The queen just has to take her friends to the Olympics – as long as she does her job

What is her job when she sees Denmark’s dressage team win silver medals in Paris?

Her job is to support athletes who represent Denmark.

Her job is to represent Denmark.

Now it faces criticism that the queen has had two private acquaintances in that context.

Queen Mary was not on a friend’s trip, but does it really harm her or the royal house’s integrity that she casually had some friends, including North Jutland’s left-wing politician Malou Skeel, with her for handball, horse riding and gymnastics?

No, well.

Jesper Olsen, chairman of Transparency International, calls it a gray area.

And it is understandable for several reasons that it is a gray area.

Because haven’t we recently criticized politicians for doing something similar?

And shouldn’t the royal family keep private life and work separate?

And shouldn’t we hold the royal family to the same standards as all other public figures?

No, actually we shouldn’t.

First, there is the formality. The rules.

The royal family is not part of the state, and they can basically accept all the gifts they want, as management expert Sten Bønsing tells DR. The royals are not politicians and do not adopt or uphold laws in Denmark.

Secondly, there are already strict norms for how the royals can behave in public, without getting into trouble.

Thirdly, they constantly mix private life with work.

The taxpayers pay them to live a comfortable life, and in return we expect them to follow when they get married, confirmed and celebrate round birthdays. And we expect them to travel around the world and hold the Danish flag while smiling from ear to ear.

There should therefore be a wide framework for the royals to “mix private life and work”. As long as they represent Denmark with dignity and properly.

And there is nothing to suggest that they have not done so in this case. Neither in the case of the king nor the queen.

One can of course debate whether a politician like Malou Skeel should accept free tickets to an Olympic event, even though she could easily pay for it herself, and when she has no official role in the event.

But it is her responsibility if she has to speak up. Not the royal house’s.

This is a leader. It was written by a member of our board of directors and expresses Nordjutske’s position.

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2024-08-15 16:38:48
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