Crown Princess Mary News: April 2004 - June 2004

[paloma]

I know that there are those that do not like Mary and those that are at least willing to give her a chance to prove herself. I am new to this board and have been observing all of the reactions to the engagement of Mary and Frederik. I have a couple of questions for any of you that may know. Was HM QM pleased with Frederiks choice of a wife? Publically, Mary and HM seem to get on quite nicely, however, there can be great differences in public versus private feelings. QM seems to genuinely care for and respect Alexandra. I just wonder if it is the same with regards to Mary? Thank you for any information.

[paloma]

Sorry, I meant to capitalize HM QM.

[Jasl]

I'm sure QM respects Alex, but there is actually lot more interaction and smiling between Mary and Margarethe than Alex and Margarethe. I also think Henrik, from what he said in the PDV interview, respects and appreciates Mary a lot too. And yes, I also see more smiling/ interaction between Mary and Henrik for that matter than Alex and Henrik. But again, this is just what we see, which may not tell the whole story. But that QM does not like Mary is as believable as saying QM does not like Alex - we just don't know.

[Alexandria]

Originally posted by Canonette@Apr 30th, 2004 - 6:32 pm
I'm sure QM respects Alex, but there is actually lot more interaction and smiling between Mary and Margarethe than Alex and Margarethe. I also think Henrik, from what he said in the PDV interview, respects and appreciates Mary a lot too. And yes, I also see more smiling/ interaction between Mary and Henrik for that matter than Alex and Henrik. But again, this is just what we see, which may not tell the whole story. But that QM does not like Mary is as believable as saying QM does not like Alex - we just don't know.

Do you have evidence or proof that Queen Margrethe seems to like or prefer Mary over Alex? These are heavy points to make without substantial evidence to support these beliefs, with only just a few pictures and "looks" from pictures or videos as evidence of neopotism by the Queen towards her daughter-in-laws.

I think that from what few pictures we have seen of the Queen and Mary interacting, it may seem like the Queen smiles more to Mary or more interaction because Mary is just starting to learn the ropes of being a member of the royal family. And as the Queen has grown up with the kind of life Mary is just stepping into now, the Queen may be helping and guiding her; whereas Alexandra has had nearly 10 years as part of the family and doesn't need the guidance (or as much) as Mary does at present.

Also, from the most recent occasion, the Queen's 64th birthday, there were more opportunities for the Queen to give Mary meaningful looks or to smile at her more as they were standing next to each other on the balcony. Alexandra was way at the end, watching her sons, with the Queen 2 people remove from her (Joachim and Henrik). Hard to shoot someone smiles or meaningful looks when they're that far away from you.

[Jasl]

No I am saying no one will know. So a poster saying "QM does not like Mary in private" is just as insubstantial as saying QM does not like Alex. I'm saying that the question posed is almost impossible to answer by any posters (unless that poster is Qm or Mary or knows them well).

Hope that explains it

[SpiffyBallerina]

I honestly don't think QMII would let her son marry just anyone and have just anyone become the next queen of her beloved country, so she must KINDA like Mary :P ! The whole mother-in-law/ daughter-in-law relationship is very complicated normally, so I'd imagine it's weird but tolerable here too. Also, I have no idea why someone might think that QMII doesn't really like Alex. Who doesn't love Alex :flower: !? Has QMII ever commented on her children, grandchildren, and/or in-laws????
~Kathleen

[paulette]

from billed-bladet.dk

Mary i Dæmonen: Tivoli-fest før brylluppet -

Frederik og Mary overtalte Tivolis direktør, Lars Liebst, til at åbne den nye rutsjebane, Dæmonen, specielt for dem søndag aften efter lukketid.

Kronprinsens forlovede, Mary Donaldson, beviste, at hun er en pige med krummer i, da hun sammen med Frederik og hans fætter, prins Gustav, to gange prøvede Tivolis nye hårrejsende rutsjebane, Dæmonen. Selv om der blev hvinet gevaldigt fra den kongelige vogn under turen, var hverken hun eller Frederik rystede eller blege om næsen, da de kom ned fra rutsjebanen, der har tre loops og kører med over 70 km i timen.

nice shoes!

[sky]

On May 9th, tomorrow, Politiken newspaper will publish their Mary interview. It will be 5 pages with the interview and photos. The quote, that Mary is saying is
Kronprinsesse - det er svært bare at sige det ord -Kronprinsesse - it is hard just to say that word. I hope a Dane will buy it and translate it. :flower:

announcement in Politiken today may 7.

