Crown Princess Mary Current Events: April 2005 - May 2005

[Mandy]

Originally Posted by Lena

Is it just me or are there others, who think, that Mary and Frederik don´t perform many duties? The calendar for May shows only 7 pins http://www.hkhkronprinsen.dk/2000f/Year/2004/Month/9 (5 duties for Frederik, 5 for Mary) Could it be, that some duties are added later? Yes, Mary is pregnant, but actually she should be now in the best phase of the pregnancy (after the nausea and before the bigger grown baby causes problems like tiredness, shortness of breath, back problems...) and I doubt, that Frederik is pregnant too :p
On the whole they haven´t performed many duties since their wedding...are they lazy? Or is maybe "small" Denmark with less inhabitans than e.g the Netherlands or Spain to blame?

So you think that Mary is lazy... Do you realize that Mary performed 10 solo engagements within the first seven months of being a Crown Princess? Name another CP who has accomplished that? If I count every single appearance at the Copenhagen International Fair, the solo engagements add up to twelve. This is in addition to her engagements with Frederik and the Royal Family.

Except for the trip to Thailand, Frederik's and Mary's trips abroad were packed with activities. They each had solo engagements to perform beside the events they attended together. Not every single activity was reported in the forums and sometimes, pictures were posted without explanations so it was difficult to tell if F&M were performing a duty or not. Just because Frederik and Mary make it look like fun, it doesn't mean they are not working.

[Lena]

Originally Posted by Mandy

So you think that Mary is lazy... Do you realize that Mary performed 10 solo engagements within the first seven months of being a Crown Princess? Name another CP who has accomplished that? If I count every single appearance at the Copenhagen International Fair, the solo engagements add up to twelve. This is in addition to her engagements with Frederik and the Royal Family.

Except for the trip to Thailand, Frederik's and Mary's trips abroad were packed with activities. They each had solo engagements to perform beside the events they attended together. Not every single activity was reported in the forums and sometimes, pictures were posted without explanations so it was difficult to tell if F&M were performing a duty or not. Just because Frederik and Mary make it look like fun, it doesn't mean they are not working.

I wouldn´t say, that I think they are lazy...I´ve just asked, if it could be, that they are...because their schedule (which I check every month) doesn´t show many duties.
While I think, that it´s a shame, that crown princess Letizia has no solo duties and seems a bit like Felipe´s "doggy" and while I admire Mary for handling the solo engagements, I would though say, that it´s a difference, if a princess has almost daily duties (alone or together) or if she has almost no duties. Theoretically the time is "off", when one has no duties. A Royal can do, what he/she prefers. Something which e.g cp Letizia can do less (even though she mainly "just" has to accompany her husband). I say theoretically, because I know, that all Royals have to do work behind the "scenes" (work in the office, preparing through reading etc.) and because I know, that Mary has to learn a complete new language.
To sum: I just wanted to hear other opinions...I can see a few aspects, but I don´t know enough about their daily life to say "they are lazy"...so far they just give me this impression

[Isabel]

Originally Posted by Lena

Is it just me or are there others, who think, that Mary and Frederik don´t perform many duties? The calendar for May shows only 7 pins http://www.hkhkronprinsen.dk/2000f/Year/2004/Month/9 (5 duties for Frederik, 5 for Mary) Could it be, that some duties are added later? Yes, Mary is pregnant, but actually she should be now in the best phase of the pregnancy (after the nausea and before the bigger grown baby causes problems like tiredness, shortness of breath, back problems...) and I doubt, that Frederik is pregnant too :p
On the whole they haven´t performed many duties since their wedding...are they lazy? Or is maybe "small" Denmark with less inhabitans than e.g the Netherlands or Spain to blame?

Are you serious? Look at the massive amounts of pictures in the threads in this forum and the discussions. How can they be lazy and not performing any duties or making any public appearances? If that were so we wouldn't have anything to discuss and there would be nothing to photograph. Fred and Mary have just returned from Japan and before that they were in Australia. Let us not forget the numerous solo duties they have performed along with those that they have together. I don't think that they are the least bit lazy.

Fred and Mary must also do some work behind the scenes preparing for their enagements. I seriously doubt that they spend the majority of their time at home lying on the sofa and watching television. Fred and Mary haven't performed many duties since their wedding? I don't see how that is the least bit logical. Don't you see the vast amount of information that we have on their various duties and appearances.

