Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson, Current Events 1: September 2002 - May 2004

[Julia]

These are some of the nicest photos that I have seen of Mary. I have the distinct impression that she is more than just gradually being integrated into the "lives" of the royal family. I am kind of expecting an engagement announcement sometime soon for, perhaps, a Spring 2004 wedding? Thoughts?

Also just looked at where Fred and Mary's hands are in the first photo....

 

[lasu]

Yes, that first photo is a tad, um, cheeky.

 

[visitor]

From Julia: These are some of the nicest photos that I have seen of Mary. I have the distinct impression that she is more than just gradually being integrated into the "lives" of the royal family. I am kind of expecting an engagement announcement sometime soon for, perhaps, a Spring 2004 wedding? Thoughts?

I had challenges with the quote button - anyway, yes Julia, I agree, I think an engagement will be announced this fall. They seem very relaxed with each other. I also think the announcement about his new job plays into the whole thing.

 

[paulette]

I am so tired of hearing their names all the time and it talks only about their engagement to be..

I mean when are they going to be engaged..It would really be better if the Royal Palace would just give Mary their support so with CP Frederick..If their job is just to answer the rumors then nothing would surely happen it would just keep on bugging them.It's better if they would give them the support. Queen Margrethe hasn't done something about it..She should maybe set sometime to meet and talk with her.But Mary and Fred are the one to set the arrangements not the Queen herself..

They can't separate CP Frederick and Mary because they do love each other but they can maybe help Mary so that by the time she marrys Fred she is set and ready for her role as a future Queen. I do pity Mary beacuse the media is so harsh to her and their relationship. Just like with CP Mette-Marit until now. WELL that is also the disadvantage though. Mary on her part should exert extra effort because the Danes have high expectations on her especially the Royal Family. She is quite snobbish though the first time I saw her.

 

[anna]

Originally posted by paulette@Aug 3rd, 2003 - 5:52 am
I do pity Mary beacuse the media is so harsh to her and their relationship.

Then you do regard the royal message boards as the media - as some eh ... most posters here/there are the only "media" being harsh towards Mary Donaldson as future Crown Princess of Denmark - all the danish media are very satisfied with her as their future Crown Princess !

 

[sunlesstanning]

I agree with you, Paulette that Mary does seem snobbish. If they are going to be engaged, Mary should prepare herself to become a princess. SInce the Danish royal family does some Charities, Mary shoudl quit her job at Navison (or however it's spell) and perhaps volunteer to work with a charity.

 

[Alexandria]

www.billed-bladet.dk - And the boy carries his own groceries, too!

 

[xicamaluca]

It seams that QM had confirmed (more or less) that Frederick and Mary are going to get married.

I leave you the article, hoping that someone translate it.

Berlingske (Fred will get his Mary)

"Lagt på www.berlingske.dk 7. august 2003 kl. 12:12

Frederik får sin Mary


På et pressemøde i Cahors har Dronning Margrethe indirekte bekræftet, at Kronprins Frederik skal forloves med Mary Donaldson. Det oplyser DR Nyheder.

På det traditionelle pressemøde, der holdes i forbindelse med Dronningen og prins Henriks sommerbesøg i Frankrig, beskæftigede journalisterne sig naturligt mest om de årelange rygter om den kongelige forlovelse.
Dronningen blev blandt andet spurgt:
"Er det en sød kæreste, Frederik har".
"Ja", svarede Dronning Margrethe.
"Er det en god svigerdatter, De får?"
"Ja", svarede dronningen.
På spørgsmålet om, hvornår en forlovelse findre sted, svarede dronnigen ifølge DR: "Nogen hemmeligheder må vi da ha". "

 

[holly*anja]

I speak Norwegian, not Danish, but here goes....


"Frederik gets his Mary"

At a press conference in Cahors Queen Margrethe has indirectly confirmed that Crown Prince Frederik shall be engaged to Mary Donaldson.

At the traditional press conferences, (?) held in conjunction with the Queen and Prince Henriks sommer visit to France, the journalists naturally occupied themselves most with the year-long rumors about the Crown Prince's engagement.

The Queen was asked, among other things: "Is it a sweet love Frederik has?"

"Yes," answered Queen Margrethe

"Is it a good daughter-in-law you're getting?"

"yes," answered the Queen.

When questioned about when an engagement will take place, answered the queen: "We must have some secrets."



I hope that was ok for you guys. Any native Danish speakers out there - I'm sorry if I slaughtered your beautiful language! :flower:

 

[xicamaluca]

Lord Chambarlain was already denied that QM announded the weeding or that she was refering to Mary in the press confence.

 

[lasu]

I have not posted an article here before. I hope this works! Here is the URL just in case:

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0...1%255E2,00.html


Mary ready to marry into royalty

Froms news.com.au

Mary ready to marry into royalty
By Sue Bailey
August 8, 2003

TASMANIAN Mary Donaldson looks set to marry Danish Crown Prince Frederik after his mother publicly approved of the relationship.