In the next sunday-issue of Politiken, may 9, there'll be published an unique interview with Mary Donaldson.

It's the famous interviewer "Ninka" who formerly has done indepth interviews with QMII and Crown Prince Frederik, who has done the interviews, as the only daily paper in Denmark.

Throughout the last two month, through seven sessions, all in all 20 hours, Mary Donaldson has been interviewed by Ninka. The photographer, Tina Harden has taken quite new, private photos of the future Crown Princess.

At sunday, may 9, Politiken will bring the interview and pictures - 5 full pages in all


I've read she is very good at her job.

[sky]

In the Sunday ed. of Politiken Søndagspolitiken an interview with Mary Donaldson is published this weekend.
Main story:

- She and Frederik want to have many children, whom they want bring up themselves, not isolated from others

- Already 2 years ago she met with Queen Margrethe. The first meeting went fine. Both she and the Queen were nervous! Which helped to make it a succesful meeting, which paved the way for the rest.

- About Frederik she says: he has human qualities. He is a warm personality with a warm heart. Loyal. Honest. Funny. Nice to be with. He is curious and surprising.

- They met by fate. If they hadn´t met eachother at the Olympic Games in Sydney 2002 they surely would have met at Tasmanian regattas later.

- The monarchy´s place in society has become a different one from former times. It´s requires wisdom to adjust monarvhy in order to survive in an egalitarian/more horizontal society. She tackles problem like these quite ´businessminded´, analytical, used to analyse ´the market´.

- She is willing to work for volunteers´ organisations.

[Dennism]

Originally posted by sky@May 8th, 2004 - 5:31 pm
In the Sunday ed. of Politiken Søndagspolitiken an interview with Mary Donaldson is published this weekend.
Main story:

- She and Frederik want to have many children, whom they want bring up themselves, not isolated from others

- Already 2 years ago she met with Queen Margrethe. The first meeting went fine. Both she and the Queen were nervous! Which helped to make it a succesful meeting, which paved the way for the rest.

- About Frederik she says: he has human qualities. He is a warm personality with a warm heart. Loyal. Honest. Funny. Nice to be with. He is curious and surprising.

- They met by fate. If they hadn´t met eachother at the Olympic Games in Sydney 2002 they surely would have met at Tasmanian regattas later.

- The monarchy´s place in society has become a different one from former times. It´s requires wisdom to adjust monarvhy in order to survive in an egalitarian/more horizontal society. She tackles problem like these quite ´businessminded´, analytical, used to analyse ´the market´.

- She is willing to work for volunteers´ organisations.

Cool to know. I hope they will be very happy together.

[Victoria]

They are going to be my favorite royal couple, It's just fsacinating to see them together. I'm sure their children will be great looking!

[sky]

I don't think the full interview on-line yet, but this interview is all more than twenty hours of talk with Mary Donaldson.

Ninka's conclusion about Mary Donaldson:
“The crown prince has made a coup”

I don't really know what coup means.

[sky]

Mary on her first metting with QMII

Intuitively I knew that the first meeting with QMII had to go well, and I asked myself how am I going to handle that? Because of this thing called: Protocol, something quite new to me. It isn't something you normally experience in Australia, it doesn't excist in the same fashion as in Denmark where the royal family is very extrovert, thus making everybody know how to behave. In fact Frederik didn't instruct me much before the meeting. I think he didn't want me to be too nervous. He more like hinted that his mom was a quite ordinary person, as you and me. And that she probably would be just as nervous as me. This made it feel something more normal for me. Of course we did talk about it, but it was never like something tremendously important, or that I had to make a grand impression on the queen. It wasn't like that - but suddenly the time was set for the meeting and I said: Oh, gasp! That was it. The only we did talk about before the meeting was protocol. But Frederik only said: Be yourself.

It was when I was living in Paris, before I moved to Denmark. For this Thing: to move to Denmark, that depended on how the parameters was set. If there had come a strict command: This person you are forbidden to meet!, we had to reconsider the what to do. The timing for instance could be wrong. But one always hope that "love conquers everything", but in these circumstances one has to be realistic. But it didn't end in that situatuion. If it had gone horribly wrong, I think we would have tried to understand what could be so wrong about me. Maybe tried to discuss it with the family and tried to show then that I was a nice and good person. But luckily it didn't happen.

