Mary Donaldson, Current Events 1: September 2002 - May 2004


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You're welcome Julia. :)

I agree that there may actually be an eventual engagment between these two. Mary seems to have gotten very close (or should I say chummy :D ) to a very close friend of the Royal Family-At least I would think so. You simply don't invite just anyone to your child's baptism. Forming relationships such as these with close friends of Fred and his family certainly cannot hurt her chances of a proposal sometime this year. But, I still don't think that she is really the one.

I love her bangs! I have been wanting for her to either layer her hair or get bangs for a while now. The bangs are really a good look for her. This is one of the best photos that I have seen taken of her since she has been living in Denmark.

I wonder if Queen Margrethe didn't attend because she didn't want the press to literally go crazy if she and Mary were to actually be in the same place and only a few feet away from one another :question: I am sure that there was most likely some sort of reception or get-together following the church ceremony. Maybe Queen Margrethe attended then :question: But, then again, perhaps she didn't. The press were probably waiting for that opportunity as well.
 
Hey Jacqueline! Mary's bangs and new layers are most becoming. Her hair needed some movement.
I think that Mary is slowly starting to appear at events (not exactly on behalf of the royal family) to get her feet wet. I am beginning to think that there is some sort of understanding between Fred and Mary. Either they are "secretly" engaged, or Fred has made a promise of engagement. We shall soon see, I guess!!

Julia :D
 
I agree with everyone that Mary looks much better with her new hairdo, the bangs really soften her face. I also think she looks much better without the heavy handed blusher and sans the frosty eyeshadow. I do wish she would go a little easier on the eyeliner though.

I think that Mary is slowly starting to appear at events (not exactly on behalf of the royal family) to get her feet wet. I am beginning to think that there is some sort of understanding between Fred and Mary. Either they are "secretly" engaged, or Fred has made a promise of engagement.

Julia, Fred has taken previous girlfriends to 'official' functions as well as personal functions, so Mary appearing at these events is no real news. Fred has always included his girlfriends in his personal and professional life, at least to the extent the Queen allows. Mary could have easily gotten to know the parents of the child through Fred and developed a personal friendship exclusive of their relationship, which would have snagged her a personal invite to the christening. I don't think we should read to much into it. :D

Kathy
 
Hi everyone. :)

Here is a photo of Fred in Tasmania with Marys' stepmother, Susan Moody.

Here are a few more pictures of Mary attending the recent baptism.
 

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I think she looks very pretty. She would look good in a tiara and ball gown, witha certain crown prince on her arm. She looks very happy too.

That is very sweet of him to go and meet her parents. Even if she wasn't there with him. I think it shows that he cares for her. Other wise he wouldn't have gone out of his way to spend time with them.
 
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I don't think this is Mrs. Donaldson, she is a rather umm... robust woman with salt and pepper hair, and this doesn't really look like Fred either. ;)

Prehaps someone can help me out here, but I don't think this is them.

Kathy
 
Actually, Kathy, I think that it is her. I don't know about her hair, but her bone structure IMO certainly seems to resemble that of the woman (said to be Mrs. Donaldson a-k-a-Susan Moody) who was photographed with Mr. Donaldson in Denmark not long ago.

If you or anyone else is able to find an actual photo of Susan Moody, the crime writer, and prove the individuals over at IBL wrong, then by all means have at it.

It has been my experience that IBL has usually been good at providing adequate captions and identifications for their photos, but as I said if anyone can find an actual photo of Susan Moody that contradicts this or any major mistakes that IBL has made during it's existence then please share them with us.
 
Warm reception ahead for Mary's homecoming
By ALISON RIBBON
17jan03

TASMANIA'S own Cinderella, Mary Donaldson, is expected to join her handsome prince in her home state any day now.

Members of the Danish media, who are arriving in Tasmania in droves as speculation about the "princess-in-waiting" soars, have begun staking out the Hobart airport in anticipation of her arrival.

Mary, 30, has been working in Denmark, which is experiencing sub-zero temperatures, for the past week while her boyfriend, Crown Prince Frederik, has been enjoying some Tassie sunshine.

He is in Hobart for the world Dragon class sailing championship, an event that has been blessed with beautiful summer weather.

But Mary could be about to shake off the snow.

Her father John Donaldson, stepmother Susan Moody and sister Jane Stephens have all been spotted down at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania in Sandy Bay, where the Dragon races are being held.