At a media conference in the south of France last night, Queen Margrethe II spoke for the first time about Ms Donaldson.

"I am sure that she will be a nice daughter-in-law," the Queen told about 30 journalists and photographers at Cahorf where she and her husband have a winery.

Queen Margrethe II has previously denied Ms Donaldson's existence.

However, Trine Larsen, a journalist on Denmark's biggest selling tabloid newspaper Ekstra Bladet said there was now no doubt who would be the country's next Queen.

"At the press conference the Queen was asked if she had met Mary and she said she had and she is very fond of her," Ms Larsen said.

"She would not say the couple were engaged but an announcement is probably now very close.

"The Queen asked if we could imagine if her 35-year-old son would find it amusing that we were talking to his mother about his business."

Ms Larsen said the Danish media were excited about the Queen's acceptance of Ms Donaldson, 31, who grew up at Taroona.

Prince Frederik is the eldest of the Queen's two sons and was 35 in May.

He and Ms Donaldson met at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

She graduated in law from the University of Tasmania and worked in real estate in Sydney.

Ms Donaldson moved to Copenhagen last year, renting a unit in a chic neighbourhood and finding work.

Speculation was rife in May that the engagement would be announced after a government cabinet meeting.

 

[lasu]

Another one from news.com.au: Danish Queen backs Donaldson

Danish Queen backs Donaldson
From correspondents in Toulouse
August 8, 2003

SPECULATION that Danish Crown Prince Frederik will get engaged soon intensified today after Queen Margrethe II said she thought her son's Australian friend, Mary Donaldson, would be "the one".

The Danish sovereign, now holidaying in southwestern France, told journalists at Caix castle near Toulouse Donaldson would make "a nice daughter-in-law".

"I think she will be the one," she said.

The queen gave no indication about the timing of any engagement, saying: "We have the right to keep some secrets to ourselves."

But Danish palace watchers took the royal utterings to mean that an engagement party should be expected later this year.

Although Prince Frederik and Donaldson have been making joint public appearances for months now, going to weddings, parties and on holidays together, the queen had never before acknowledged that the two were an item.

"I am pleased for the crown prince, I really am," Margrethe said, adding she has met Donaldson informally several times.

Frederik, 35, the elder of the queen's two sons, met the 31-year-old lawyer during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Agence France-Presse

 

[Alexandria]

Interesting articles everybody. It seems that we are close to an engagement ... or is it just deja vu?

Can anyone tell me from these articles or previous articles when it was that Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik officially met Mary? And during the press conference in Cahors last night did the Queen ever say Mary's name or was it just "presumed" that was who she was referring to?

 

[Alexandria]

Australien, Sydney, 01-12-2001 Mary Donaldson, in Darlinghurst, Sydney am Freitag. Mittagspause mit ein paar Arbeitskollegen. © Jamie Fawcett / Dana Press

Australien, Paddington, 22-11-2001 Mary Donaldson, Freundin von KronprinzFrederik, auf dem Weg zu einer Party bei Freunden im Stadtteil Paddington, © Jamie Fawcett / Dana Press

Australien, Paddington, 22-11-2001 Mary Donaldson, Freundin von KronprinzFrederik, auf dem Weg zu einer Party bei Freunden im Stadtteil Paddington, © Jamie Fawcett / Dana Press

Mary Donaldson, die neue Freundin von KronprinzFrederik, auf dem Weg zu ihrem "Gym", dem Sportclub in dem sie mehrmals w”chentlich Sport treibt (Aerobic). 2001 © DE / Dana Press

Mary Donaldson, die neue Freundin von KronprinzFrederik, auf dem Weg zu ihrem "Gym", dem Sportclub in dem sie mehrmals w”chentlich Sport treibt (Aerobic). 2001 © DE / Dana Press

© dana press photo - Mary Donaldson, die Freundin von Kronprinz Frederik, mit einer Freundin und einigen Bekannten im Cinema 8 in Sydney. Sie sahen den Film "Training Day" in der 18.00 Uhr Vorstellung 2001-11-18 Foto: Jamie Fawcett / Dana Press

- 19 January 2003 - Hobart - Tasmania/ Australia - PrinceFrederik of Denmark greets for the first time in public his Australian girlfriend Mary Donaldson on the deck of the Tasmania Yacht Club before the start of the first race of the Dragon Boat World Championship. © Patrick Riviere / Dana Press

 

[Brenda]

I'm adding more pictures to the one you posted of Prince Frederik and Mary in Tasmania, Alexandria.

