Princess Mary's Personality

[Chimene]

My dearest princess leonor! We should all have tea with her, that would be great! I don’t think you read my post carefully, if you think I’m attacking you. Yes, my opinion is based on pictures and videos too, but I still don’t understand why you think she’s looking down on people, for the reason I have already stated. No, I have not forgotten why the thread was created. Which is why I would like to understand the rationale of your opinion, since we are here engaging in a dialogue.

Yes, I do have a positive view of her. That’s because I have not seen her do anything to merit negative views. Again, I’m not suggesting you should say only wonderful things about her, I stated that fact quite clearly in my post as well. I have no desire to only be right, as I’m a firm believer in: if I know everything, I can’t learn anything. And I can assure you when I dislike someone or something it’s for concrete reasons.

 

[Elspeth]

Ahhhhh, thanks, obviously than I must be fake, superficial and shallow too as some people puts it so nicely. After all my accent changes dependent with whom I have to speak. It wouldn't be appropriate to use my "accent" with which I usual speak with my family at my workplace.

Probably some of us don't have the right to grow out of our habits with time. We have to know our place and stick to it, at least if we aren't born in some life circumstances.

This is very, very offensive to Crown Princess Mary and also to some of us.

(Sorry Elsbeth that I'm using your post as starting point)

Yep, OK, but apparently you read into my post that I was saying that this is necessarily a bad thing? Because I assure you that I wasn't. Sometimes it can be a sign of snobbery, and sometimes it can be a sign of wanting to assimilate, which is often a case of considerate behaviour toward the group concerned.

 

[chuchu]

What I want to know is why, BASED ON FACTS , those opinions have been formed. For example, has she made some terrible gaffe in her speeches, lied to government about her past, or other such verifiable fact? If you do not like her based on what you have seen, then that is of course your right, but I think in order to move this topic along, and out of the realm of simple feelings and into fact, I would like to know if there is any reason for the very strong feelings FOR and AGAINST Mary​

Here are a couple of definitions of "opinion".

1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.

Opinions in the context of this thread is very subjective.​

 

[ysbel]

I disagree. Arrogance is never good - especially if you are a member of the royal family who are goodwill ambassadors of their country. Also, their priveleged lifestyle is being supported by taxpayers.

Au contraire, my dear chuchu. How dreadfully boring for royalty to be reduced to a line item on a country's budget and some high paid copy of a handshaker and ribbon cutter. Perhaps it is inevitable but royalty doesn't have to shove their reduced status in our faces and start acting humble.

If the taxpayer or public opinion controls the royals now, I certainly hope the royals have enough aplomb to make it look like the royal is calling his or her own shots. Otherwise I'm afraid royalty quite loses its magic for me.

 

[jmj21983]

Yes, once upon a time it was normal for royals to act a bit snobbish and we accepted that they were "above" us. But with many princes marrying commoners these days, I would find it a bit strange and unnatural if these princesses began to act as if they were born and bred to be queens. After all, four, five, six years ago some of these women were just like you and me, doing their own laundry and making their own meals and living normal lives. So, if after their marriages they began to act like they had no idea what it is like to live an ordinary existence and acted snobbish and superior, I would think that it would be sort of an act, and that these women weren't being themselves. Unless of course they let their new positions get to their head too much.

 

[ysbel]

Hmm, jmj, you bring up some interesting points. I think royals and aristocrats can pull off the royal attitude better than middle class commoners but the crown princes don't seem to be interested in princesses or duchesses any more so we have to look towards the commoner brides to add that special royal attitude.

Once a commoner marries into royalty, I don't care what they used to be. I just care about them being able to live and act like a royal and yes, for me, that requires a bit of standoffishness. I don't want my royals to act too close and chummy. To some arrogance looks fake but to me, an overabundance of chumminess with people they don't know well seems fake to me. This may very well be wrong but that is the impression I get when I see photos and videos of royals and celebrities acting extremely chummy with people they just met. Another person may have a totally opposite opinion from the same picture and think the royal is so warm and friendly and natural.

As long as the can pull off the royal attitude and they fit it with the royal family and the country they marry into, they're fine in my book.

I respect that others wish for a down to earth princess but I'm just afraid that that sort of princess doesn't excite my imagination about royalty and to follow royalty, my imagination must be inspired a bit.