Only one person is yet to welcome her Prince Charming to Tasmania _ Mary herself.

Mary grew up at Taroona, attending Taroona High School, Hobart College and the University of Tasmania before moving to Sydney to work as a real estate agent.

She met Prince Frederik during the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

Mary has since moved to Denmark, learning the language and picking up her own Danish designer on the way.

There has since been speculation about the pair gettingengaged and Mary becoming the future queen of Denmark.

Prince Frederik arrived in Hobart last Thursday and spoke to about Mary's parents and a possible meeting with her sisters.

He also mentioned visiting Wineglass Bay and Seven Mile Beach, two destinations recommended by Mary, who stayed in Denmark to attend a christening for the child of Danish actress Ellen Hillingso.

While last reports had Mary still in Denmark, it is expected she will fly to Tasmania soon, perhaps by the weekend.

Frederik will stay in the state until at least January 28, when the world Dragon championships end.

Link: http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/s...55E3462,00.html
 
Reception fit for a princess
By ALISON RIBBON
18jan03

IT was one of Hobart's most anticipated arrivals.

Rumours of Mary Donaldson returning home proved true yesterday when the 30-year-old stepped off a plane at the Hobart Airport shortly after 9am.

Neither a famous entertainer nor a politician, the tall brunette's only real claim to fame is her world-renowned relationship with the Crown Prince of Denmark.

And she was met at the airport in true celebrity style.

Cameras flashed and microphones and tape recorders were poised as Mary walked into the airport, where she was welcomed by her sister, Jane Stephens.

After saying very little except that she was glad to be home, the pair drove away in Jane's Pajero, followed closely by the mostly Danish press.

Mary has returned to Tasmania to be with Prince Frederik, 34, who has been here for the past week preparing for the world Dragon class sailing championships, which begin this weekend.

However, she didn't rush straight into the arms of her handsome prince, choosing instead to spend her first hours with her family.

Mary was ushered into Jane's West Hobart home, where a handful of the 20 or so Danish press who had been at the airport were waiting, somehow beating her there.

Her father, John Donaldson, and other sister, Patricia Woods, arrived at Jane's house shortly after Mary.

Anxious photographers and journalists wandered around outside the red brick house, a far cry from the palaces of Denmark they are used to staking out on the royal rounds.

Jane and Patricia's children could be heard shouting excitedly for the attention of their suddenly famous aunt.

Far away from the constant limelight of her newly adopted country, Mary relaxed in red shorts, T-shirt and bucket hat in a typical Aussie backyard with her sisters.

She had finally left the subzero temperatures and snow of Europe for the hot summer of Australia.

It wasn't until the paparazzi had finally left, making a pact to back off for a while, that Prince Frederik was dropped off by his two bodyguards shortly after 1.30pm.

Dressed in casual shorts and white T-shirt and carrying a white paper bag, the Prince greeted one of Mary's nephews with a handshake as he went up to the house to be reunited with his girlfriend of the past two and a half years.

The Prince, Mary and her sisters are believed to have had lunch at the house before Frederik returned to the Salamanca Terraces, where he is staying, about 4.30pm.

It is not known whether Mary will stay at Jane's, at her father John and stepmother Susan Moody's home in Sandy Bay, or at the $2000-a-week terrace apartment with Prince Frederik.

Despite having his Tasmanian girlfriend with him in the state for the first time, the Prince attended the reception for the world Dragon class championships at Government House last night without her.

A small gathering of journalists and photographers were disappointed not to see their likely future queen.

Prince Frederik arrived 45 minutes early for the event and Mary's father and stepmother turned up about half an hour later, but there was no one in the back seat of their car.

Mary grew up at Taroona, attending Taroona High School, Hobart College and the University of Tasmania.

She is the youngest of four children to John and the late Etta Donaldson.

After finishing a law degree, Mary moved to Sydney, where she met Prince Frederik during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Their romance has blossomed and speculation about an engagement has been rife, especially in Denmark.

The world Dragon class championships end on January 28 and it is believed Mary will stay in Hobart until then.

Link:
 
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Oh she couldnt stay without him even for a week :angry: . She is off again I think her job is just so wonderful, I wish a job like this to all of us :doh: But we are living in the real world with real problems, not in a fake and forced fairytale. I wish someone could make the life easier for me too.

