"A brash young rebel inspires a fight for freedom."
Our surfing is many different things to many different people. Therapy, an escape, form of exercise, meditative, a cheap thrill, bit of masochism etc. For Count Nikolai of Denmark, it is a weapon of social war. A cudgel that can be lifted high in the air and brought screaming down into the face of an adversary.
But certainly you are aware of the title fight brewing in the happiest country on earth. Yes, Denmark, and all it’s various perfections, its Nomas and Tivolis, also has a royal row that makes England’s Prince Harry business seem positively genteel. Last September, you already know, Queen Margrethe II decided to strip the titles of four of her grandchildren. Her youngest son, Prince Joachim, had his four children, Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prence Henrik and Princess Athena lose royal status and, instead, relegated to being mere Counts and Countesses.
Ouch.
The move was done in the name of modernization, though Princess Marie, Prince Joachim’s second wife, angrily spat, “There’s nothing modern about hurting children’s feelings.”
While that notion may be disputed, the whole nasty business has simmered and, yesterday, broke back into the open when instead of attending his royal cousin Prince Christian’s 18th birthday party, Count Nikolai, 24, went surfing in Australia.
Boom.
The handsome young man, a model studying at Sydney’s University of Technology, posted a photo of the affair to his Instagram account and received much praise.
While the press, including surfing’s “bad dog” BeachGrit, was quick to see the move as a heavy swipe, Count Nikolai later took to Instagram to wish his cousin a happy day, writing, “Funny how time flies… Happy 18th Christian! Hope everyone celebrates you just as you deserve.”
Nice.
“Celebrate you just as you deserve” has a bit of a sting, though, no?
In any case, Prince Christian’s birthday in Copenhagen was very well attended. According to the Daily Mail:
The lavish event saw royals from across Europe travel to Christianborg Palace in Copenhagen where striking image shared on Instagram shows the future heads of monarchies from around Europe posing for a rare photograph together.
Dressed to the nines, future Queens Princess Estelle of Sweden, 11, Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, 19, Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, 19, and Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, 21, smiled for the camera next to Christian.
The aforementioned Prince Joachim and his aggrieved wife Princess Marie even made an appearance. Royal watchers took it to be an olive branch in the wake of some ugliness.
What do you think?
Peace in our time or further victims over the horizon?
Commented on Disqus? Log out, tap the Disqus button, and your old name and comments come back. The box is ours.
Your comments are still here. Every one of them.
Twelve years of BeachGrit comments came across from Disqus. Connect and we will show you how many are yours. We get your username, nothing else.
Connect Disqus to reveal.
I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The average American is born with a spork in their mouth.
and forked tongues…
re: getting tonsils checked with a wooden spoon. gags me everytime. as does the sight of monarchial kings & queen & princes & princesses. surfing is not the sport for queens. king’s maybe. in it’s heyday…
Happiest country on earth? I’m half Danish and I’m a miserable wretch.
quarter Norwegian … slightly less wretched, fwiw.
you live where there’s better surf while I have to surf Huntington Beach on the daily
Sounds like a first world problem
these people in third world countries with good waves don’t even know about the struggle
Surf City USA, what could be better???
descendents from Aalborg. all dead. probably lutherans. in turn spawned a godless travelling shoe salesman (great grandpa). in turn spawned a wildman (gramps) that fried eggs on the sidewalk and went bald by 40. in turn spawned a high school champ basketball player that married my five-foot tall catholic mother. in turn spawned a five-foot tall son…a god-fearing, five star non-travelling chef, that hates basketball, is balding and very much anticipates the wonder world of Valhalla; while constantly jockeying for a position as Menehune surf contest winner. here’s my son.
https://www.okokoras.gr/wp-…
The Danish Girl~
I’m eating fucked up good boulangerie tout les jours. I’d be pissed off with half a Danish.
Xox
Meanwhile, at Pipe a few minutes ago … https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Where ?
Xox
restricted photo~contact The Law Firm…
Is this the Instagram post in question?
https://www.spikedmcgrath.c…
“But certainly you are aware of the title fight brewing in the happiest country on earth.”
Uhh, no, no I am not.
I can’t.
But are you #TeamNikoli or #TeamChristian?
As long as we get to see another bloody war of succession for the Danish crown, I’ll be happy—haven’t had a proper one of those since the early 11th century
Team Nielsen
Christian’s surrounded by royal poon… soo him/they.
Flown in royal poon. Christian… here are the princesses. Take your pick.