 

[UserDane]

....or her suspicious amount of support to the danish fashion industry. .

This is one of the most stubborn misconceptions about Mary's relationship with the Danish fashion industry.

Do you know that the fashion industry rates very high on the list of the Denmark's most profitable exports? It's not haute couture, no doubt about that, but it is a very very profitable export branch. Do you know that at the website for the Danish foreign ministry, they offer advice for potential exporters within certain categories - and that they group Design, Furniture and Fashion together (http://www.um.dk/da/menu/Eksportraadgivning/MarkedsOgSektorinformation/Sektorinformation/Moebler/)? They don't do that to please a crown princess who might be interested in fashion. They do that because the fashion industry has become big business for the country in later years. If Mary therefore has demonstrated a 'suspicous amount of support for the Danish fashion industry', I am sure that the country's exporters are thrilled about it - just like they are thrilled about prince Henrik's activities when he actively supports Danish trade delagations on trips abroad - or Joachim's endeavours to support Danish agriculture. The long-term goal is the same: to actively promote that part of trade and industry which the royal person has been asked to function as a patron for.

(by the way, the next CIFF (About CIFF - Copenhagen International Fashion Fair) takes place on August 9-12 - and yes, Mary as a patron will undoubtedly pay a visit to the fair; she will also attend a circus galla on September 8 for the benefit of the Danish mental health fund - an area which has not formerly had much public awareness but which she has worked very actively for. Fortunately, the mental health fund appearences usually do not attract as many media people as the CIFF events so with good luck she may not be critised for attending that)

 

[Empress]

Yes,but opinions are formed on facts. Factual evidence can of course be photos, but hopefully our members are basing their opinions something more substantial, i.e actions, rather than forming an opinion based on a random photo.

Of course opinons are subjective, and I am sure that we are all aware of the definition of opinion, but even subjective opinions must have a basis.

 

[Elspeth]

Here are a couple of definitions of "opinion".

1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.

Opinions in the context of this thread is very subjective.

Opinions are subjective under pretty much all circumstances, which is why our rules state that the basis for people's opinions should be explained, or we're all reduced to exchanging subjective comments that can't really be the basis for discussion. If you're having a problem with the way this thread is being moderated, please contact one of the admins by PM to talk about it.

 

[Australian]

Well, excuse me! I've lived most of my life in Australian and was born here, and whenever I travel overseas, which is regularly, people often say to me 'you don't sound Australian'. How would they know?

Does everyone in England speak with an Eastenders or Coronation Street accent? Of course not!

Not all Australians speak the way that their accents are depicted in films. Nothing wrong with it of course, but it's not accurate.

For instance, I've spent a lot of time in England and have an English husband and exended family. One of my sisters lives in America and affects an American accent. These things are contagious.

CP Mary sounds like CP Mary, and has a decided Sydney 'lilt' to her voice, in my opinion, which is slowly vanishing. So what? She doesn't live here anymore and those around her now who speak English would certainly not do so with a Hollywood version of an all-embracing Australian accent.

Give her break!

Exactly! Apparently, some people think us Aussies should all be speaking like Steve Irwin did! His accent and many Aussie accents depicted on films are very exaggerrated. Go and talk to real Aussies, or the majority of Aussies and they will speak normally, like Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett etc, even Mary.

 

[Vanesa]

Well...I also think that there must be more than one "Australian accent". Here, in Argentina, we have dozens of accents. It depends from which province you belongs. A person from Buenos Aires city would not speak as a person from mendoza or Santa Fe, or even from Buenos Aires province. So, I would not consider so odd that Australia would have more than an accent. Which is the correct "Australian" accent? I don't know. But I'm pretty sure it is not the "Hollywoodian" one.

vanesa.

 

[Jo of Palatine]

who did that, if i may ask?

Diana, who else? Visiting Hasnat Khan in hospital.

 

[lise]

Well...I also think that there must be more than one "Australian accent". Here, in Argentina, we have dozens of accents. It depends from which province you belongs. A person from Buenos Aires city would not speak as a person from mendoza or Santa Fe, or even from Buenos Aires province. So, I would not consider so odd that Australia would have more than an accent. Which is the correct "Australian" accent? I don't know. But I'm pretty sure it is not the "Hollywoodian" one.

vanesa.