[Reina]

I think some of you are way too defensive about the question that was asked. I think that Fred and MAry's schedule is a bit more free than Felipe and Letizia's. But that is not saying they are lazy, just less things that they do.

[carlota]

Originally Posted by Mandy

So you think that Mary is lazy... Do you realize that Mary performed 10 solo engagements within the first seven months of being a Crown Princess? Name another CP who has accomplished that? If I count every single appearance at the Copenhagen International Fair, the solo engagements add up to twelve. This is in addition to her engagements with Frederik and the Royal Family.

Except for the trip to Thailand, Frederik's and Mary's trips abroad were packed with activities. They each had solo engagements to perform beside the events they attended together. Not every single activity was reported in the forums and sometimes, pictures were posted without explanations so it was difficult to tell if F&M were performing a duty or not. Just because Frederik and Mary make it look like fun, it doesn't mean they are not working.

well... just 12 engagements isn't much for 7 months. it can be better than other cps but it's not much...

[KikkiB]

I think that the reason that CP Mary might have represented less than CP Letizia is prpobably that Mary is trying to learn one of the hardest languages in the world fluently. Something Letizia haven't because she is a native of Spain. Others comment on Letizia work too much. The motto might be; Find the middle way!

[Hannelore]

Mary is doing great. Her Danish is good, the Danes love her, she dresses in a perfect way, is serious about her new job and life (and enjoying it at the same time). She seems confident about who she has become and is approachable, never vulgar.


And she's expecting the heir (after Frederik of course). A parcours sans faute as they say in French! :)

And I'm sure her popularity in Denmark is the best way of measuring her succes.

[galuhcandrakirana]

Originally Posted by Reina

I think that Fred and MAry's schedule is a bit more free than Felipe and Letizia's. But that is not saying they are lazy, just less things that they do.

I would say the same thing

Does anybody know if crown prince and princesses can refuse the duty has been given by royal court (or what ever, I don't realy know who/what arranges it)?. If they refuse too many duties then we can doubt their attitude as lazy. If they don't do many work because of not too many work to do then we could not blame them as lazy.
Just what contained in Lena's post, "may be because Denmark has less inhabitan" then less thing to do for Cp&Cpss compare with other CP an CPss.
I think Prince Rainier of Monaco (which his country much smaller and his people much less than Denmark) used to have less duty than Queen Margareth of Denmark (correct me if I am wrong)

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Working does not mean merely going on a visit somewhere, they actually work in their offices as well. Only the princes (no matter of which country) can tell exactly how much they work. We can only tell how much press attention some events get. There's no point in discussing who' s the hardest working royal. If they were to go down the mines each day it would be easy to tell but with their jobs ... no.

[Fashionista100]

One thing that we have to remember is that we don't see what is behind the scenes. We only see official things. That doesn't mean she is doing less. She has at least 2 times a week where she still has Danish lessons. She has also taken on a ton of new patronages (see her offical webpage). I'm sure during that peroid she was doing a lot of reading and meeting with officials from those organizations before she took them on as patron. Plus she had to help her court sort through all the requests for patronages. Plus I am sure she is still receiving some tutoring on Danish history etc. You can't learn it all in a year! The thing about Leti is she is Spanish and grew up in Spain. She has an advantage in that bit. Plus the Spanish court is much more strict and "traditional" than the Danish court.

IMO, the Danish court is giving her more things slowly. The want her to adjust to a life a crown princess gradually. I think many royal courts have taken what happened to Diana and Fergie to heart. They are gradually introducing the new members to the role. Giving them all the support and time they need to adjust. Mary recently has been adding a lot more. So the court has confidence that she isn't being too overwhelmed by everything. Also they want the couple to have time together to be a married couple. They need to have strong bonds and foundations laid so they stay married under the harsh spotlight of being royal.

Lets also remember that when we post things on this or any message board that sometimes our words can be misinterpreted. It's bound to happen. We can't see or hear the person. Without that "emotional" part of the message our own minds fill in the blanks. Words can mean different things without context.

