Crown Prince Frederik, Current Events 1: November 2002 - October 2007

[tricia]

Finally! Congratulations, Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson. Mary will make a good Crown Princess and future Queen of Denmark.

[Julia]

Fairytale now a reality for Mary
By ANNE BARBELIUK
25sep03
THE fairytale is a confirmed reality: Tasmanian-born Mary Donaldson is to become a Danish princess and queen in waiting.

After three years of dating and intense speculation, the Danish royal family announced yesterday that Mary, 31, will marry Crown Prince Frederik, 35.

No date has been set for the wedding, but speculation is rife it will be held in the European spring -- next March, April or May.

Mary, who has been living in Copenhagen, yesterday quit her job with Microsoft to become a full-time princess.

Once she marries the prince, who is heir to the Danish throne, she will be the queen in waiting -- believed to be the first-ever Australian royal.

Denmark went into a frenzy over the news when it was announced, with radio and television programs stopping their regular programming to deliver the royal news.

The brief announcement said: "Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark intends to give her consent to the marriage between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Denmark and Miss Mary Donaldson in the Council of State to be held on Wednesday, 8 October."

Denmark holds regular councils of state during which the Queen meets the Prime Minister to discuss issues of significance.

The October 8 Council of State will see the Queen formally announce the wedding, after which official interviews and picture opportunities with the couple are expected.

The pair are expected to marry at a castle north of Copenhagen called Fredensborg, and the wedding will be attended by royal families from all over Europe.

Yesterday no further comment was coming from the palace, although every media outlet in Denmark was trying to track down Miss Donaldson.

Miss Donaldson has never given an interview, although royal magazines and daily newspapers in Denmark are constantly snapping her photo.

Yesterday Danish television was busily reprogramming to air portraits of the new princess and her prince.

Television reporter Jakob Nielsen, from TV2 Denmark, said the royal family would probably be very protective of the couple until the Queen's address in October.

But he said news outlets would all be desperate to capture some fresh image of Mary.

Nielsen said all of Denmark was besotted with Mary.

"Everybody loves Mary, she is very popular," he said.

"Because she seems down to earth, like a normal sort of girl.

"Everybody can relate to her."

Nielsen said the royal magazines devoted several pages to Mary every week.

"They are always trying to get a few words, and if they do it's a front-page story," he said.

Miss Donaldson recently said her first Danish words publicly in response to a question about a fashion show.

"She simply said `magnificent' in Danish -- but everyone went wild because she was speaking Danish," Nielsen said.

"They were saying 'If she's speaking Danish she must be going to marry the prince'."

Miss Donaldson is especially respected in Denmark because she is credited with being a positive influence on Prince Frederik.

Before meeting Mary, Frederik was depicted as the "wild prince".

He was reported to have many girlfriends and enjoyed adrenalin sports such as parachute jumping.

"He has now settled down quite a bit and is a one-woman kind of guy," Nielsen said.

Up until now, Prince Frederik had been a stark contrast to his younger brother Joachim -- who has a farm and two children.

Mary's journey to Danish royalty began when she met her prince at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

Spain's Crown Prince Felipe introduced Mary to Prince Frederik at a city bar called the Slip Inn.

As a former Olympic yachtsman, Prince Frederik was at the Olympics to support the Danish team.

At the time Mary was working at advertising agency Young and Rubicam.

The couple maintained a long-distance romance for more than a year before Mary finally moved to London at the beginning of 2002, and soon after to Copenhagen.

The journey is a long way from Miss Donaldson's beginnings in suburban Hobart.

Mary Elizabeth Donaldson was born in Hobart on February 5, 1972.

Her father John and mother Henrietta -- who died in 1997 -- had four children: Jane, Patricia, Mary and John.

Mary grew up in Taroona and studied at Taroona High School and Hobart College -- where she played hockey and basketball.

She graduated with a commerce-law degree from the University of Tasmania in 1994.

After graduation Mary moved to Melbourne to take up a position with an advertising agency and later moved to agencies in Sydney.

Her latest job, which she quit yesterday, was as a project consultant with Microsoft Business Solutions in Denmark.

Miss Donaldson and Prince Frederik were in Hobart together in January when the prince competed in the world dragon boat championships.

[lottehaldrup]

Hi all

Whats happy news..
I am very surprised.
I can't wait to see her Mary on Tv and so on.

I have been waiting for this news for a long time..
I think the danish press has too.

I am danish too and this is very happy news for Denmark.

Good luck..

Lotte.