( I'm sorry to be negative like that but its been a hard week for me :) )
 
Thanks for the pictures Sylvia! :)

Hi Alara. :) There's no need to apologize. I think that Mary has a wonderful job as well. It must be so nice to be able to work for a major subsidiary of a huge corporation such as Microsoft and be able to take as many holidays as one likes. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :D

Here's another article about Mary's arrival in Tasmania. I certainly hope that he marries her otherwise all of this is going to seem really stupid, IMO.


Mary, Mary...quite contrary
By ALISON RIBBON
18jan03

IT was one of Hobart's most anticipated arrivals.

Rumours of Mary Donaldson returning home proved true yesterday when the 30-year-old stepped off a plane at the Hobart Airport shortly after 9am.

Neither a famous entertainer nor a politician, the tall brunette's only real claim to fame is her world-renowned relationship with the Crown Prince of Denmark.

And she was met at the airport in true celebrity style.

Cameras flashed and microphones and tape recorders were poised as Mary walked into the airport, where she was welcomed by her sister, Jane Stephens.

After saying very little except that she was glad to be home, the pair drove away in Jane's Pajero, followed closely by the mostly Danish press.

Mary has returned to Tasmania to be with Prince Frederik, 34, who has been here for the past week preparing for the world Dragon class sailing championships, which begin this weekend.

However, she didn't rush straight into the arms of her handsome prince, choosing instead to spend her first hours with her family.

Mary was ushered into Jane's West Hobart home, where a handful of the 20 or so Danish press who had been at the airport were waiting, somehow beating her there.

Her father, John Donaldson, and other sister, Patricia Woods, arrived at Jane's house shortly after Mary.

Anxious photographers and journalists wandered around outside the red brick house, a far cry from the palaces of Denmark they are used to staking out on the royal rounds.

Jane and Patricia's children could be heard shouting excitedly for the attention of their suddenly famous aunt.

Far away from the constant limelight of her newly adopted country, Mary relaxed in red shorts, T-shirt and bucket hat in a typical Aussie backyard with her sisters.

She had finally left the subzero temperatures and snow of Europe for the hot summer of Australia.

It wasn't until the paparazzi had finally left, making a pact to back off for a while, that Prince Frederik was dropped off by his two bodyguards shortly after 1.30pm.

Dressed in casual shorts and white T-shirt and carrying a white paper bag, the Prince greeted one of Mary's nephews with a handshake as he went up to the house to be reunited with his girlfriend of the past two and a half years.

The Prince, Mary and her sisters are believed to have had lunch at the house before Frederik returned to the Salamanca Terraces, where he is staying, about 4.30pm.

It is not known whether Mary will stay at Jane's, at her father John and stepmother Susan Moody's home in Sandy Bay, or at the $2000-a-week terrace apartment with Prince Frederik.

Despite having his Tasmanian girlfriend with him in the state for the first time, the Prince attended the reception for the world Dragon class championships at Government House last night without her.

A small gathering of journalists and photographers were disappointed not to see their likely future queen.

Prince Frederik arrived 45 minutes early for the event and Mary's father and stepmother turned up about half an hour later, but there was no one in the back seat of their car.

Mary grew up at Taroona, attending Taroona High School, Hobart College and the University of Tasmania.

She is the youngest of four children to John and the late Etta Donaldson.

After finishing a law degree, Mary moved to Sydney, where she met Prince Frederik during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Their romance has blossomed and speculation about an engagement has been rife, especially in Denmark.

The world Dragon class championships end on January 28 and it is believed Mary will stay in Hobart until then.

Link:
 
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hi everyone :)

And now we can see her priorities also, she can fly across the world easily but not for old grandmas funeral

Still negative and sorry again I have very important exams this week and I'm working at home at a sunny saturday :(
 
Is it just me or has anyone else thought that Mary and Fred have tried to rehabilitate her image somewhat in the last few weeks?

ITEM 1. Fred makes a point of stating to the press that 'Mary has a good job in Denmark, which she can't leave right now.'
I thought this was a shallow and pathetic attempt at taking the taint off the kept woman speculation on these boards and elsewhere. Although, I was pleased that not every journalist bought into it, some going so far as to point out it is a good job for which Mary never seems to show up for. I would be more impressed if she went home Sunday night and was photographed showing up for work first thing Monday morning like the rest of us working stiffs. :D

ITEM 2. Mary goes directly to her sisters home and spends time with family first.
Giving lie to the theory that she does not have a close relationship with her family.