It was at Amalienborg I met the queen for the first time. The meeting was private and lets keep it that way. But she understood our need to keep the developement of our relationship to ourselves. She recognized that it was serious and she didn't want either that we new pressure was put on us from the media and others.

Had that meeting ended negatively I don't know what we would have done. For Frederic to abdicate, that I could never ask of him. He knows his role in life. He has an obligation to that, and I think - and I know that I would never allowed him to do that.

[Dennism]

Originally posted by sky@May 9th, 2004 - 7:42 am
He more like hinted that his mom was a quite ordinary person, as you and me.

I think that it one of the reasons that Margarethe is so beloved. She seems to be easy going and ordinary. Maybe extra-ordinary because she is so ordinary. I mean being a royal you would think she be not so normal. But she is easygoing and everything. I think Mary fits in perfectly with this House.

Coup as in "Coup d`etat" means he has done something really bold or really good in this case either by luck or by design. In other words, Mary was a very good choice for the House.

[Alexandria]

Originally posted by sky@May 9th, 2004 - 2:55 am
Ninka's conclusion about Mary Donaldson:
“The crown prince has made a coup”

I don't really know what coup means.

Coup means a win or a steal. In the context of Frederik and Mary, the writer is implying that Frederik has a real find or gem in Mary. (Aka Frederik's done good in choosing Mary as his wife and the future Queen of Denmark; she's a keeper! :P )

[Alexandria]

Originally posted by sky@May 9th, 2004 - 7:42 am
He more like hinted that his mom was a quite ordinary person, as you and me. And that she probably would be just as nervous as me.

Love the second sentence! Shows you how down to earth Margrethe seems to be. Although I can't see Margrethe being nervous about anything, she seems so formidable!

[Dennism]

Originally posted by sky@May 9th, 2004 - 2:55 am
I don't think the full interview on-line yet, but this interview is all more than twenty hours of talk with Mary Donaldson.

Ninka's conclusion about Mary Donaldson:
“The crown prince has made a coup”

I don't really know what coup means.

It would appear that both Alexandria and I were both right. I hope we answered your question. :P

[Fireweaver]

You were right about what your phrase meant, and Alexandria was write about the word that was asked about. :)

[sky]

Thanx Alex and Dennism. I still have'nt found the interview, but here are two Aussie newspaper that put some of the interview in their papers.
From The Mercury

MARY Donaldson has publicly opened her heart for the first time about the extraordinary romance that will this Friday culminate in her crowning as a Danish princess.

In the only interview the Hobart-born former advertising executive and real estate agent has granted before her celebrated wedding to Danish Crown Prince Frederik, Mary's story can be told for the first time in her own words.

The woman who has captured Danish hearts has candidly told Danish newspaper Politiken how her relationship with Frederik deepened secretly for 14 months before it became public knowledge, the doubts she harboured about their future together and her dread of meeting her future husband's mother, Queen Margrethe.

During a 25-hour interview conducted during seven sittings since December, the princess-in-waiting reveals her conviction that her remarkable fate was destined, that she was meant to meet Frederik and embark on her fairytale journey.

But she also speaks of her agony over the loss of the two key women in her life, her mother and her grandmother, and how their deaths transformed her spiritual beliefs and approach to life.

And she speaks for the first time about her first great love, a Melbourne man with whom she lived during a seven-year relationship.

She also dreams of using her position to help the mentally ill, in the same way Princess Diana helped various causes after she married into royalty.

On the eve of her transformation from Australian commoner to future queen of the world's oldest kingdom, Mary says she is overwhelmingly happy, in love and looking forward to her life as a wife, mother and role model for her adopted country.


"I HAVE always known that I would only marry if I met the one and only love," she says.

"I have known that the most important thing had to be totally unconditional love -- unreserved -- and that you recognise it, when it hits you, and that love and happiness go together."

Mary, 32, describes the night she met Frederik at Sydney nightclub the Slip Inn on September 16, 2000, during the Olympic Games.

"Frederik and I started to talk and we simply didn't stop talking," she said.

"And that was that! A very long talk, which went on for a year or actually 14 months.

"He and his brother went to Melbourne the next day. But about a week later I met with him and his friends for dinner."

Mary reveals the couple suspended plans to spend a prolonged time together when Frederik was hit by a family crisis.

"He was called home because his grandmother was seriously ill," she said.

"He was very upset about it and wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"So we had one and a half days together, having hoped for a whole week to get to know each other a little better."

