Princess Nathalie
She comments on her sudden retirement from the national team
Princess Benedikte and Princess Nathalie
© Dana Press
Until 2021, Princess Nathalie was the coach of the Danish national dressage team. Her departure came suddenly and was justified at the time by restructuring measures. In a new documentary, Queen Margrethe’s niece paints a different picture.
So far, that’s the official statement. In the new documentary “Between Horse Poop and Billions”, it is Princess Nathalie herself who speaks out about her departure as a trainer – and at the same time makes her view of things clear, which could hardly be more opposite.
Princess Nathalie: “It is clear to me that they wanted to get rid of me”
For Queen Margrethe’s niece, 84, it is the first time that she has described the end of her career as “a real dismissal,” as the “Billed Bladet” notes. Princess Nathalie makes it clear in the new documentary how much the end of this job still affects her and concerns her to this day. “I think you need a while to get over it before you can talk about it openly,” the former professional rider is quoted as saying. And she continues: “It is quite clear to me that they wanted to get rid of me, but I still can’t say why.”
Princess Nathalie on her horse Digby at the FEI European Dressage Championships in August 2013. At that time she took part in competitions as an active athlete, but today she concentrates mainly on training young riders.
© AFP PHOTO / SCANPIX DENMARK / HENNING BAGGER / Getty Images
In the show, the 49-year-old is then asked about her decision not to support Andreas Helgstrand, 46 To have been nominated for the national team. Helgstrand is a both successful and controversial rider from Denmark. In 2014, the broadcaster “TV 2/Nord” reported on the trial in which Helgstrand was charged with animal cruelty following an incident in April of the same year. Although he was acquitted at the time, the allegations still had consequences for him. The TV station reported at the time that Helgstrand “was not considered for the Danish national team for a while.”
Andreas Helgstrand denies connection with princess’s career end
Princess Nathalie will not go into more detail today about the circumstances of his later nomination for the national team. But she makes it clear: “For me, the horses always come first. If I see that it is too early for them, and there is also a rider who is overtaxing such a young horse, then I will always be a trainer decide to leave such a horse at home.” The Princess emphasizes that she is not sure whether this aspect played a role in her departure from coaching – but in her eyes a connection is “possible”.
They celebrated great successes together: Andreas Helgstrand, Princess Nathalie and Anne van Olst (from left to right) won bronze as a team at the Olympic Games in August 2008.
© MIKE CLARKE/AFP / Getty Images
Both Andreas Helgstrand and his father Ulf Helgstrand dispute Princess Nathalia’s assumptions in “Between Horse Poop and Billions”. Ulf Helgstrand was chairman of the Danish Equestrian Federation when the now 49-year-old’s coaching career was ended by the restructuring. For Princess Nathalie herself, working with riders and horses is currently the main focus. “As a dressage trainer, I pass on my experience in equestrian sports to other riders. I love working with the athletes and horses,” she writes on her website. And she continues: “Even though my active dressage career is currently on ‘stand-by’, I do not rule out actively riding in competitions again with the right horse.”
Sources used: billedbladet.dk, nathaliewittgenstein.com, tv2nord.dk