63 thoughts on “Danish Royal Family in tiaras for New Year’s Banquet”

1. When I saw that picture of Mary my immediate thought was that dress makes a statement. I love this dress, especially the deep blue color. This is definitely a win for Mary.

   I love seeing what Queen Margrethe wears because she has such a sense of color and her dresses usually have this great “I am the Queen” look to them. Not as fond of her fur as I was of QEII’s.

   Marie’s white outfit didn’t really do anything for me. I’m assuming she has a more limited budget for her clothing. I don’t know, it just didn’t stand out.

   I am curious as to whether Henrik made this decision to “retire” on his own or if it was a behind the scenes group decision between Margrethe, the family and advisers. He seems to have never been happy being relegated to a Prince Consort status. And with his little tantrum during Margrethe’s birthday celebrations I am actually kind of glad to see him shuffled back a row. I hope it isn’t health related and is more along the lines of them getting tired of his fits and pushing him back.

   KMR is off to a great start for the new year!

   1. I was rather surprised to hear about all the ruckus Henrik raised over not being named King. I thought that the husband to a Queen was never made King, so why should he be upset by this?

   2. Actually, Prince Joachim is the Danish royal who has the largest private fortune since he sold his estate Schackenborg last year for about 100 million Danish Kroner – add to that the apanage. Marie very rarely excells when it comes to formal gowns. She’s a bit too fond of the peplum and shiny fabrics.

      Prince Henrik is 81 and he walk seems to very laboured. Regarding the Venice trip around Daisy’s birthday: he was there to hand over part of his wine business, which he is also giving up. Something is wrong since he really loved that work.

   3. Mary’s dress is definitely a showstopper.

      I think Henrik’s comments after so many years as a consort were a bit off putting. You’ve been married almost 50 years, bro, let the “consort not a king” thing go.

      1. Yes – and he has been lambasted for years in the Danish press for it. I find it very weird that he did it – he’s an educated man and would certainly know that a xonsort to a Queen Regnant never get the title King unless he is a king in hios own right. It was definitely a mistake to speak publicly about it.

         I does seem that his big problem wasn’t his wife taking precedence over him but his son doing so as Crown Prince. That was something he said in that interview. That may very well have something to do with the fact that he grew up in a very conservative and paternalistic culture where the father never plays second fiddle to the son.

         1. Can I presume that the Queen never gave him control over Household matters, as Elizabeth did with Phillip? Is that the source of his frustration?

            1. The DRF is much smaller than the BRF – they don’t have any large estates that need managing. The DRF is relatively poor and entirely dependant on the apanage they receive from the government.

               He did supervise the wine production at their French Chateau in Caix though he has recently stopped that business. He’s also a poet and a sculptor. He worked as a diplomat prior to his marriage and is a specialist in Asian relations (he even speaks Mandaring) so he has been quite involved with the State Visits in that region in the past.

      2. I completely agree, KMR! Mary looked excellent. Completely knocked it out of the park. Daisy looked wonderful. Marie was blah. Not bad, not memorable.

         As for Henrik, doesn’t it seem like they would’ve discussed this before marriage? Also, if anything, it seems like he has defeated himself over and over in this realm. Why would Daisy let him step up as King with his history of “fleeing” and complaining to the press? It doesn’t show the maturity or quiet sense of duty that you expect for a King.

         1. I is only within the last few years that he started complaining. He was a diplomat before the marriage so he certainly knew this was the deal. Like I’ve said before, I think the main problem isn’t his wife but the fact that his son takes precedence over him – that can be hard for a man from such a paternalistic culture as France. He feelings in this regard may very well have been a surprise to him – we are not completely rational creatures.

            As for “fleeing”, that is also only a recent phenomena. I have a gut feeling that he may battle depression.

            I wouldn’t be up to Daisy to let him step up as “King”, that would be a matter for Parliament. Besides, the only precedent for a Consort to a Queen regnant being styled King is if the man in question is a King in his own right. The whole thing is odd and that is why I suspect there might be other issues at play than petulance and thwarted ambition – especially from such an intelligent man and since the issue is a very recent one.

   4. I thought that CP Mary’s dress was a bit over the top. Velvet is dressy enough without adding all that “bling” on the skirt. The colour is marvelous.

2. I absolutely love Mary’s dress!!! What an ingenious idea to recycle the skirt and create this stunning velvet top to go with it!! I love that the beading on the cuff matches the beading on the skirt. And to have a double train, I don’t think it could be more perfect!

   I too wish the Queen hadn’t worn this fur wrap as it hides the bodice of what I imagine is a beautiful dress. I really don’t mind her wearing a fur wrap just not this one, I don’t know what kind of fur it is but it’s clashed horribly with every dress she’s worn with it.