Frederik's grandmother, the queen mother, died soon afterwards and he remained in Denmark for much of the next year.

But his romance with Mary defied the distance barrier and he returned to Australia in 2001.

"It wasn't like it went 'bang!' that first evening, that I knew I had met the man in my life," Mary said.

"That point in time is hard to pinpoint. Also because there was this enormous distance between us and long spells between our meetings.

"With this distance, both geographically and in terms of the family environment, you just can't tell that this is the right person.

"But we were constantly in contact with each other."

The couple exchanged phone calls, letters and CDs of their favourite music.

Mary sent Frederik a Powderfinger album -- "which is still my favourite band"-- and he sent her some Danish ones, among them Sort Sol.

Mary decided to deepen the commitment in November 2001, when a Danish magazine revealed her as Frederik's new girlfriend for the first time.

"The time had come where we both felt it couldn't go on long distance. We decided to take the chance and see if we were meant for each other. That's when I left Australia."

Mary left her job as an upmarket property agent in Sydney's eastern suburbs for Paris, a one-hour flight from Copenhagen. She spent the next five months spending the weekends at Amalienborg Castle, the royal family's Copenhagen palace.

But the intensifying media scrutiny tested her resolve.

"While I was in Paris I tried to keep a low profile," she recalls.

"I was waiting for the point of no return in my life, the line that would be crossed when I was seen with Frederik in public.

"If all this turned out to be a fata morgana [mirage] I would like to be able to become 'Mary' again.

"Then maybe I could settle down in London or some other place where nobody would recognise me anyway."

But one of the most foreboding tests was still to come: the interview with Queen Margrethe.

Mary knew that if her prospective mother-in-law rejected her it would doom her future with Frederik.

"Intuitively I knew the interview with Margrethe had to go well and I also asked myself questions about how I would handle it," Mary said.

"Frederik didn't talk much about the meeting beforehand. He basically just mentioned that his mother is a regular person, like you and me, and that she probably would be just as nervous about meeting me."

Mary reveals that while awaiting the meeting with Margrethe, she considered whether she would ask Frederik to leave the monarchy.

"Had the meeting been negative I have no idea what would have happened," she says. "But I don't think I would ever have asked Frederik to abdicate. He knows his role in life.

"He feels obligated to it and I think -- no, I know -- it would demand too much of him to give it up."

But her fears were unfounded. Margrethe immediately approved of the former Taroona High School girl during their interview at Amalienborg.

"She could see that it was serious and didn't want to put further pressure on us from the media or others," she said.

Mary also reveals how close she came to marrying before she even met her fairytale prince.

"I had a boyfriend for seven years, but we drifted apart," she said.

"We still have a good relationship. We will always mean something special to each other because we have been through a lot together.

"Seven years is a long time and he was there when my mother died."

Mary speaks of the qualities she has come to cherish in her husband-to-be.

"His vast energy -- spiritually and physically ... his attitude towards life -- he is a very interesting person with a complex personality," she said.

"He fights many battles with himself, like many of us.

"He has a warm, warm heart, he is loyal and honest, almost to the point of being beyond reproach. He is funny.

"I believe Frederik touches people's hearts. He doesn't want me to say this but he is also a lonely person, like we all are."

Now, four days before her historic nuptials, divorce is unthinkable to the princess-in-waiting.

"For us, divorce is impossible to imagine. It has always been my view that in love there is only one time -- and that is it.

"People today give up too easily and just say 'OK, we have grown apart'.

"I believe you can experience two or three 'great loves' in your life, but also that we really hope to find just one that will last."




From The Australian (a bit longer version)

MARY Donaldson, the Hobart-born former Sydney real estate agent who marries Denmark's Prince Frederik on Friday, reveals for the first time today her most intimate secrets of the world's greatest fairytale love affair.

I AM, more than anything else, happy.

But "happy" is a really difficult word to explain.

Happiness is just a warm feeling. It makes walking on earth easier. You float. Everything feels good! You see things in a new light.

You don't speculate so much. To be happy is, I guess, the most important thing in life. Happy!

Since I was a child and up until today I have known that I am a very open person.

I am curious. I have always wanted to see what's behind the door,

Or what every little thing is about - just to learn new things, to look into it, to know how it is to try it. And then do it. And I think I will go on being that way.

I want to give everything a chance. Try to do my best at all times. I may not be very good at it, but at least I have tried.

I have always known I would only marry if I met the one and only love.

My parents knew each other from when they were 12. They have