ITEM 3. Mary is in love with the camera and her own celebrity.
Am I the only one who has noticed that M tried really really hard at the baptism and airport NOT to look directly at the cameras and smile? She seemed to be having a hard time with it though, her inner celebrity kept creeping out in a little smile/smirk here and there.

Next we will be reading that Mary has been seen going to the ballet and art museums sans Fred. Or that she showed up somewhere.......GASP!!!......without makeup!! :D :p

Now, like Alara, I will appologize for my snarky and negative post. I don't take anything back.....just appologize for inflicting my bad attitude toward Ms. M on everyone. :D :rolleyes:


Kathy
 
I think they're trying to make her seem like something other than what she is. But, unfortunately, it may end up working. She may be right for him. But I will never believe that's she's right for the role or the country.
 
Hi Alara, Kathy, and Kelly. :)

Alara and Kathy there is no need to apologize. I couldn't agree more with your opinions.

Kathy, I think that Mary definitely has her own personal troll surfing the various boards. After all of this time it can't simply be a coincidence that all of these things keep happening and changing after we discuss them. Fred and Mary can try to create a more positive image of Mary as much as they want. No matter what they do, if he marries her and she isn't the right woman for the job as CP/Queen then it will become obvious soon enough. He simply can't make her into a Crown Princess if she doesn't have the charisma or personality.

Mary working hard at her job?...Please! Who does Fred think he is fooling with that statement? If she was so dedicated to her job then she would still be in Denmark at the moment preparing for a full day on Monday.
 
All photos from IBL.
 

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If you go to http://www.localeyes.dk you can see a video of Mary down at the dock to meet Frederik. This one isn't the kiss video, but it was taken at the same time. You can hear Mary talk a little bit. She has a nice voice. It's very normal sounding. Go to the 6th picture on the page and click on either Modem or Adsl to choose which connection you want.
 
Hmmm, things look promising for Mary! I'm thinking an engagement annoucenment soon. ;)

Kind of amusing article....seems Mary is becoming more familial.... ;)



Mary, Mary ... runs sandwich ferry

23jan03
THERE was no royal banquet for Prince Frederik on the Derwent yesterday _ just a few sandwiches to keep him going.

But at least they were delivered by his Tasmanian girlfriend, Mary Donaldson.

Frederik _ the Crown Prince of Denmark _ faced a double day of racing in the world Dragon championships.

And former Taroona High girl Mary was out on the river in a rubber duckie to watch much of the day's sailing.

Mary _ who has been seeing the prince for about 30 months _ was with one of Prince Frederik's bodyguards, two of her nephews, Michael and Alex, and the rubber duckie's driver.

They went out to Prince Frederik's boat, Nanoq, at one stage to take a ripped spinnaker from them and give him and his crew some lunch.

Prince Frederik has been in the state for more than a week. The championships end on Tuesday.

Mary, 30, arrived in Hobart last Friday.


www.themercurynews.com.au
 
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Hi Julia! :)

Thanks for the article. It's good to see Mary with her family. I really enjoyed looking at the photos of her and her family on IBL. It was good to actually see one of her sisters and her niece and nephews. It looks like Fred has met most if not all of the family on this trip.
 
Hey Jacqueline!
I can't believe that I am the one saying this but I think I hear wedding bells in the not so distant future! ;)
 
Low-key exit for future princess
By ALISON RIBBON
02feb03

HER farewell crowd was dwarfish compared with her welcoming party but Mary Donaldson didn't mind.

The 30-year-old Tasmanian was met by only two photographers on her arrival at Hobart airport yesterday afternoon to leave the state.

It was in stark contrast to the 20 or so that greeted her to her home town a fortnight ago.

Hobart airport also saw the departure of Mary's boyfriend, the Crown Prince of Denmark.

Prince Frederik was met by the same two photographers when he attempted to quietly slip out of the state at 6am.

In contrast to Mary, however, Prince Frederik's departure was bigger than his arrival.

He slipped quietly into Hobart on January 9 to compete in the world Dragon class sailing championships, which ended last Monday.

Frederik and his bodyguards looked annoyed the press were waiting for him at the airport so early yesterday.

Mary, however, was laughing as the photographers urged her to give them a smile as she pulled her luggage out of the car.

