General News about Frederik, Mary and Family 1: August 2007 - February 2008

[Chimene]

This strategy is understandable as far as OK! B-VIPs are concerned but for me it does not work with royals as they should not lower themselves to this kind of level.

Not necessarily. When it comes to public figures, no matter the variety, being on the positive side of public opinion is essential. And it's especially key in this case, if the DRF wants to avoid a Diana/Charles like debacle.

I wonder why F & M felt the need to justify or explain themselves the way they did.

By telling their own story, they are shutting down the gossips. When people meddle or pry into a relationship it's never good for the marriage, and it's even worse in this case because the people don't really know you. Yes, a few of the pictures were cheesy, but a lot of people are that way. It is not a capital offense.

As I said before, looking at this I can't help myself now thinking where there's smoke ....

Perhaps, but we won't know until something happens to disprove the images the couple agree to put forth. They agree despite the problems (we all know every marriage has them), so on some level they must know that they have to work it out because of what's at sake. The last comment is pure speculation on my part.

Some always assume the best, unless there is strong suggestion, if not real evidence to the contrary. And if that makes them Pollyanna or naive, so be it.

 

[Madame Royale]

but as credible evidence for their happy family life the pictures simply don't cut.

As creble evidence for any degree of marital discord, the book and all tabloid articles simply don't cut it.​

 

[crisscross1]

Unless any of us live in the palace with them and see how their everyday life really is we can not begin to assume whether their marriage is solid or not. I'm sure there are days when they are upset with each other about something. (I can't begin to imagine what) She may have slept badly, he may have just found out that Nanoq was scratched from a race, she couldn't find the pair of shoes she really wanted to wear and he can't understand what the big deal is. (Given the fact that he cries so easily he is probably on the floor in the closet helping her look) but you get my point.
All the media speculation in the world isn't going to tell the true story. Having given an interview people still read into it what really isn't there. Giving lots of photo's opens the flood gates for critisism and inuendo. They really can't win.
I know this is what discussions are all about and people are entitled to their opinion but really, it's been going on for weeks. JMHO
I might just give this thread a miss for a while.

 

[Stefanie]

Well, after Frederik´s bad upbringing it would be a miracle if he´d manage to keep staying married all his life. It didn´t work with Joachim so I all the more believe it won´t last forever with him.

 

[Madame Royale]

..after Frederik´s bad upbringing

Funny that though, given Frederik himself has dismissed the perception he had a'bad' childhood.

And in Margrethe and Henrik, Frederik has a good example of what it is to work at a marriage. Joachim and Alexandra's inability to remain married were for reasons unknown to anyone though I certainly wouldn't suggest his upbringing to have influenced the split. That's a rather odd notion. Their courtship was a whirlwind, having married within a year of meeting.

 

[Isabel]

Well, after Frederik´s bad upbringing it would be a miracle if he´d manage to keep staying married all his life. It didn´t work with Joachim so I all the more believe it won´t last forever with him.

Well, you never really know about people. The fact that Joachim and Frederick are brothers doesn't necessarily mean that they have the same view on marriage. Divorce may have been acceptable to Joachim and Alex, but it may not be acceptable to Fred and Mary. If Fred and Mary have any extreme marital problems, they may choose to work on it and stay together.

We still have no idea what happened between Joachim and Alex. They felt that whatever was broken couldn't be fixed and ended their marriage and both have literally move on. Fred and Mary may feel different about problems that they may face and choose to stick it out.

 

[Aurora810]

Why are things so different for these two? I mean what is it about them that attracts such gossipy things? I don't see similar issues being discussed in other royal's threads. I do remember months ago there was a rumor that the King and Queen of Jordan may be headed for a divorce and Queen Rania denied it, the whole idea of a divorce went away quite fast, IMO. But I'm wondering why Fred and Mary seem to attract such gossipy things? I just don't get it! Why are some looking so hard for something to be wrong?

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

But I'm wondering why Fred and Mary seem to attract such gossipy things? I just don't get it! Why are some looking so hard for something to be wrong?

