Princess Mary's Personality - Page 13

Madame Royale · #**241** 07-01-2007, 01:43 AM

But again, it was an interview by where english answers would be given for english questions and danish questions would be reciprocated with danish answers. It was made perfectly clear that that's how the process would be conducted.

A learning curve? It could be.

UserDane · #**242** 07-01-2007, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polly

As for The Queen in France....well, if she has a predominantly French audience when interviewed while on holidays there, and they don't mind/can understand her addressing them in Danish, good for them. It's very impressive and mightily tolerant of the French.

I recently watched a rerun of the queens activities on Danish TV - including one of the interview sessions at Cahors before the queen and Prince Henrik started their holidays. It was said that there would be answers and questions in French and Danish reflecting the mix of French and Danish journalists present.

LadyFinn · #**243** 07-01-2007, 05:19 AM

Every time when some Royal House gets a new Crown Princess, I will follow her some time to make my opinion of her. I think that Mary has changed a lot since she became a CP. According to my opinion, there´s something very artificial and calculating in her. I think she likes the limelight too much and I got a feeling, that during her official duties she thinks too much of how good she will be looking at the photos. I´m afraid that she will steal the show from Frederik and it won´t be good for Denmark. I think the other Crown Princesses (Mathilde, Mette-Marit, Letizia and Maxima) concentrate more to support their husbands. I also think that Mary spends a way too much money in her clothes. However, I believe that Mary really loves Frederik.

Victoria1999 · #**244** 07-01-2007, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyFinn

Every time when some Royal House gets a new Crown Princess, I will follow her some time to make my opinion of her. I think that Mary has changed a lot since she became a CP. According to my opinion, there´s something very artificial and calculating in her. I think she likes the limelight too much and I got a feeling, that during her official duties she thinks too much of how good she will be looking at the photos. I´m afraid that she will steal the show from Frederik and it won´t be good for Denmark. I think the other Crown Princesses (Mathilde, Mette-Marit, Letizia and Maxima) concentrate more to support their husbands. I also think that Mary spends a way too much money in her clothes. However, I believe that Mary really loves Frederik.

I feel the same way. Since day 1, I just cannot warm up to this woman. I have no problems with the other CPs, but Mary...there is something very fake in her.

adelaide · #**245** 07-01-2007, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victoria1999

I feel the same way. Since day 1, I just cannot warm up to this woman. I have no problems with the other CPs, but Mary...there is something very fake in her.

I don't want to be so severe but in fact I have a lot of difficluties to have some interst for Mary. It's a question of feeling and personality and only for that I can't say nothing because I'm biaised.

michelleq · #**246** 07-01-2007, 01:34 PM

I never was a fan of Mary; I admire her dress sense (most of the time). But I always said that she was very calculating. She is mimicing IMHO some of Diana but with arrogance!

ysbel · #**247** 07-01-2007, 01:36 PM

I'm far less interested in hearing whether somebody likes Mary or not (if one has been around these forums long enough, one gets a sense of who likes Mary and who doesn't so that tells us nothing new)

But I am interested to hear what people think of Mary's personality. So for example, one person can think she does not look friendly in public and I may see that same trait too. One of us may like Mary and one of us may not but it really doesn't matter, what's interesting is that we see the same thing.

I'm not a fan of trying to guess what people's intentions are for example, trying to steal the spotlight. Going by my initial impressions of the photos at the christening posted before, if I had to guess what one person would be trying to steal the spotlight from the others, I would have to say Maxima because she was wearing a vivid red dress and red is a known attention grabbing color.

However it may be that Maxima just feels comfortable in red, she looks good in it and wasn't thinking about upstaging anyone. Red is one of my favorite colors and I will wear it sometimes just because I like it not because I'm trying to upstage someone.

It may be the same thing with Mary. She may be doing something that is simply comfortable for her. As with Maxima, I think the important thing is that some people think she upstages the other royals and other people don't think she does. In the two pictures posted, she was the last royal I noticed in the group and I generally like Mary, but then again I am most drawn to contrasting color and Mary wasn't wearing a contrasting color like Maxima and Margrethe were.

UserDane · #**248** 07-01-2007, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ysbel

In the two pictures posted, she was the last royal I noticed in the group and I generally like Mary, but then again I am most drawn to contrasting color and Mary wasn't wearing a contrasting color like Maxima and Margrethe were.

Mary looks almost frail and very pale in these pictures - she was the last one I noticed too in the pictures.

Empress · #**249** 07-01-2007, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by princess olga

I was going to comment on how I really both agree with those who find Mary coming across as aloof and superficial, as well as those who lean to finding Mary sympathetic but shy...but I'm having second thoughts..because I'm thinking, we don't know this person at all really.