   I like Marie’s dress but it doesn’t have the wow factor that Mary’s does. I wonder if those two get along, does anyone know?

   Anyhow, I love how the Dane’s ring in the New Year and next year I’m going to put on my tiara and best gown too!

   1. Lauri, I loved the details on the wrist. Mary adds the small touches to her outfit to make them unique.

   2. I thought the added beading on the wrists made the velvet top and embroidered skirt look like the actually went together. It was a smart touch.

      I’m totally joining you, Lauri, for the tiaras and gowns next year!

   3. Both versions of this outfit are lovely! I loved it before with the off-the-shoulder top and I love the velvet top here. It’s festive and makes a statement.

      Although I look forward to when she has a different tiara. Hers is nice, but I don’t love it.

      1. I think the Danish Ruby-Diamond Tiara is absolutely exquisite! Though she could use another big gun tiara.

         The Perle Poire that Daisy wears is another favorite of mine. The pearls are gorgeous and it isn’t too tall like the the Cambridge Lover’s Knot.

         1. I would really like to see Mary in more tiaras. I think I have seen a lot of that ruby tiara and while it’s gorgeous, she does an amazing job at “recycling” and mixing up her outfits so different tiaras would complement nicely.

            1. Sadly, The DRF hasn’t the financial means to buy new tiaras and quite a few tiaras have left the DRF, mostly through her sisters but also one with the divorce of the former Princess Alexandra.

               Daisy is not sharing her signature tiaras, like the Perle Poire and the Floral Aigrette – and the Emerald is part of the Crown Jewels and can only bee worn by the Queen (Consort). Daisy could share the Palmette but doesn’t for some reason. There’s also a dinky turqoise one that is never seen. Lastly, the Naasut Tiara is a quite recent gift to Daisy for her 40th Jubilee and I think that it wouldn’t be proper for her to share that one yet. Marie has the Dagmar Floral Tiara so that’s out of the question as well.

               I think it is sad that the beautiful Khedive Tiara left the DRF with Anne-Marie, especially since the Greek RF hassome truly impressive tiaras! However, I think that it is very likely that the sapphire tiara that the Princess Elizabeth wears will return to the DRF since Elizabeth has no children.

   4. Mary is awesome at “recycling” and mixing up her items worn completely different the second (or third) time around. Quite ingenious indeed. I love her for that! (makes me think of those awesome fashion bloggers that also offer great ideas of different ways to wear your clothing items without having to become a shopaholic).

      I’m also curious about the relationship between Mary and Marie. I have never seen pictures of them interacting in a friendly way. I get the impression they are just cordial (but then again there isn’t enough coverage to go by). Nothing against Marie but she isn’t as pretty or as well dressed as Mary, so I do wonder if she becomes a tad jealous or is just happy in her skin…

3. Wow! Mary looks amazing! I absolutely love and want this look. The cuffs, the understated elegance, just fantastic. The velvet top/train brings back an older royal style with a modern edge.
   Agreed about Q Margarethe’s fur. I feel like a wolf’s head is going to rear up at any moment. It’s probably fox or something else. While I get that it’s cold outside and fur is very practical, I’d rather see her in something else. There are wonderful textiles that will keep her warm and not overwhelm her dress. Love her speech.
   There are some people in the BRF that need to be *retired* if they keep up with the tantrums. But new year, hopefully better attitudes. And I can’t wait to see all that Harry accomplishes this year. I think it’s going to be a great one for him.

   1. Lol I love the wolf’s head comment. I too am looking forward to see what Prince Harry does this year. He seems to be doing some great work and really hitting his stride.

4. wow, mary and the Queen look fabulous, marie still looks cute too!!

5. I think all 3 ladies look great. But CP Mary is stunning! Her whole look is fantastic. Q Margrethe is so queenly and beautiful. Her best look since I’ve started learning about other royals from KMR. I think the fur wrap is fine. P Marie’s gown is gorgeous. The color is lovely on her. She is a pretty lady.

6. All three look amazing but Mary steals the show – I think this will be on your 2016 best dress list in 12 months. Her holiday down under has done her good and she looks glowing.
   Maybe Marie kept it low key so as not to compete with her husbands hat!! That must be a challenge to wear ☺️

   1. I’ve always been partial to Mary’s skirt (the skirt + top was my favorite look from her in 2014) and the velvet top is just fantastic. I love, love, love the train.

      Lol, Joachim’s hat is something else.

      1. Mary’s outfit is fantastic! She looks very good in dark velvets. Last year she wore a midnight blue velvet cape ovr a white dress and she has worn a dark wine red velvet dress often as well.

