Summary of article in Billed Bladet #31, 2014.
Written by Ken Richter.
As always Ken Richter describes what he observes, so what follows
is what happened.
M&F along with their children, nannies, PET, Princess Alexandra, Count Richard, Comtesse Ingrid and Nikolai and Felix went to Legoland. The manager for Legoland, Christian Woller acted as tour guide.
The family was allowed in before the park opened to the public, so that the children could try a number of things before queues form at the various attractions.
In fact few of the thousands of visitors really noticed the royals among them, and as there were still lots of things to try out for the children once the park opened to the public.
The family split up. Mary and nannies looked after the twins, while Frederik had his hands full looking after Christian and Bella, who both know Legoland pretty well by now. - And they know exactly where the various attractions are and darted away, with poor dad trying to keep up.
On this very hot day the oldest, plus Frederik and Alexandra tried out among other things a rollercoaster and speeding away at 65 Km/h at times with their heads hanging down was pretty fun, judging from the expressions on the children's faces. Being older and bolder, Christian and Felix secured the front seats.
In the meantime Mary and the twins strolled around at a more leisurely speed among the crowds. But having short legs can be strenous, so Vincent and Josephine took turns hitching a ride in mother's arms.
Judging from the feathers issued to the twin they must have reaquinted their friendship with Chief Long Ear, who last year gave them their indianer names: Little Dove and Brave Bear.
But the entire family did try something together. They boarded two fire engines, Nikolai, Felix, Ingrid, Christian and Isabella in one engine and Frederik, Alexandra, manager Christain Woller, helped by Mary and the twins in another.
The purpose of the whole thing was to man a two-man pump, in order to propel the fire engine, sirenes at full blast and the lights going to a burning house. Here a team should man the hose, while the pumping team kept toiling, and put out the fire and then back again. The first engine back at the starting point won.
Christian and Bella in their engine prudently opted to man the hose, apparantly udner the command of Felix, while the two strongest, Nikolai and Richard manned the pump, under the eager command of Comtesse Ingrid.
Frederik and the manager did slave duty in their engine.
Alas, the sirens, and flashing lights and commotion frightened the twins, so they let out a collective howl so that mother Mary had to comfort them. and eventually they figured out that perhaps it wasn't that dangerous after all.
In the meantime the younger team had put out their fire and returned back to base. - Having thrashed, beaten, flattened and squashed the adults. - That'll teach 'em!
I'll skip the reading aloud of PH's poestry as there isn't much new here.
The palace church was crammed to capacity though. Perhaps not least helped by the fact that the audience could leave their copy of the book with PH's poems behind and pick it up a few days later at the local bookstore. This time personally signed by PH.
Of other news are deatils about two pieces of jewellery.
A brooch worn by QMII in the shape of a rose with a face inserted in the flower. Scan will be posted later in the jewellery thread.
And a collar worn by Rosina PH's beloved dachshund. The collar was adorned with square gemstones and it is presumed bought at a petstore in Copenhagen. - Yes, things are quite news-wise these days!
The flower-power-dress worn by Mary at the photo-shoot is the Maxi-dress by Ganni in "viskose-chiffon" (whatever that is) with pearl-buttons at the neck.
Mary also wore a necklace by Ole Lynggaard.
- Good grief! I'm really getting senile.
Having just finished the above I noticed there is an whole appendix with BB this week about the DRF at Gråsten, so much more in the next post.
Gråsten part two.
Based on an appendix in Billed Bladet #31, 2014.
Written by Ken Richter and Ulrik Ulriksen.
The account of the photo shoot is influenced by the family not doing much else but standing on a bridge, trying to looking as if standing on a bridge, while looking natural is the most natural thing in the world... and also by the fact that the family this time seemed to be out of conversation range, so few if any quotes.
Felix and Christian kept close. (They seem to have a good relationship, they also kept close in Legoland).
Athena wasn't that keen on sitting on the railings on the bridge, she certainly felt a lot more secure when our Marie held her.
On the way back from the photoshoot, Josephine was about to pull her dress way up, but Mary intervened and got the dress down to a more modest level. Instead mother Mary took her daughter in her arms and the two of them danced a little on the lawn.
While the most of the DRF try to avoid getting too much sun, bot Marie and Nikolai were observed sporting a deep tan.
But the biggest child of them all, Prince Henrik, also had a lot of fun at Gråsten. A baloon flight.
The Circus Balloon Club of Copenhagen had arranged for a short flight for PH and most of the family turned out to watch the preparations in the park around Gråsten Manor.
Apparantly Joachim and family hadn't shown up yet, so it was only Benedikte and her family and M&F and their children.
First the balloon had to be blown up (I guess it's called...), with the help of a fan. Isabella and Christian had a lot of fun being blown throughly through. Vincent was bold enough to get close too, while Josephine kept a more safe distance.
Finally the balloon was ready. With the sun low on the horizon it was time to fly. (*) Bella and Christian kissed grandpapa farewell and off he went.
Not very far though... The balloon landed safely at a military training ground some ten kilometres away.
M&F also had some quality time for themselves.
This account is by Ken Richter and he litterally describes every road M&F crossed, no kidding!
At little before 09.00 on an already very hot morning M&F jumped on a pair of mountain bikes and pedalled the few hundred meters to the stables at Gråsten estate. Here M&F admired the horses before setting out on horseback, followed by a safety-rider (most likely from the Guards Hussars) and the usual shadow in the shape of a female PET officer on a mountain bike. (I recognice her from Legoland).
Mary bid our reporter goodmorning as they passed on their ride lasting some 45 minutes.
They also pedalled back to the manor, and here it seems like the competed about being the first to reach the manor. Frederik allowed Mary to win... (**)
While the young and their children went to Legoland on Friday, the older ones watched the changing of the guards at noon. The Music Corps turn nup on this occasion and it's always popular among the locals and tourists, of which some 1.500 had turned up to watch their sons/daughters standing guard for Her Majesty. (***)
It was while the Music Corps played that a very casually dressed QMII lovingly leaned her head on PH's shoulder.
(*) The wind often calms down around 18.00-19.00 during hot summer days here in DK. Don't know why. And at this time of year the sun starts to set around 21.30-22.00.
(**) As all seasoned married men knows: If you allow your wife the right to taunt you, the rest of the day is likely to be peaceful.
Otherwise your dear wife will sulk and come up with mischief. Like: "accidentally" kicking you
each time she turns around in the bed the next night. Or wake you up at 02.37 to ask you wether you are sleeping. Only to wake you up again at 02.51 to ask you "since you are awake anyway" to close the window/secure the curtain/check a noise etc.
And at 03.12 she'll yank the blanket (expertly!!) and send you spinning out of bed and before you've even hit the floor wrapped herself in the blanket completely oblivious to your pleas about granting you just a few square centimeters of blanket.
Frederik will have learned by now...
(***) The guards on guard duty outside Amalienborg and Fredensborg are when possible selected from guardsmen from the local area. In this case Southern Jutland.