She was dropped off by her sister Patricia Woods, who also looked quite amused.

Mary is believed to be flying back to Denmark while Frederik is heading to India on official business.

The pair have spent two weeks together in Hobart, with Frederik spending much of that time competing in the Dragon championships.

They were also spotted at the Customs House Hotel and Isobar and shopping at galleries around Salamanca a week ago.

The couple also went to Coles Bay to stay at the Freycinet Lodge during their final days in Tasmania.

Frederik also met his girlfriend's family -- her father, John Donaldson, and stepmother, Susan Moody, and sisters Patricia Woods and Jane Stephens.

Article From:The Mercury
 
Mary is currently on the cover of Point de Vue.

Mary, LA FIANCEE DU DANEMARKE

Point de Vue writes,

Frederik de Danemark et Mary Donaldson

Ils n'ont jamais été si proches du mariage et pourtant, frederik de Danemark et Mary Donaldson ont entamé l'année 2003 par un chassé-croisé, à des milliers de kilomètres l'un de l'autre. Avant de se retrouver, plus amoureux que jamais, en Tasmanie, la patrie de la jeune femme.


Translation: Mary and Fred were never so close to marriage....... they have found themselves even more in love in the homeland of Mary, Tasmania.

Photo and Quote From: Point de Vue

Another photo from this issue of Point de Vue.

Photo From: Point de Vue
 

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Oh, dear...if Fred doesn't marry her, he will look silly! Wow, Mary has made her first major magazine cover!!!

Thanks for the info, Jacqueline!
 
She and the ppl at the magazine will look silly. He's never said anything about marriage. It's not like Felipe and Eva, where he was publicly pushing for marriage. Frederik's been silent on the issue.
 
I would think that Mary would be the one who would look the most ridiculous if this relationship doesn't end in marriage. I think that Fred will be seen as "The Big Bad Prince" (certainly in the Tasmanian papers) for a while, but eventually the press that has loved Mary so much will most likely side with Fred. These same magazines and newspapers that tend to glorify Mary at times would turn against her and start writing articles about why she was so inappropriate and why Fred dumped her if the two were to part and go their separate ways. The press is a seriously hypocritical beast. :devil: :devil:

Fred would get a bit of bad press for obvious reasons, but Mary was just look completely foolish and perhaps be very embarassed IMO.
 
Yes, Mary would look silly but I can imagine (as Jacqueline has said) that the press would make Fred look like the "big, bad prince" or a committment phobe. Sorry if my statement was misunderstood. :)
 
Tillyke til Mary - nr. 7

Mens kronprins Frederik passede sine pligter i Indien, sørgede en af Mary Donaldsons veninder for, at hun ikke sad alene på selve fødselsdagen. Så efter en lang arbejdsdag i Vedbæk, blev Mary fejret efter alle kunstens regler i det indre København. Veninden Birgitte Zachau havde inviteret kronprinsens kæreste til fødselsdagsmiddag med en lille, sluttet kreds hjemme i privaten.
Marys 31 års fødselsdag begyndte tidligt, da hun allerede klokken 8.30 ankom til Navision i Vedbæk for at indtage sit skrivebord og indhente noget af det arbejde, der har hobet sig op, mens hun og Frederik var på Tasmanien sammen. Her blev hun så fejret af de nærmeste kollegaer, der ikke kunne undgå at vide, at deres berømte kollega havde fødselsdag. Aviser og radiostationer havde oplyst, at Mary fyldte 31 år, så kollegerne stod selvfølgelig klar med lykønskninger.


Even though Fred is in India, Mary did not celebrate her birthday at home alone. She spent her birthday with friends, however celebrations had to begin early and end early as Mary had to be at Navision early the next day (8:30 a.m.) to catch up on some of the work that she had to put aside during her trip to Tasmania.

Fred in red trousers, now Mary is wearing pink trousers...? Interesting... ;)

Article and Photo From: Billed-Bladet
 

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article from www.smh.com.au


Quite contrary about princess Mary


The romance between a Sydney real estate agent and her Danish prince might read like a fairytale in Australia. But to the Danes, writes Peter Fray, it's more like a mystery story.


Once upon a time a handsome yet troubled young prince from a cold country where ugly ducklings had a reputation for turning into beautiful swans travelled a long, long way away to watch the Olympic Games. There, as he partied hard into the warm late summer Sydney night, the warm-hearted, mumbling prince met a girl with flowing brunette hair and laughing brown eyes. Her name was Mary.