[hillary_nugent]

Originally Posted by Lena

Is it just me or are there others, who think, that Mary and Frederik don´t perform many duties? The calendar for May shows only 7 pins http://www.hkhkronprinsen.dk/2000f/Year/2004/Month/9 (5 duties for Frederik, 5 for Mary) Could it be, that some duties are added later? Yes, Mary is pregnant, but actually she should be now in the best phase of the pregnancy (after the nausea and before the bigger grown baby causes problems like tiredness, shortness of breath, back problems...) and I doubt, that Frederik is pregnant too :p
On the whole they haven´t performed many duties since their wedding...are they lazy? Or is maybe "small" Denmark with less inhabitants than e.g the Netherlands or Spain to blame?

Mary and Fred lazy? noway! the only reason why we have so many pictures and news of them constantly is because they're always performing there duties :) Mary and Fred deserve alot of credit for their work hard.
p.s. well said fashionata

[Regina]

I think that Mary and Fred deserve a lot of credit, but is an objective fact that Princess Letizia of Spain, for example, works mucho more. I'm not a great fan of Letizia but there is no doubt that she really works for the good of the Monarchy. IMO Mary works more to promote herself than to promote Denmarck.

[gattica28]

Spain is much much bigger than Denmark, so obviously Letizia as Crown Princess of Spain will have to attend far more engagements than Mary...it all comes down to the size of the countries involved and the type of monarchies in both countires...In addition, Spain has ties to several Latin American countries for which the Crown Princes of Spain have to attend more engagements..So it is very apparent that Letizia will always have more engagements and activities to attend...As for Mary 'promoting' herself...this is an unfair statement as she could not have done her recent interviews and photos without the approval of the royal household...so if Mary is 'promoting' herself, so is the DRF through Mary's interviews and photos. These 'promotions' were done because Mary became patron of the CIFF and Danish Design as well as for the official visit to Australia where Fred was also involved in some of the photos and interviews! Fred was als in some of the photos for the "Australian Vogue" shoot!

[Britters]

I also think that perhaps it's because the Danish Royal Family seems to use multiple members when sending a representative.

Spains seems (in my opinion) to only send the King, Queen, Felipe and Letizia out for official functions. Whereas in Denmark you see many, many members.

Official duties seem to be spread out among memebers so as not to overload any one or two people.

[Regina]

Originally Posted by Britters

Spains seems (in my opinion) to only send the King, Queen, Felipe and Letizia out for official functions. Whereas in Denmark you see many, many members.

Official duties seem to be spread out among memebers so as not to overload any one or two people.

In Spain not only Letizia, Felipe, and the King and Queen are sent out for official functions. Infantas Elena and Cristina also go (as well theirs husbands, Jaime de Mariachalar and Iñaki Urdangarin). Infanta Pilar (King's sister) is a very active royal too.
It was not my intention to compare the two royal families but I think Mary is investing too much in her look than in hher work... huge mistake (IMO)

[AnaM]

This photo was posted on the Scandinavian Royals Message Board by Kim. She said it was released in connection with one of Mary's charities, Hjerneskadeforeningen (Brain Injury Society) at their website. Fabulous picture!

[Australis]

Originally Posted by Mandy

So you think that Mary is lazy... Do you realize that Mary performed 10 solo engagements within the first seven months of being a Crown Princess? Name another CP who has accomplished that? If I count every single appearance at the Copenhagen International Fair, the solo engagements add up to twelve. This is in addition to her engagements with Frederik and the Royal Family.

Except for the trip to Thailand, Frederik's and Mary's trips abroad were packed with activities. They each had solo engagements to perform beside the events they attended together. Not every single activity was reported in the forums and sometimes, pictures were posted without explanations so it was difficult to tell if F&M were performing a duty or not. Just because Frederik and Mary make it look like fun, it doesn't mean they are not working.

We'll see what is to do there. For 10 solo engagements: Get ready at home to go to a function (with help from the assistants) then to go to the car, arrive, get out of a car, walk, say hello/goodbye, receive flowers (to pass them to someone else at the end), sit down, give applause from time to time, listen to people talking, read/give few speeches, sit down again, walk again, go back to the car, etc. etc. etc. That is working hard? Gee!!!

[Donna B.]

That is sooo true Australis!!! Being a royal is hardly back-breaking labor! lol. I believe CP Mary is doing an awesome job!


All this laziness talk directed towards CP Mary is just a little bit of jealousy. Until Letizia announces a pregnancy of her own, L-fans will be picking on CP Mary because she is pregnant. It's sad that such wonderful news is met with insult.

Donna B.