         I loved the Jesper Høvring outfit she wore at the Bambi Awards – the way the skirt is combined with that gorgeous flowing velvet gown illustrates how useful it is to build up a wardrobe with pieces that can be mixed and matched (instead of one-pieces.)

         The train just adds that final regal tough. I bet that she velvet dress is made by her tailor who make most of Mary’s formal gowns. The Jesper Høvring dress was probably quite expensive but she can recycle the skirt and the top with other items.

         The whole outfit brings to my Renaissance gowns with split skirts. This is a new favorite among Mary’s gala outfits.

         1. I see CP Mary wearing order of elephant. What accomplishments and in which area will earn her this order?
            I recall you mentioning the year of its establishment so I will pick your brain about it.

            1. I know I’m not ArtHistorian, but according to Wikipedia, Crown Princess Mary received the Order of the Elephant on May 9, 2004, five days before her wedding on May 14, 2004. So the accomplishment which got her the Order was marriage to the Crown Prince.

               In Sweden, both Prince Daniel and Princess Sofia were given the Order of the Seraphim upon their marriages.

            2. Members of the immediate royal family receives the Order of the Elephant. Otherwise, it is primarily given to other Heads of State, royal and non-royal alike. The only commoner that have received it is the late Maersk Mckinney-Møller, leader of Maersk. He got it after he gave an Opera House to Copenhagen.

               Usually, when a recepient dies, the Order is returned. I’m actually kind of curious if Prince Joachim’s first wife Alexandre still has her Order, which she got when she married him.

            3. I’ll also add that the New Year’s Banquet is one of the 3 occasions when the Order is worn on a chain around the neck and not on a sash.

               For the ladies that means that the chain is sewn onto the dress with a strong, transparent thread. Velvet is actually quite a sensible choice here, which is why I suspect that Mary often has worn velvet on these occasions. Last year Princess Marie wore a dress with a chiffon overlay on the bodice and I winced when I saw it because that delicate fabric would not be in a good condition afterwards. The Order chain is heavy.

7. This is how you bring the fashion and the jewels. Daisy cut a dramatic figure. Her gown and tiara were beautiful. Not a fan of the fur, but to each their own. Mary was exquisite. I am a sucker for a train. One that flows and looks light and airy too? Sign me up. And the menu? My steel cut oatmeal with honey looks like spackle as I read the menu.

   Marie looks pretty but the busy bodice and her order are competing. She needed a more simple bodice to let that beauty shine. Marie can be hit or miss for me. I love the gown, but just not for this event.

   I do not know a lot about Henrik, but I’ve heard his comments about being consort versus King. It must be hard to be a male consort as we live in a society where it is automatically assumed a man will “lead” over a woman. Especially in his time. But I hope that he is well. Daisy loves him and is grateful for his support, so that’s all that matters.

   Thank you for a great way to start my Saturday, KMR.

   1. Oatmeal sounds pretty good, too.

      1. You are too kind. I eat the same thing each morning. I feel like Forest Gump: steel cut oats with honey, steel cut oats with berries, steel cut oats with bananas, etc.

         1. I am watching Forrest Gump!

            1. Hilarious!

         2. The morning meal is the most important meal of the day 😉

            I eat skyr with oats, apple, raspberries and a splash of maple syrup. It is delicious.

            1. I have poached eggs on toast with bacon or ham and orange juice. Delicious. 🙂

            2. Sounds yummy. Though I have no idea how to poach a n egg.

            3. There are egg poachers you can buy. It makes it less messy. If the yoke breaks in the water, you could end up with a nice custard-like thing without the whipped cream. 🙂

            4. Seth I’m coming to you for breakfast – just the eggs on toast but please strong black coffee not OJ. Art Historian I’ve found something I can do that you can’t even if it is just poaching the perfect egg!!!

            5. I also soft boil eggs. 1. Get a small, shallow pot, like a sauce pan. 2. Lower egg in with a spoon. Be careful you don’t crack it. 3. Cover with cold water, but just to cover; the eggs don’t want to drown. 4. Bring to a quick, rolling boil. 5. Cover with lid and set the timer. If you want a soft, runny yoke, it’s 5-6 min. Firmer yoke, 6-8 min. 6. Gently crack it against something. I serve it over toast. The yoke tends to run, so don’t be surprised if it’s goopy. If you want, you can eat it with a spoon and it’s less messy.