Some people obviously miss those loving looks & gestures when looking at Fred & Mary (eg as the Asturias couple usually shows). I personally don't think that showing or not showing emotions in public is an indicator for what is going on in a marriage. It's well known that royals are able to pull off an awful lot of acting skills if needed in either direction. Other people think that Mary is calculating and only married for status & attention, hence her active role and often impeccable appearances in the looks & fashion department at events, therefore poor Fred must be an unhappy chap. Don't think that there is any truth in this either since all CP couples more or less do what the respective court / ruling monarch allows them or wants them to do.

By the way, M & F are not the only couple where people constantly suspect that something must be wrong; Felipe & Letizia suffer from similar suspicions altough it's not regarding their marriage but Letizia's problems with her health or her role. Only MM & Maxima enjoy - apart from a silly rumour here and there - the reputation of having a solid marriage and being well accepted by the Royal Families and the public of their respective countries.

 

[Isabel]

By the way, M & F are not the only couple where people constantly suspect that something must be wrong; Felipe & Letizia suffer from similar suspicions altough it's not regarding their marriage but Letizia's problems with her health or her role. Only MM & Maxima enjoy - apart from a silly rumour here and there - the reputation of having a solid marriage and being well accepted by the Royal Families and the public of their respective countries.

So true. For some reason people seem to be waiting for these two couples to fall apart. However, I really don't understand the obsession with the rumours surrounding Fred and Mary. I simply don't see where they are so oddly matched that their marriage has to be constantly scrutinized and relationship turned into tabloid gossip.

 

[Lichtenstein]

Since I don't speak danish, I haven't read the interview in its original, but only translated form. However and that could be biased, I found it quite interesting that so many subjects were touched that had been a topic in the media or on the message boards in the months leading up to this sudden verbal and visual diarrhea.
That the Trine Book was a non issue in the interview IMo is not correct, didn't Fred say, that his wife was much more concerned about it , than he was? (that is an answer)
They revealed why Mary appeared so fashion addicted, they addressed the "Fred had a nasty childhood" topic, by paddling back and making it appear that it yes, was different but not unusual. They hinted at "the children sleeping in their bedroom" as a counter argument to " too many nannies" or "how good a mother is Mary" they showed pictures of them at the computer working as evidence that "Oh, yes they are not lazy", even though they have the lowest number of public appearances.
And nobody can convince me that the quite cheesy teenage lover type photos in the park arent a response to the "fairy tale gone bad" rumours.
They simply IMO overdid and me thinks, the couple protested too much...
It is fun to see so many pix of the family, don't get me wrong, but as credible evidence for their happy family life the pictures simply don't cut.

That's perfectly my thoughts, too. If interview plus pics are meant as PR coup, then it was just that tiny bit overdone that makes the difference between credible and pure advertisement. Some family pics of christmas preparations would have done perfectly.

 

[Christo's Girl]

Princess Mary's trip to Oz | The Daily Telegraph

"CROWN Princess Mary could soon be on her way to Tasmania to introduce her young daughter Princess Isabella to her Australian heritage.

Crown Prince Frederik has told Danish magazine Billed Bladet that he and Mary expect to bring seven-month-old Isabella and two-year- old Christian on a family visit to Tasmania soon."

Maybe this trip will be sooner than we think. I was looking at their calender and there is a huge gap in their schedules after Jan 10th.

 

[grevinnan]

The dysfunctional danish royal family and Frederik's dislike for being born to be the next king has been discussed widely among danes for many years prior to any web based discussion boards. Let's hope Joachim and Frederik will be able to break the cycle and have happy family lives with their spouses and children. Don't ever expect royal families to display their family discord during photo sessions.

 

[Saphire]

Maybe this trip will be sooner than we think. I was looking at their calender and there is a huge gap in their schedules after Jan 10th.

Is it just me or does there always seem to be big gaps in their calendar? its like they work hard for a couple of weeks and they take a long break, then another few days of work followed by another break, before we know it its their summer vacation and after that it goes downhill.

 

[Christo's Girl]

Well, I really don't follow their schedule but they don't carry out as many engagements as the BRF. Probably Mary averages about 1 engagement a week?

 

[norwegianne]

Well, I really don't follow their schedule but they don't carry out as many engagements as the BRF. Probably Mary averages about 1 engagement a week?