They walk on the deck of the Yacht Club, and he says, 'Is anyone watching us?' She says, 'No, mah dahhlin, let's kiss.' :crush:

 

[Alexandria]

Engagement fever has hit Denmark! Now that it seems the engagement is closer than ever, Jyllands-Posten has got a special on the "egagement." If you can read Danish, have a look and hopefully fill the rest of what it says! Or if you're like me, look at the pictures.

http://www.jp.dk/indland/tema:fid=9004/

 

[paulette]

I am happy for them though! It's the first time I really heard QM talking about her. I think she seems to like Mary beacuse she has already met her informally in different instances. And I think Mary was in France too. Good luck guys! :woot:

 

[visitor]

Wow, they're already putting a spin on her - she moved to Denmark and got a job and a trendy apartment. No comment about hardly working and living with her boyfriend for 8 months.

 

[Catharine]

Home > National News > Article
Princess Mary Donaldson?
August 8, 2003 - 10:23AM


Danish Crown Prince Frederik and his Australian girlfriend Mary Donaldson at a wedding in 2002.
Picture: Reuters

The engagement of Tasmanian Mary Donaldson to Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik is likely to be announced within two months, a Danish journalist said today.

Lars Jorgensen, from Denmark's Ekstra Bladet newspaper, told ABC radio this morning the Queen, Margrethe II, had spoken for the first time of the relationship at a media conference in the south of France.

"Everyone in Denmark is expecting a formal announcement very soon because it's the first time the queen has approved of the relationship between Mary Donaldson and the crown prince," he said.

"She was speaking very kindly about Mary Donaldson.

"It is the big story in Denmark in every media today and everyone is expecting the announcement to be within one or two months."

Ms Donaldson, 31, who grew up in the Hobart suburb of Taroona, and the 35-year-old crown prince met at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

She moved to Copenhagen last year, with speculation mounting about an imminent engagement.

Mr Jorgenson said Ms Donaldson was very popular in Denmark, but little was known about her as she had never given any interviews.

But the queen clearly approved.

"It is the first time she has ever commented on any of the crown prince's girlfriends during the years," Mr Jorgensen said.

"He has had a few girlfriends before Mary and the queen has never commented on anything regarding to these girls.

"That is why the media and everyone in Denmark is very excited about it."

He said the government would also have to approve the union through an official meeting with the queen.

Mr Jorgensen said he was "99.9 per cent" sure an announcement was imminent.

- AAP

 

[Catharine]

Mary's royal seal
By Sydney Confidential's FIONA CONNOLLY
09aug03
DANISH Queen Margrethe II yesterday hinted that her son Prince Frederick was about to make a royal proposal to Australian Mary Donaldson.

The first sign of approval for the imminent engagement from the Queen came at a press conference at the family retreat in Toulouse in southern France.

"She had the question from Danish television if she was going to have a nice daughter-in-law and she said 'Yes, I think so'," Danish journalist Lars Jorgensen said.

"Then she had the question when will the engagement be announced and she said 'Well, we have to have a few secrets left'," he said.

The announcement is expected within two months.

It's the first time that Queen Margrethe II has spoken about the relationship between her son, the crown prince, and the 35-year-old Tasmanian lawyer.

Ms Donaldson, 31, who grew up in Hobart, and the 35-year-old crown prince met at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

She moved to Copenhagen last year and speculation grew about an imminent engagement.

Mr Jorgensen said that Ms Donaldson was very popular in Denmark, although little was known about her.

But the Queen clearly approved. "It is the first time she has ever commented on any of the crown prince's girlfriends during the years," Mr Jorgensen told ABC radio yesterday.

"He has had a few girlfriends before Mary and the Queen has never commented on anything regarding these girls.

"That's why everyone in Denmark is very excited about it."

While the Queen appeared to welcome Donaldson as a daughter-in-law, the government would have to approve the union through an official meeting with her.

 

[Catharine]

Danes' frenzy over Mary
By MICHELLE PAINE
09aug03
DENMARK is in a frenzy at the news Tasmania's Mary Donaldson may marry Crown Prince Frederik.

A spring wedding is already being tipped after Queen Margrethe II's first public hint of an engagement.

The love match has knocked Denmark's summer heatwave off the front pages, while TV is beaming images of the young couple.

The Danish Queen laughingly responded to questions at a press conference she holds each year at the royals' summer home, a chateau and winery in Toulouse, France.

A few coy comments about her future daughter-in-law have been confidently declared as confirmation by observers who have avidly watched the moves of Hobart-raised Mary, 31, now living in Copenhagen.

A wedding in the European spring, April or May, or even as early as this October are being speculated.

"The Queen has never, never commented on this before nor has she referred to any of the Crown Prince's former girlfriends," said Henrik Thomsen, editor-in-chief of Denmark's largest daily newspaper, Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten.

"This is as close to an official statement as you can get."

In answer to questions from the Danish and French press, Queen Margrethe said she was sure she would have a very nice daughter-in-law.