We may get a glimpse, and a sense, but even then...Mary, and for that matter all people in the spot light, may or may totally not, in reality, resemble even an inkling of their public persona.

We just aren't able to really judge..and I know I know, I'm often the first one to be critical of a royal, but I'm trying to be a bit less judgmental these days, because I'm thinking, what if it was me, being judged by total strangers about the way I do things, the way I do anything, just based on pictures and hear-say?

If I were and in the spot light and naturally shy, as Mary may well be, all these comments would make me even more shy I think.

But ok, I'll judge her on one thing...the way we've seen her treat her dog Ziggy is really nice, kind. You can tell she considers the dog part of the family very much. The way she greeted Ziggy when they brought Christian home from the hospital, that was very cute.

Ok, I'll say one other thing: Mary could indeed step up to the plate a bit more when it comes to serious causes. I mean, I haven't seen her take up a seat on a panel on the world leaders' Davos forum the way a certain young queen, who's also into fashion and had a nose job, has done a nr. of years.

Or the way Maxima has dedicated herself to helping the cause of loans to those without a lot of collateral.

What I mean is, IF there's room for improvement as far as Mary's concerned, she could apply herself a bit more to perhaps more heavier causes..she has the brains obviously, so why not? She's been involved in too much light-hearted stuff, enough with that already. Leave the fluff to Fred!

Yes, but you have to be invited to sit on those councils. Maxima was only invited after she had been in her role for about 4-5 years. And MANY of Marys patronages are very serious charities.

Polly · #**250** 07-01-2007, 10:03 PM

Although Mary's been in Denmark for quite some time now, I must say that, after watching Isabella's christening, I'm quite impressed with her burgeoning command of Danish.

Like many Australians, I learnt Latin, French and a little German at school, although the trend these days is to teach Mandarin, Japanese and Indonesian in lieu of European languages. I also have been studying Japanese, part time, for some years, though I'm still not very proficient. In my opinion, and I really don't mean to offend anyone here, Danish sounded very difficult to me. I actually tried to reproduce some of the sounds which the television commentators were uttering but found it too hard, which surprised me, given that I don't find German pronunciation a problem (though I'm sure that I speak it with an accent: it's certain with my French as when there, they always laugh, though with a friendly pat for at least trying!).

In sum, and from my own limited experience, I applaud Mary for what I can only imagine is her hard work and application in learning her country's language. It can't have been easy for her, particularly when every thing that she said or did was scrutinized so closely and open to so much criticism.

The Scots, we know, are renowned for their hard work and tenacity; Australians for relentlessly striving to overcome even the most difficult of of problems to succeed. My view is that Denmark is very lucky in their Crown Princess, just as she is lucky to have been so welcomed and has become so valued by so many Danes, and with such palpable generosity of spirit..

princess olga · #**251** 07-02-2007, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress

Yes, but you have to be invited to sit on those councils. Maxima was only invited after she had been in her role for about 4-5 years. And MANY of Marys patronages are very serious charities.

Yes that's true. I also have to say I don't follow which charities Mary endorses too closely for some reason. I get the sense that we all think that Mary is so into fashion because of her early days as a CP when she posed for Vogue as well as the sheer fact the lady has some sense of how to put herself together.

It is entirely possible that by now, she has utterly moved on from her so-called clotheshorse-y days and is into substance, but her reputation at this point, judging by some of the comments, seems sealed. Maybe it's time for Mary to up the publicity on those serious charities a bit, so that her reputation will match reality?

princess olga · #**252** 07-02-2007, 12:18 AM

..and you know what too, when you'd go to the thread about Fred's former girlfriends, you realise one thing: it could have been so much worse, than Mary! I wonder though if the Danes think that her personality fits, well, the personality of the Danes?

tabbitha · #**253** 07-02-2007, 02:49 AM

I guess we all see different things in people. i don't see a calculating or fake person at all-just the opp- i see a confident , happy person with herself and she's in love with her husband and children. I think she has carried herself extremely well both prior to their wedding and now- you never heard any scandals breaking or her talking to the press and that goes for her family too and she's NOTHING like Diana...... Mary is Mature, caring and whilst i have nothing against Diana ,Mary is content with her own self and it shows when she meets people and they warm to her. To me they are nothing alike....What reputation !!!!! How can liking clothes be a crime-she looks good- no one wants to see an ordinary Princess no matter how we try- she gives the people what they want surely without sounding arrogant either.
i think she has found her niche now and she should be given credit. just my 2 cents worth...She has been here long enough now to hold her own and she does so with great aplomb...

crisscross1 · #**254** 07-02-2007, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tabbitha

What reputation !!!!! How can liking clothes be a crime-she looks good- no one wants to see an ordinary Princess no matter how we try.