[Julia]

I am glad that Frederik is finally able to marry someone he seems to truly love. I can imagine that this has been a tough 3 years for Mary and Fred and now all of the hard work comes to fruition! Congratulations!

BTW, that photo of Mary from CP Frederik's website is wonderful.

[Bubbette]

She doesn't have a kind look to her.

[Julia]

Well, I guess one doesn't get to where she is by being kind.

[sara1981]

im not sure when both will get married maybe on Spring or Summer 2004 i think so?

Sara Boyce

[Josefine]

Originally posted by Josefine@Sep 24th, 2003 - 2:03 pm
Do you think she will be called Mary, How does one pronounce Mary in Danish

http://www.dr.dk

her name will not be changed she will be called Mary and pronounced in the English way.

[hrhcp]

QUOTE (Josefine @ Sep 24th, 2003 - 2:03 pm)
Do you think she will be called Mary, How does one pronounce Mary in Danish

her name will not be changed she will be called Mary and pronounced in the English way.

Then how come (the future prince) Henri had to change his name to Prince Henrik?

Personally, I think you could change the spelling to Marie and adapt the pronunciation accordingly. But I would imagine these are all things that will be 'formally' aired on OCtober 8, and it is certainly interesting to guess in advance what they will say :o

[lasu]

Originally posted by Julia@Sep 24th, 2003 - 11:50 am
Well, I guess one doesn't get to where she is by being kind. 

But to be fair, if she were really a cold-hearted shrew, would Frederik be marrying her? It is not as though she is the only woman on earth that would date him.

I am interested to see if their public displays of affection will increase now that they are engaged. Now that some of the pressure is off - about the engagement, anyway - I think they might start looking a little happier together.

[Julia]

I didn't mean what I said in quite such a harsh way. I should have phrased it differently. What I should have said is that to get where she is, to move to a different country, learn a new and difficult language, put up with lots of criticisim ( ) and get what you want means you've got tough skin and are probably not a marshmellowy kind of person. :)

[hrhcp]

probably not a marshmellowy kind of person

Isn't that also a sign of commitment, and promise (of the future)?

[Julia]

Yes, imho, it is. It's a sign of being capable of doing one's duty. :)

[moosey60]

http://www.expressen.se/expressen/jsp/polo...p?d=356&a=64932

"The exact date for the wedding has not been decided yet, but it will come up soon," said Ullerup.
The Crown prince and Mary Donaldson met under the OS in Sydney 2000. In small steps, Mary moved closer to Frederik to get a job in London.
Since Mary Donaldson first found Denmark on New Year 2001, she and the crown prince have been favourites of the media.
But not before May 2002 did they catch up to the same picture. Afterwards, Mary read up the crown prince's story after being together at Marselisborg Castle. Crown Prince Frederik had turned 35 years old while Mary was 31.

Nothing official will come for the media before October 8th, a time after the queen will make a formal speech in Copenhagen. But then they will have an official press conference at Fredensborg Palace.
"The wedding will come to be held in Holmens Church in Copenhagen," said journalist Marete Wilkenschildt, who wrote the book, "Royal Weddings."
In the same church, the crown prince's mother married, then Crown PRincess Margarethe, to Henri de Laborde de Monpezat on 10 June 1967.

Mary Elizabeth Donaldson measures up well, she has a degree in economy and jurisdiction from the University of Tasmania. She has also done intensive work since she arrived in Denmark two years ago. The Danish think that she has the right approach with discretion.

Mary Donaldson works at Microsoft in Vedbaek, there she is a project consultant. In the beginning she had to avoid photographers by running away. Her ways have therefore produced elegant and great photos. First she was embarassed at being driven around in Frederik's Landrover, these days, she has attended baptisms, weddings, etc. in comfortable clothes from Copenhagen's best tailor.

Mary's family in Tasmania consists of John Donaldson, her fayther, and her three elder sisters. Her mother died in 1997, John Donaldson lives now with British Susan Moody, whos books can also be found in Danish libraries.

I ommitted some details, they were already listed before. Hmmmm...yea...

[hrhcp]

Looks like its going to be a SPRING wedding, but WHEN ???????

Here is what
http://pub.tv2.no/nettavisen/english/article139702.ece
says ....

"Queen of Denmark approves wedding
Tilrettelagt av Carin Pettersson 24.09.03 11:49

The Danish Crown Prince will marry his love, Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, according to release from the Danish Royal Court.
Foto: Keld Navntoft (EPA/Scanpix)

Queen Margrethe will officially approve the wedding when the cabinet meeting October 8, according to the statement from Hofmarskallatet at the Danish Court.