            6. 😉

            7. What is skyr? Or is it a typo? I want to eat what you eat, maybe I will become smarter.

            8. Again, I’m not ArtHistorian but skyr is an Icelandic dairy product similar to yogurt.

            9. Skyr is like yogurt, found in Iceland but a richer consistency,

            10. Thanks KMR, I didn’t see it here on Long Island, but we have huge selection of yogurts and keffirs.

            11. KMR, you’re quite right. Skyr is a dairy product that has the consistency of Greek yoghurt but is very low-fat and rich in protein. It is originally an Icelandic product but it has become really popular in Denmark where we like all kinds of dairy products very much. 😉

            12. Is that why Danish people are the tallest in the world, because they eat a lots of dairy products? Thank you for all the info about the order of elephant.

            13. Don’t know about that but dairy production has been a very big part of our agriculture for about a centry so there are many different products – and always new ones being introduced and tried out. Some take, some don’t.

                I suspect genetics and nutrition are reasons why many Northern Europeans are tall. I know some archeaologists and they say that burial finds from the Viking age show that these people were as tall as modern Danes. However, in the 1800s many people were much shorter, which may very well have been related to harsh conditions in with much pollution, poverty and poor nutrition.

8. The fur doesn’t work on that dress and it’s probably because of the colour, an intense dark chocolate brown would have looked gorgeous and done wonders on her skin tone. I also wish she would consider more slender dresses rather than that kind of style and in another shade of blue, perhaps Robin’s egg-blue (blu carta da zucchero in Italy). Love the tiara.

9. Mary- just WOW!!!

10. CP Mary looks absolutely wonderful! blue really suits her, and everything she is wearing works. She does look so comfortable and confident and her posture is is perfect. I need a train; just for everyday wear of course.

11. Love the bling, hate the menu. Geez, I would kill for some fancy beef, gravy, potatoes and salad. I know that the toffs eat out a lot, and I know that as a toff I would be okay with that menu. But man, in RL, I want something French and dazzling, I realise. 🙂

    1. Oh, I forgot to mention, I adore Queen Margerethe- an intelligent, vital and articulate woman. She really looks magnificent and every inch the queen in the photo above.

12. Mary has a great waist! This dress really accentuates it nicely. If I were being photographed regularly on a world stage I would probably be pressuring myself quite a bit in the weight area, and it would probably be difficult to stay on track with the menus at these events. In any case I think she looks great, even though that is not my favorite gown of hers. It does look like it’s warm though, which I’m sure is nice during the colder months, especially in potentially drafty, old royal residences.

    1. As a side note, it’s interesting to see Princess Mary wearing red fingernail polish. I’m used to seeing more conservative (non)colors on royal fingernails.

13. I love Mary’s outfit. It is gorgeous and I am usually not one to rave about her. I love the velvet and I love the colour and I could quite easily wear this outfit down to do the shopping, train flying out the back and all!

14. CP Mary’s look is a fest for an eye. I would only change her tiara, but maybe she doesn’t have this option. It’s important to notice her self confidence which adds to a general appearance. While Kate often appears triumphant or self consumed, Mary looks happy with a touch of fun.

    1. Mary only has three tiara options:

       1) The Ruby-Diamond Tiara, which has a long and noble history. It is her only really big gun tiara and she always wears it at the New Year’s Banquet since it is an occasion that calls for a big gun.
       http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.dk/2011/12/readers-top-15-tiaras-4-danish-ruby.html

       2) Her wedding tiara, which is a small and delicate fringe-like tiara that has been augmented with pearls on the base.
       https://www.pinterest.com/pin/544020829965834998/

       3) The Midnight Tiara, which is a modern tiara made by the jeweller firm Ole Lynggaard. It is owned by the firm but Mary has the exclusive use of it, which I find to be an interesting new way to finance a tiara.
       http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.dk/2011/11/tiara-thursday-midnight-tiara.html

       1. I read all the links, very interesting. Her tiaras are very unusual in structure, kind of organic looking except her wedding tiara. Her midnight tiara would complete this outfit as well.

          1. Yes, I think the Midnight Tiara would look stunning with this outfit.

             I’m into jewellery design in a big way and very interested in the history of the tiara – so I’m always very interested when I see a modern tiara. I think this one is very beautiful. It focuses more on the overall aesthetic expression that the carat power of individual stones (as in older tiaras) – the use of tiny diamonds create a different kind of sparkle, especially when it is set off against the matte but luminous moonstones. I also love how the use of different materials and textures create a varied yet subtle look.

15. Also the repetition of the outfit in a new combination is how to recycle the old ones.

16. Princess Mary’s gown is wonderful.

17. Hands down, Mary is the fairest of them all. That smashing gown is stylish, elegant and accentuates her healthy and toned figure. She is naturally classy and sophisticated. A beautiful woman who has so much more to offer beyond the clothes she wears. She’s interesting and has a personality. A far cry from the one-dimensional dull Kate.

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