I agree with everything you have said tabbitha and espcially your comment about her fashion. Yesterday after watching the beautiful christening of Princess Isabella I was surprised, but not shocked, to read all the comments about Mary and how boring she looked. Had she worn an expensive, designer outfit she would have been criticised for over spending.

And for what it's worth, I happen to think that what she wore was perfectly beautiful and appropriate for a summer Christening.

Jo of Palatine · #**255** 07-02-2007, 04:14 AM

This is a really interesting discussion about the question if the media has a right to interviews. I, being a journalist myself, must say: no. I like the way Mary and Fred behave in public. I watched most videos provided through links from DRW and always liked the way Mary interacts with other people. She is quick to smile back, she winks, she's polite and says thank you if she is offered help from someone, eg. if someone opens a door for her.

IMHo she gives the danish public the image of an approachable Royal. I've seen video coverage of them walking in the royal park and greeting other people walking there. They are just not amused if they are filmed doing that. They communicate via their homepage on eg. saying thank you. They can't do that to each and everybody personally because it's too much, there are too many people interested in them. They try to give insights in their lifes through the private pictures they publish there. But they obviously have a clear idea where their private sphere starts and this is important. Important for them but important to respect as well.

Why should they give a "big" interview now? They answer questions if asked during their public duties. What is it that we don't know about them? That they are still in love and adore their kids? Come on, we all know that.
How Mary feels in her new position? Do really think she would not give a "suitable" answer? That said, I don't think Mary is a "fake" - she is just a person cast in a special role she tries to fulfiill.

There are only a few people who can live like they want, without bothering about other's opinions. As a lot posters said before: in private they are different than in their professional life. They behave like they have to in their professional life. Are they fakes because of it? No, they only behave according to the social role they have to fulfill at any given time. That's how life is. Queen Margrethe probably feels more an artist than a politician. But because of the role life has cast her in, she most of the time deals with the political situation of her country. Is she a fake then? Because she concentrates on being the souverain instead of following her artistical nature? I don't think so.

UserDane · #**256** 07-02-2007, 04:21 AM

Jo, this is one of the best and most sensible posts I have read for a long time. Thank you

tabbitha · #**257** 07-02-2007, 04:34 AM

Thanks crisscross & Excellent post JOP.
What more do they want of her- she does what is asked of her and if they did give a BIG interview then others would say she's wanting MORE attention etc etc- she can't WIN either way- there are some who will NEVER be happy with whatever she does or doesn't do.

:ron:The one character trait that I admire in Mary is that you never hear her say a bad word about anyone- she is always faithful to her past and present..She's never caused any scandal or brought shame onto the Danish Royal family. You never hear of her getting into any trouble.I really can't understand what more she can give of herself..

GrandDuchessOlga · #**258** 07-03-2007, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crisscross1

Yesterday after watching the beautiful christening of Princess Isabella I was surprised, but not shocked, to read all the comments about Mary and how boring she looked. Had she worn an expensive, designer outfit she would have been criticised for over spending.

And for what it's worth, I happen to think that what she wore was perfectly beautiful and appropriate for a summer Christening.

But she DID wear a designer outfit

IMO and apparantly on the contrary to everone else´s opinions, I thought she looked stunning and absolutly ravishing. the dress suited her dark hair very well and was just appropriate for the small but at the same time formal occasion. I also have to applaude Fred and Mary for their upbringing of Christian. He was so sweet and quiet. Never making any fuss. I know a little boy who is the same age (they were actually born the exact same day) and he would NEVER have been able to sit still for at least 30 seconds unless he was sleeping. I remember Nikolai being very impatient at Felix´s christening 5 years ago.

royal pauper · #**259** 07-03-2007, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tabbitha

I guess we all see different things in people. i don't see a calculating or fake person at all-just the opp- i see a confident , happy person with herself and she's in love with her husband and children. I think she has carried herself extremely well both prior to their wedding and now- you never heard any scandals breaking or her talking to the press and that goes for her family too and she's NOTHING like Diana...... Mary is Mature, caring and whilst i have nothing against Diana ,Mary is content with her own self and it shows when she meets people and they warm to her. To me they are nothing alike....What reputation !!!!! How can liking clothes be a crime-she looks good- no one wants to see an ordinary Princess no matter how we try- she gives the people what they want surely without sounding arrogant either.
i think she has found her niche now and she should be given credit. just my 2 cents worth...She has been here long enough now to hold her own and she does so with great aplomb...

I second that!

I think P Mary is very natural, lovely woman and totaly in love with her husband. Wouldn't you like to look good when you know that "all the world" is looking at you.