Yes I think we have different accents in Australia depending on which state you live in, social class and where in that state you live. I can remember when I was in high school one of my teachers told me that when she went to London people were trying to pick which state she was from based on her accent. I don't think there's a "correct" there's just different Australian accents.

 

[dazzling]

I respect that others wish for a down to earth princess but I'm just afraid that that sort of princess doesn't excite my imagination about royalty and to follow royalty, my imagination must be inspired a bit.

very true, i think a down to earth princess doesnt exist. Mary does seem to have a smile, interact with people & carry her self well on official duties but it would be wrong for her not to act like a Cp but like other people around, she married into royalty, they cant cross a certain line in many things.

 

[dazzling]

This is one of the most stubborn misconceptions about Mary's relationship with the Danish fashion industry.

Do you know that the fashion industry rates very high on the list of the Denmark's most profitable exports? It's not haute couture, no doubt about that, but it is a very very profitable export branch. Do you know that at the website for the Danish foreign ministry, they offer advice for potential exporters within certain categories - and that they group Design, Furniture and Fashion together (http://www.um.dk/da/menu/Eksportraadgivning/MarkedsOgSektorinformation/Sektorinformation/Moebler/)? They don't do that to please a crown princess who might be interested in fashion. They do that because the fashion industry has become big business for the country in later years. If Mary therefore has demonstrated a 'suspicous amount of support for the Danish fashion industry', I am sure that the country's exporters are thrilled about it - just like they are thrilled about prince Henrik's activities when he actively supports Danish trade delagations on trips abroad - or Joachim's endeavours to support Danish agriculture. The long-term goal is the same: to actively promote that part of trade and industry which the royal person has been asked to function as a patron for.

a read somewhere, that after Mary became patron of the fashion industry, it has become more famous designer wise & industry has boosted up. Doesnt that say something. She patrons many different things, so why come down to fashion. Good for her, she isnt doing this for her name, she's doing it for the Danish people.

Thanks userdane for the info

 

[princess leonor]

I don't really understand what the fuss is all about when it comes to Mary's accent. Why should this be wrong? That's one of the things I like about her, and also about Maxima. It's nice to hear somehting left of where they came from. THe most important thing is that she speaks Danish, right? And I cannot just if Mary speaks proper danish, as I don't understand a word of it, but if she manages giving speaches in public, it mustn't be all that bad.

 

[Alisa]

telva fashion awards seem to be counted for who ever goes. elena also attended once and it was in her official agenda. however, her visits to catwalks and fashion shows (and the same goes for jaime de marichalar) don't figure in their royal agendas, which i believe is a good thing.

Regardless of who it counts for it is still a fashion related event that the Spanish royal family considers as work.

i don't see anything wrong in mary attending fashion shows. what i doubt is whether attending those can qualify as "work" as such. i find it perfectly acceptable if she wants to attend a fashion show as private event...

That is the case. Whenever Mary attends a fashion show in a private capacity it is not considered to be work. In 2005 Mary attended several fashion shows and they were not listed on her official agenda as an engagement. What is considered work is her patronages with Danish organizations not individual designers like the CIFF which is a fashion organization. To simply say that Mary attending fashion shows is considered work is misleading and incorrect.

 

[Linda Hsu]

This is one of the most stubborn misconceptions about Mary's relationship with the Danish fashion industry.

Do you know that the fashion industry rates very high on the list of the Denmark's most profitable exports? It's not haute couture, no doubt about that, but it is a very very profitable export branch. Do you know that at the website for the Danish foreign ministry, they offer advice for potential exporters within certain categories - and that they group Design, Furniture and Fashion together (http://www.um.dk/da/menu/Eksportraadgivning/MarkedsOgSektorinformation/Sektorinformation/Moebler/)? They don't do that to please a crown princess who might be interested in fashion. They do that because the fashion industry has become big business for the country in later years. If Mary therefore has demonstrated a 'suspicous amount of support for the Danish fashion industry', I am sure that the country's exporters are thrilled about it - just like they are thrilled about prince Henrik's activities when he actively supports Danish trade delagations on trips abroad - or Joachim's endeavours to support Danish agriculture. The long-term goal is the same: to actively promote that part of trade and industry which the royal person has been asked to function as a patron for.

