Swedish royals demand German compensation
For more articles on this subject, see The Local's definitive guide to Sweden's royal family.
Having forced a number of German gossip magazines to print front page apologies for fabricating stories, the Swedish royal household is still not convinced that 'Welt der Frau' and other publications have quite kicked the habit. Now, confirming rumours from last November, the Swedish royals are demanding damages.
"This is going to be pushed forward through the courts," said the palace press officer, Ann-Christine Jernberg.
The royals' legal team, led by the German lawyer Matthias Prinz, has gone through a sample of magazines from the last five years. They say they have found "hundreds of false, invented articles, mainly about Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine, on themes such as love affairs, engagements, weddings, births, miscarriages and so on, often illustrated with photo montages".
Despite the fact that the magazines have apologised on a number of occasions, the royal family considers that they have never gone far enough.
"The apologies which have been published have only related to certain specific articles," Jernberg told Expressen.
"The king and queen have given Professor Prinz the task of requesting compensation from a number of publishing companies."
The amount of compensation would be determined by the German court, and Jernberg refused to speculate on a possible sum. But she confirmed that none of the royals would benefit personally from any cash awarded.
"The amount paid out would go to charities in accordance with the royal family's wishes," she said.
In November of last year, the publishers hinted that the Swedish royals were demanding 40 million kronor - an amount which, they said, would force the companies to close down.
But the royal household was quick to refute that, adding it to the list of lies.
"That the Royal Family is demanding 40 million crowns is a fabrication," Elisabeth Tarras-Walhberg, the Court's spokeswoman, said at the time.
"It appears as though the Editor-in-Chief for the publisher is spreading rumours in order to create a backlash against the Royal Family."
Sources: Expressen, Aftonbladet
For more articles on this subject, see The Local's definitive guide to Sweden's royal family.
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Having forced a number of German gossip magazines to print front page apologies for fabricating stories, the Swedish royal household is still not convinced that 'Welt der Frau' and other publications have quite kicked the habit. Now, confirming rumours from last November, the Swedish royals are demanding damages.
"This is going to be pushed forward through the courts," said the palace press officer, Ann-Christine Jernberg.
The royals' legal team, led by the German lawyer Matthias Prinz, has gone through a sample of magazines from the last five years. They say they have found "hundreds of false, invented articles, mainly about Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine, on themes such as love affairs, engagements, weddings, births, miscarriages and so on, often illustrated with photo montages".
Despite the fact that the magazines have apologised on a number of occasions, the royal family considers that they have never gone far enough.
"The apologies which have been published have only related to certain specific articles," Jernberg told Expressen.
"The king and queen have given Professor Prinz the task of requesting compensation from a number of publishing companies."
The amount of compensation would be determined by the German court, and Jernberg refused to speculate on a possible sum. But she confirmed that none of the royals would benefit personally from any cash awarded.
"The amount paid out would go to charities in accordance with the royal family's wishes," she said.
In November of last year, the publishers hinted that the Swedish royals were demanding 40 million kronor - an amount which, they said, would force the companies to close down.
But the royal household was quick to refute that, adding it to the list of lies.
"That the Royal Family is demanding 40 million crowns is a fabrication," Elisabeth Tarras-Walhberg, the Court's spokeswoman, said at the time.
"It appears as though the Editor-in-Chief for the publisher is spreading rumours in order to create a backlash against the Royal Family."
Sources: Expressen, Aftonbladet
For more articles on this subject, see The Local's definitive guide to Sweden's royal family.
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