Spring wedding

Ove Ullerup at the Court informed the news bureau Ritzau that the date has not been determined as of yet, but it will be a spring wedding.

“We will provide the date well in advance,” Ullerup added.

Prince Frederik, age 35, is the crown price of Denmark. Australian Mary Elizabeth Donaldson is 31 years old, and the couple meet during the Olympics in Sydney in September of 2000. Around Christmas 2001, Donaldson left her job as a realtor and moved to London. Shortly thereafter she moved to Denmark. "
:flower:
In what part of SPRING, is the weather in Denmark the most accommodating?
Should have a lottery/poll for which month: April, May or June?
And which weekend?

What happens if it rains, is windy or both?

I would say the May 16, 2004 weekend, because that is the Victoria Day weekend.

[anna]

Current activities http://kongehuset.dk/artikel.php?dogtag=kh_en_ca

Programme for 8 October 2003
9:45 - 10:00 am
Members of the Cabinet arrive at Christian IX' s Palace, Amalienborg.

10:00 am
Ordinary Meeting of the Council of State in Christian IX' s Palace.
Her Majesty The Queen presides over the Council of State which is composed of the members of the Cabinet. His Royal Highness The Crown Prince also has a seat on the Council of State. At meetings of the Council, parliamentary bills to be introduced by the Cabinet in Parliament (Folketinget) are presented. On 8 October 2003, Her Majesty The Queen will upon the Prime Minister's submission and according to the Act of Succession (section 5 subsection 3) give her consent to the marriage of His Royal Highness The Crown Prince to Miss Mary Elizabeth Donaldson.

11:00 am
After the meeting of Council of State, the ministers gather in the Banqueting Hall to greet the engaged couple, HM The Queen and HRH The Prince Consort, Professor John Donaldson and Mrs Susan Moody. Official photographs will be taken.

12:00 am
The engaged couple, HM The Queen and HRH The Prince Consort, Professor John Donaldson and Mrs Susan Moody appear on the balcony of Christian IX' s Palace.

1:15 pm
Family lunch at Fredensborg Palace.

3:30 pm
Photo opportunities and press meeting in the Garden Hall at Fredensborg Palace for accredited journalists and photographers only.

8:00 pm
Dinner at Fredensborg Palace. The engaged couple, the Royal Family, Professor John Donaldson, Mrs Susan Moody, members of the Cabinet, the Speaker of Parliament, Party leaders Representatives of the Home Rules of Greenland and the Faeroe Islands, the President of The Supreme Court and the Royal Household will attend the dinner.

The date of the wedding between His Royal Highness The Crown Prince and Miss Mary Elizabeth Donaldson is expected to be announced 8 October 2003.

[Alexandria]

www.hellomagazine.com

Our Readers' Tribute to Frederik of Denmark

7 OCTOBER 2003
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, whose engagement will be officially announced on Wednesday, has received a special tribute from hellomagazine.com readers – you overwhelmingly voted him Most Attractive Man of the week in our ongoing poll.

And it's not as though there wasn't stiff competition: the popular royal bachelor was up against universal favourite David Beckham. The footballing hero, however, only received some 2,500 votes, while Frederik clocked up a staggering 7,000 plus. This means he now goes forward to the monthly vote, and is in with a chance of making the final 12 for our Grand Finale vote which takes place at the beginning of January.

We hear from our Danish readers that the vote was a special send-off from the women of Denmark to a man who has long been considered a very eligible bachelor indeed. And, far from resenting the lady who has won the country's prince charming, it seems that Danes have welcomed Frederik's fiancée, Australian lawyer Mary Donaldson, with open arms.

Log onto www.hellomagazine.com Wednesday, October 8 to see our special report, including details of the romance, the couple's future life together, and the implications of Denmark's upcoming royal marriage.

[Julia]

This is really a tremendously big deal.

[Alexandria]

Originally posted by Alexandria@Oct 7th, 2003 - 7:52 pm
... and the implications of Denmark's upcoming royal marriage.

Implications?! They make it sound like Mary is some criminal that Frederik is marrying.

... Is it just me or does Frederik's engagement to Mary seem to be getting more attention than Phillippe's to Mathilde? I mean, if this is the attention the pre-engagement discussion is getting, the wedding coverage will be phenomenal!

[samitude]

Well, it was different in Philippe and Mathilde's case because no one even knew that Philippe was dating anyone until right before the engagement was announced. Everyone knows about his engagement because it has already been pre-announced. They just all have the engagement tomorrow to look forward to.