The prince was smitten. She was so natural, so relaxed. She loved horses and outdoor sports, just as he did. She was good fun, stylish and sensible, and, unlike previous girlfriends, she was not a Dane. The other girls had embarrassed him - one had gone topless, another talked too much about inside royal life - but with Mary he felt safe.

Never mind his existing girlfriend, never mind she was a commoner and never mind she came from Tasmania, a place he'd hardly heard of: she just might be the princess of his dreams, his soul mate.

As the night wore on, she touched his smooth hairless chest and showed interest in the prince's kingdom. Their relationship blossomed. He visited Australia again. Everything was a big secret.

But then, one day, more than a year after they met, the royal-obsessed Danish press finally found out about the prince and his Australian lover - and Mary Donaldson's life was never, ever the same again.


After she had moved to Copenhagen, her very own Hans Christian Andersen fairytale was dogged by frenzied speculation: when will the prince marry his princess? When will the queen recognise her? When will Mary speak? Who actually is she?

ANNA Johannesen's office is a shrine to Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, 34, the eldest son of Queen Margrethe II and the Royal Consort Prince Henrik, and the heir to one of the world's oldest monarchies. It can be traced back more than 1000 years to Gorm the Old (died 958). His bride will be queen.

For more than 15 years, Johanne-
sen, a journalist on Copenhagen's royal weekly magazine, Billed Bladet, has been responsible for charting Frederik's fortunes. The pictures on her wall tell the story: pimply youth, smiling nervously on a visit to a Japanese restaurant (late teens); Euro-playboy (mid 20s) accompanied by then girlfriend Katja Storkholm, a former underwear model; stiff-backed serious military officer in full regalia (late 20s).

The prince has a liking for fast cars, adventure (naval frogman, polar dog sledding, jungle treks) and, until recently, high-profile, glam women. Other ex-girlfriends include Maria Montell, a Danish pop singer, and Bettina Oedum, a fashion designer. They are all good-looking and well-endowed. "He likes boobies, I think," says Johannesen, with a grin.

But the pride of place on Johannesen's wall goes to a grainy cover image from November 2001 of a big-boned girl. She looks flustered with her arms crossed and a slight scowl on her face. The headline: "Here is Frederik's big love". It was the first time Denmark got to see the woman widely tipped to be its next queen. Mary Elizabeth Donaldson's first words were "no comment", setting the tone for what was to come. Johannesen didn't really mind. "All the other girls talked a little too much," she says. "Mary, she smiles, she's friendly, but she doesn't say anything. Mary, because she is a foreigner, she's clean. We have nothing on her."

What there is on Mary Donaldson, 31, appears very tame. Billed Bladet published pictures of her as a slightly chunky but bright schoolgirl at Hobart's Taroona High School. At the formal, she wore frizzy hair and big shoulders (it was the late 1980s); a former boyfriend recently told Danish TV that he reckoned she was a "great girl" and said he envied the prince.

Her family is solid middle class. She is the youngest of four children. Her two sisters, Trish, a nurse, and Jane, a pharmacy worker, are in Hobart, her brother, John, is a mine engineer who lives in Perth, and her father, John, a maths professor from the University of Tasmania, divides his time between Hobart and Oxford. Mary's mother, Henrietta (Etta), a university secretary, died in 1994. There is talk that Mary didn't cope for a while after it. But her stepmother, Susan Moody, the crime writer, recently assured the Danes that "Mary was strong enough" to be their queen.

Donaldson studied law at the University of Tasmania before moving to Sydney in the mid-1990s. She ended up working for upmarket real estate agents Belle Property and living in Padding-
ton. By all accounts, she is intelligent, sociable and friendly.

But is that enough? As Trine Larsen, a veteran royal reporter for Denmark's biggest-selling tabloid, Ekstra Bladet, says, "being in the royal family is not a fairytale, it's hard work. You are not only marrying the crown prince, you are marrying the people of Denmark. I think we have a right to know about her. What has she got to hide?"

THE Danes love the monarchy. It is very close to them. Queen Margrethe, 62, gives an annual press conference at her husband's Chateau de Caix, near Cahors in south-west France, and is often seen around Copenhagen. A talented artist, she has worked as a designer for productions at the famous Tivoli theatre. Polls put support for the royals at 80 per cent plus, largely due to the queen's skill at being both in touch but regal, relevant yet still royal.