When asked about a date, she laughed.

"Well, we have to have a few secrets left," she said.

Mr Thomsen said his newspaper had produced a 12-page supplement in view of the "breathtaking" news.

"This is seen as the first official indication from the Queen," he said.

"And it came at a quite unexpected time. Now there is a lot of speculation about a date."

Minutes after the news spread around the world, reporters visited Mary's workplace as she finished work at a Microsoft plant, north of Copenhagen.

"She actually went to see her horse at the stables where it is kept," Mr Thomsen said.

"The Crown Prince was not seen. Just last week, he started as a teacher in the military academy.

"All Mary's colleagues were very quiet, they are quite protective of her.

"The Crown Prince and Mary have been seen together a lot this summer. Before that, there was the famous kiss on the waterfront in Hobart.

"She has actually met officially with his parents and been to several family events."

Speculation has raged for several months about an announcement but this development was seen as the clincher.

Mary and Frederik Andr Henrik Christian, 35, are said to have met at the Sydney Olympics.

The adventurous Prince visited Hobart in January for the world dragon boat sailing championships, when Mary also jetted in.

They were caught sharing a quick kiss.

Ms Donaldson moved to Copenhagen last year.

After growing up in Taroona and studying at Taroona High School, she graduated in law from the University of Tasmania.

Mary's parents were born in Scotland. Her father lectures at the University of Tasmania.

 

[Catharine]

Will royal 'oui' prompt proposal for Microsoft worker?

By The Associated Press



LARS POULSEN/ POLFOTO
Australian Mary Donaldson, 31, met Danish Crown Prince Frederik at the 2002 Summer Olympics in Sydney. She appears to have the queen's approval.

A one-word comment by Denmark's Queen Margrethe II during her holiday in Southern France triggered new buzz yesterday about whether her son is about to get engaged to a Australian Microsoft employee.
Asked by journalists whether Mary Donaldson, the partner of Crown Prince Frederik, 35, for three years, would make a good daughter-in-law, the queen said: "Yes."

The response shot to the top of news broadcasts across the Scandinavian country of 5.3 million, home to Europe's oldest ruling monarchy.

It was seen as a sign that an engagement may be upcoming. But the queen was evasive when asked to give details about any engagement.

"(There are) some secrets we ought to be allowed to keep to ourselves," she said.

Donaldson, 31, started work in the public-relations department of Microsoft's Navision subsidiary Sept. 5, 2002.

Whether she will continue working as a crown princess has not been disclosed.

 

[Alexandria]

www.berlingske.dk - Mary Donaldson appeared at a fashion show in Østre Gasværk i Copenhagen. At a show by Malene Birger, a fashion designer specialised in wedding gwns. She was accompanied by friend/actress Ellen Hillingsøe.

 

[lasu]

So what do you think? Can she pull off the crown?

lasu

 

[Josefine]

I found this little picture at www.seoghoer.dk

 

[thissal]

Little contrary about our Mary

13aug03
SHE got the thumbs up from her future mother-in-law last week, and now Sydney lawyer Mary Donaldson has got the tick of approval from the Danish people.

Three out of four people responding to a poll conducted by one of Denmark's largest daily newspapers said Donaldson, whose long term boyfriend is Danish Crown Prince Frederik, would be a good queen.

Only 2 per cent answered no in the poll which was run by conservative newspaper Jyllands-Posten and the rest were undecided.

Donaldson and Frederik met during the Sydney Olympics and an engagement announcement is expected within two months.

Last week talk of an impending royal proposal was strengthened by Frederik's mum Queen Margrethe II commenting for the first time that Donaldson would be a nice daughter-in-law.

John Cogan, who was the Danish consul general in Tasmania for 40 years, says unofficial sources are tipping a September proposal.

"If and when it is announced the Premier should try to get them to honeymoon in Tasmania," he said.

So now we know what the Danes think of Mary we should let them know what we reckon of Freddie.

Would Danish Crown Prince Frederik make a good Sydneysider? Use our reader poll to let us know.

http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/comm...5E12216,00.html

 

[lasu]

Originally posted by chanel@Aug 17th, 2003 - 7:25 pm
what is that?

Um, me being silly in the hopes of starting provocative and insightful conversation...

 

[Alexandria]

www.billedbladet.dk - More of Mary from the fashion show.

 

[Alexandria]

1 to 3) Rex Features - Homepage - Crown Prince Frederik participating in the European Dragon Championships, Ireland, 18 August 2003.

4) Rex Features - Homepage - The Danish Crown Prince Frederik participating in the European Dragon Championships with Lars Hendriksen and Kasper Harsberg , Ireland, 18 August 2003.

 

[thissal]

It must be dreadful waiting in public for ones prince to pop the question. If it was me, I'd insist on keeping it totally secret until he's ready with the engagement ring.