Given the differences in size and population of Denmark (5,470,919 inhabitants) and the UK (60,587,300 inhabitants), it becomes difficult to make any comparison as to the number of engagements of the royal families. A country with a high population will, possibly, have more activity going on for a royal to be present at, than a country with a smaller population.

 

[JessRulz]

Maybe this trip will be sooner than we think. I was looking at their calender and there is a huge gap in their schedules after Jan 10th.

Mary & Frederik's calender is only updated in two-week slots. Events in the last two weeks of January will be put on their website in around a week or two

 

[Christo's Girl]

Oh, really didn't know that, I was hoping for a trip to Australia. These trips seem to produce nice family shots.

 

[Fashionista100]

We also have to remember that many engagements are private. Mary makes many private visits to her charities. Occassionally you hear about them when the patronage puts a picture on their website. Also, she is working still on finalizing the Mary Foundation. Then, they want to be there for their children and be as hands on as possible. I think the Danes support this. We would be blasting them if they didn't too. I enjoy their photos and don't think they are cheesy. I think they are beautiful. I wish I had photos like that with my husband.

 

[JessRulz]

We also have to remember that many engagements are private. Mary makes many private visits to her charities. Occassionally you hear about them when the patronage puts a picture on their website. Also, she is working still on finalizing the Mary Foundation...

These visits are also placed on their website, under "Other Activities"

 

[Lichtenstein]

Both, Fred and Mary should just stop talking, talking, talking and start doing instead. And for the other thing: what does the moon care about the dog barking at him? They do not have to respond on everything that is made up. The best way to cope is to ignore it.

 

[crisscross1]

Both, Fred and Mary should just stop talking, talking, talking and start doing instead. They do not have to respond on everything that is made up. The best way to cope is to ignore it.

So they should ignore comments such as yours as well?
Good advice.

 

[stellam]

I think F&M are "doing" okay, between the two of them they have quite a few charities that they support and do a lot of background work for. Thats apart from some of their other duties. So it's not all talk, talk, talk.

Stellad

 

[Lichtenstein]

So they should ignore comments such as yours as well?
Good advice.

Yes! They cannot and will never be able to react to everything that is said about them. If they think it's justified (being too concerned about fashion or being too focused on sailing) they just can correct it by changing their focus on other things. No big explanation needed here just action. And if they think it's not justified or it's not their point of view: ignore it.

Remember Queen Margrethe being attaced at meddling too much with art without being a gifted artist? She just ignored it.

 

[Madame Royale]

When do they ever comment on public speculation or slander at any length?

 

[biboquinhas]

I think they did what they think was the best , they are the regent couple so they need sometimes to expose a bit to the public, the public like that! Giving that photos allow people to know a bit more of who it will be their Queen and King some day, and I think that is a good strategy! It show us that they are normal couple and that they live their private life like any other modern couple!Of course we will have always a negative and a positive side of this but is that how it works always

 

[antonieta]

I just saw the cover of Billed Bladet of these week, and i tinhk it shows a photo of Mary and Marie together on shopping, can anyone who speaks danish says if i'm correct? Thanks.

 

[GlitteringTiaras]

I haven't heard anything about it yet, nor have I seen any reports about it on DRWs. Perhaps if it is true, we might hear about later this week.

Are you sure you weren't mistaking Mary and Carina shopping together (which they did during the Royal Hunt at Fredensborg several weeks back) or Mary shopping with Helle and Caroline whilst in London prior to Christmas?

ETA:

According to Muhler on the CPMB, and the main translator for all the articles on DRWs, Mary and Marie did go shopping together in Århus a couple of days after Christmas.

He notes, via Billed Bladet, that the two ate lunch together and generally had a good time. They were apparently accompanied with "...Reverend Parkov..." which he says is a family friend and who celebrated the holidays with the DRF this year.

So give thanks to Muhler from DRWs for that tidbit.

 

[mitchell]

the cover of Billed-Bladet
Ugens forside ... Billed-Bladet: Danmarks Royale Ugeblad...
all the best Mitchell

 

[GlitteringTiaras]

A couple of more (slightly new) photos, here, here, here, and here from the Berlingske Tidende interview.

 

[Her_Majesty]

DRW posted pictures of Marie and Mary shopping together in Arhus:
Danish Royal Watchers: Mary & Marie out & about in Ã…rhus