Most Danes are very proud of their nation's achievements. In the local papers, top football teams in the English, Italian, Spanish or French leagues which have Danish players are put in bold, as a way of celebrating both national pride and international recognition.

So it is with the royals. They are both national and international. The queen married a Frenchman; her younger son, Joachim, 33, wed a Hong Kong Chinese-European. The Danes like new blood, as long as it is the right sort.

While Donaldson remains very popular, she also lives in limbo. With no engagement ring and no recognition from the queen (though it is said she went to see the latest Lord of the Rings film with Mary and Frederik at Christmas), she has no other status other than being the prince's girlfriend.

Historian Claus Bjoern, a noted royal commentator from Copenhagen University, describes Donaldson as a "nice young woman with no specific distinction. We don't know at the moment whether she has the abilities [to be queen] because nobody knows anything about her. She's a nice young woman without a profile to the Danish people."

Donaldson compares unfavourably with Princess Alexandra, Joachim's wife. She has produced two good-looking children, undertakes an endless round of charity work and, most importantly, has mastered Danish, one of Europe's hardest languages. She speaks it better than some Danes. This has secured her place in the country's heart.

Donaldson is known to have been studying the language, probably at the military academy, one of Frederik's alma maters, but no one yet knows whether she'll be able to speak it fluently in public, an unofficial prerequisite if she is to be queen.

Added to the language challenge is the broader question of integration. Australian academic Stuart Ward has been living off and on in Denmark for about seven years. Married to a Dane, he says many expats find the society complex and difficult to understand. "For the average Australian, this place is quite formal in terms of social relations and anything but spontaneous," he says.

But he thinks what Donaldson may lose in social etiquette she gains by being from the other side of the world. "What Mary Donaldson might lack in terms of social elevation, she picks up in spades by her geographic remoteness." There is, he says, a palpable sense of excitement about her. "It's very upbeat."

LANGELINIE is one Copenhagen's smart new waterside areas, full of converted and fake warehouses. Massive multi-storey sea ferries pass by to other Scandinavian ports. Designer outlets for food and clothes do a brisk business, despite the freezing wind.

The famous Little Mermaid statue is nearby - as is the city's latest unofficial landmark, Donaldson's flat. Local photographers watch Mary's lights to see if she's in. If she's not, then they know they are missing chances for some candid shots with her and the prince.

It's then the real frenzy starts up: Mary and Frede go skiing; Mary and Frede going to a wedding (she didn't wear a bra!); Mary and Frede kiss in Hobart, in January. Magic.

That kiss for the cameras was seen as the clearest sign yet that Mary will be the next queen. But not yet. Late last year, 10 months after Donaldson had moved to Copenhagen, heated speculation centred on a May 2003 wedding, but that now seems very unlikely. A late summer or autumn wedding is more possible, though no one really knows and there is always the prospect that Donaldson may, like previous girlfriends, be dumped by Frederik after about two years. Per Thornit, Denmark's chief of court, told the Herald that the question of Mary was "purely a private thing". A letter requesting an interview with the prince went unanswered.

As for Donaldson, she has continued the smiling-not-telling game. She works as a project consultant for the local branch of Microsoft. Calls to her office were referred to the company's press officer, Anne Bove-Nielsen, who said Donaldson did not wish to speak. Letters to her home and office were ignored. So, the Danes wait.

About six years ago, Frederik jumped naked from a window at his father's French chateau. It was captured by paparazzi. He later explained to Trine Larsen that he felt he had to constantly test himself with physical challenges.

This troubled, thrill-seeking persona seemed far removed from the smart, fashionably dressed prince who sat through the opening of an international conference on drugs in sport in Copenhagen this week. He admirably feigned interest, in a display worthy of the British royals. Some say the prince, who has two tattoos (a shark and a Nordic symbol) and is known to be a fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has finally matured.

But does this new maturity include settling down with a girl from Tassie? Is she ready for it? Frederik, who will soon turn 35, has always said he would marry with both head and heart. He looks happy when pictured with Donaldson. She is losing weight.

The press want a wedding. And soon. "There has to be some story about them now, the sooner the better," says Anna Johannesen. "We want a wedding; we want children. What are they waiting for?"
 
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