married to the Crown Prince of Norway
Age: 36
Population size of Norway: 4.8 millions
Number of total engagements: 8
Number of solo engagements: 4
Dividing: 8/4.8=1.66
Announced in November that she and her husband would be taking the children on a two month long trip.
for why I think adding the population numbers to the Heir Consort Project is relevant became clear to me the other day. It seems there is, despite the recession, a never ending list of things that need to be opened, or anniversaries that need to be celebrated in countries with a high population.
Those events don’t come around quite as often in the countries with lower populations. They do come around, just not as frequently.
There is a limit to how many different medals can be handed out in a small country before the notion of them becomes worthless…
Well, there goes the Heir Consort Work project…
The Norwegian court announced that Haakon and Mette-Marit with family, will be taking a family trip from the end of November to the end of January.
The purpose of the trip is to experience different global cultures, in addition to spending time together as a family.
Since Marius and Ingrid both are in school now, they have received lesson plans to follow while they are away. My guess is that the trip is happening now, around Christmas, when they won’t be missing too much school, yet while the level of their education isn’t too specialized, requiring special tutors.
The family is asking for privacy on the trip, so whatever photos or news will depend on what they release or if they’re found by the paparazzi…
Of course this also, most likely, means that barring family emergencies, we won’t see them for Christmas photo shoot in Norway either. Unless they shoot that before leaving.
We’re moving into November, and here are the numbers for October.
I rather like these months, because it makes it easier to track the “normal” work load, so to speak. There aren’t usually major holidays going on that mean these people take the whole month or so off. Mary is still pregnant, but keeping up steam as of yet, so a fairly usual work load there.
I do wish Daniel would start taking on more engagements on his own – (and I also wish the calendar on the royal Swedish website was improved in terms of updating).
I might have missed something, so if you think numbers are high or low – count 🙂
Is it just me, or is it a bit strange how the British deem being received at the airport in Aberdeen after returning home from a visit to India as part of the official works they do?
I have calendars to help me keep track of things. I often get the feeling that I’ve forgotten something, so getting into the habit having calendars updated… will likely be beneficial when I am 88, and forget everything.
There is the calendar on the iPhone, which syncs with GoogleCalendar and the iCal on my computer. And there is the outlook calendar, which doesn’t sync with anything because it is a special little snowflake…
We also have a monthly calendar where we track travel plans in our flat.
And finally, there is the Moleskine calendar. Strange, that with all the electronic options… The best thing is still to write it out on paper.
Another month, another tallying of duties.
Interestingly, Daniel looks to be picking up some visits abroad, always with Victoria. One would think that with the long engagement period, his “prince-school” could have progressed to the part where he’s got a couple of royal duties on his own, but maybe they’re saving that?