(by the way, the next CIFF (About CIFF - Copenhagen International Fashion Fair) takes place on August 9-12 - and yes, Mary as a patron will undoubtedly pay a visit to the fair; she will also attend a circus galla on September 8 for the benefit of the Danish mental health fund - an area which has not formerly had much public awareness but which she has worked very actively for. Fortunately, the mental health fund appearences usually do not attract as many media people as the CIFF events so with good luck she may not be critised for attending that)

Below is an article about the crowning glory for CIFF:

QUOTE
Denmark : Royal visit crowning glory for CIFF

June 19, 2007

It was the perfect touch for the 28th Copenhagen International Fashion Fair when HRH Crown Princess Mary dropped into Europe’s biggest fashion show on Sunday morning.

The lobby was packed when the Crown Princess walked in through the revolving doors but the large number of visitors has become a feature of the fair, which once again broke a string of records.


Denmark : Royal visit crowning glory for CIFF - Fashion News Denmark

 

[MissSaga]

i doubt anyone would critisize mary if she decided to attend disease-related events, just as no one critisized lady di for all her landmine and aids work outside the uk.

i don't see anything wrong in mary attending fashion shows. what i doubt is whether attending those can qualify as "work" as such. i find it perfectly acceptable if she wants to attend a fashion show as private event. everyone likes something: some people like arts, some others like reading, some others prefer sports (such as frederik)... but his races don't figure in his official agenda... do they? in any case... if the chief of the court of the danish house considered attending fashion shows is an appropriate activity for a princess, i think it's quite a mild activity, which doesn't really require too much effort, imo.

She hasn't attended a fashion show since she was pregnant with Christian. Yes, she attends one everytime she visits the CIFF, but that's part of the visit, to see the season's collection, obvioustly. She has to do that, as a patron of Danish Fashion.

It's not that she is critized when she attends disease-related events, it's just that noone talks about it. They prefer to critize her when she attends one of the two fashion events a year, coz most of what she does has something to do with the Danish Heart, cancer or Brain Injury foundation. There are not taken pictures of when she fx. opens a hostel, visits the patients, only when she cuts the ribbon. And that's when she's accused of being nothing but a ribbon cutter. And when she makes speaches for WHO, people just say she didn't write it herself. I mean, you say it like she never attends those health/disease events when you say "IF she decided to attend disease-related events", the truth is that that's what she does most of the time, but many of you are just closing your eyes to it, you don't want to realize it, because it's SO much easier to say "I don't like Mary, I can't say why, all I can say is that she is a fashion horse and LOVES the cameras". Now that's depth
(and no, you're not one of those people Carlota, you're posts are very argumentative, even though I don't agree at times)



And no, Frederik's sailing is not figured in their calender.

 

[GlitteringTiaras]

And no, Frederik's sailing is not figured in their calender.

Are you sure about that.

[URL="http://farr40.kdy.dk/con57.php4"]Here[/URL] is your answer: July 12-14 The Dexia Farr 40 2007, Skagen. Sailing.

On July 2-8 2007 is the 3rd Series European Circuit. Nanoq will participate in the Farr 40 Open Nordic Championship in the Oslo fjords. Sailing.

 

[JessRulz]

I don't really understand what the fuss is all about when it comes to Mary's accent. Why should this be wrong? That's one of the things I like about her, and also about Maxima. It's nice to hear somehting left of where they came from. THe most important thing is that she speaks Danish, right? And I cannot just if Mary speaks proper danish, as I don't understand a word of it, but if she manages giving speaches in public, it mustn't be all that bad.

I totally agree princess leonor! Why the fuss about an accent, when really there is no one Australian accent to judge on

 

[MissSaga]

Are you sure about that.

[URL="http://farr40.kdy.dk/con57.php4"]Here[/URL] is your answer: July 12-14 The Dexia Farr 40 2007, Skagen. Sailing.

On July 2-8 2007 is the 3rd Series European Circuit. Nanoq will participate in the Farr 40 Open Nordic Championship in the Oslo fjords. Sailing.

Yes, I am sure about that.

Far 40's website is not their official calendar.
This is their official calender, and I don't see anything about him sailing.

 

[wiwaxia]

In the end, it doesn't really matter because C.Prince Frederick married her.

Mary does pay attention to how she looks more than some C.Princesses from the pictures taken and has dramatically changed her outlook since day one. She loves fashion and wants to look magazine ready at all times. It's her prerogative! Maybe Fred likes her this way? Who knows?

Honestly, if I were in her shoes, I would probably change myself too if I were so constantly photographed. But that's because image is rather important to me and I always want to look my best at every event.

Also, by marrying Fred and changing herself, she has made herself popular mainly in Aust and Europe. As long as we are discussing about the royals they will remain popular.

Mary's patronages I'm sure are dertemined by the government and fashion is a big part of it. So be it! Nothing wrong if a person loves fashion! Since we do not know her personally, we musn't judge. (I know it's hard) Being a public figure, one does have to "act" a bit. And if she's arrogant, hey, she married a prince after all!

That's my two cents worth. Have a nice day.

Why not? - you have an opinions about the lady, presumably aquired from the same sources ie: photographs, so conversely have others, even if they are contrary to yours, but they are equi valid IMO.

 

[agnessa]

Hello! For me Mary seems to be a person who is friendly and who enjoys her new role and life. Although recent photos she seems to be more serious than ever (or it just seems to me so). After second child she has more responsibility and no one can't smile all the time. Talking about press and photographs I think that Mary must look what to wear and how to react, because this is important. Maiby this is the reason why some people is saying that Mary is arrogant and is interested only in fashion. She's so young at the moment and her main role is to be good mother and beautiful crown princess of Denmark.

 

[pumkin pie]

Mary does a beautiful job as a Crown Princess of Denmark. I think she takes great joy out of the public yet distant display of her person.

‘public’ because she is being photographed,
‘distant’ because she does not really have to say anything unprepared, nothing that has not been approved (and written out) by the DRH. This should in no way suggest a shallow attitude of hers – I find that it is a very fortunate combination, that the woman who is Crown Princess actually enjoys this sort of Princess-activities.

For Mary's long-term-happiness however, I would love to see her engage in some more individual projects that really capture her heart. Looking pretty just cannot be enough in the long run. I believe she will pursue that path once the family planning is done. Given of course, that her marriage to Frederik still goes strong. And there I said it, their marriage is what I personally worry about (since I have a degree in "marriage observation based on occasional pictures that flow around" – I feel so blessed!).

I won't go into the subject of their marriage, but bring up just this one concern: What was the christening they attended just a week ago? … of some high society Millionaire? That is the company they are in now. Rich people. Oh... how I despise her for that. I whish I would see her with flip-flops again, crazy hair, and hugging her husband. I wish I would see Frederik hugging her. Why don't they do that any more? It's the private side of Mary that I never knew, yet, I must assume that is has changed ever so much.

 

[eshleea]

Why not? - you have an opinions about the lady, presumably aquired from the same sources ie: photographs, so conversely have others, even if they are contrary to yours, but they are equi valid IMO.

Wow! I got a reply on my first post! Didn't even think I would get a response.

As I said, it's my two cents worth of opinion. In my mind, everyone posting is definitely entitled to their own opinion. I respect everyone's opinion here and have been reading them for a few years.

I also admitted that it's hard not to judge - I'm not perfect!

By the way, I've edited my first post since I can understand why the sentence can be misleading. Thanks!

Have a nice day.

 

[GlitteringTiaras]

Yes, I am sure about that.

Far 40's website is not their official calendar.
This is their official calender, and I don't see anything about him sailing.

Yes, I do realize that is their calender. I'm usually the one who updates and translates the Danish Royal Calender for this sub-forum. So essentially I am familiar with it and what the DRF are up to officially and unofficially.

Since you're from Denmark you know that some of their engagements are not always listed especially private visits and so forth.

Finally, most of Frederik's sailing events are unofficial and are rarely posted on the Danish royal calender.

 

[Elspeth]

We seem to be straying a bit off topic here. This is about Mary's personality, not another endless argument about the types of events she attends or about Frederik's schedule.

 

[juliana]

I would have thought that the types of events she attends are in fact representative of her character. At the beginning of her royal career did she not state that she was assessing what charities etc she wished to support?

 

[GlitteringTiaras]

During an interview, at the time of her engagement, some journalist asked her about the charities she would support as the Crown Princess. Paraphrasing her answer she replied, that she would "...approach and analyze [each charity] stragetically..."

Her response was vague at the time, but I believe she wanted to be careful about the charities she was about to support (which is smart if you ask me.)

It's not a big deal, but to many it is. Why I have no idea.