General News about Frederik, Mary and Family 10: December 2011 - January 2013

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Duke-of-Earl

Bit of a sweeping statement regarding cyclists and in this case you have no idea who was at fault, if indeed there is anyone at fault.
Mary could have been driving like a 'Kamikaze' pilot for all you or I know.

No, I'm talking about cyclists in general. One of my pet-annoyances.

ADDED: Ekstra Bladet, (Which actually has a very good police stuff coverage) has more: http://ekstrabladet.dk/flash/kongeli...cle1850468.ece

The incident happend yesterday at around 16.30.
In the car were also Isabella and Christian.

An eye wittness from a nearby cafe tells: "I had been in the coffee bar and went outside to drink my coffee, when I saw Mary jumping out of the car. She was really shocked.

Another explains that a PET officer was also on the spot right away: "Initially they parked the cars in the middle of the road, but (they) soon moved the cars to the side".
He says that the cyclist was a woman in her 50's or 60's: "Nothing serious happened to her. I don't even think she hit the ground. But she was very shocked and so was Mary".

Then as a kind of curiosum in the middle of the whole thing a couple of parking attendents turned up and demanded that Mary's car and the PET car should be moved at once, says the article. The PET officer flashed his badge and that shut them up.

The coffee bar wittness goes on: "Mary was very sorry. And the cyclist asked whether she should text message Mary. They laughed a little about that, because that was an absurd thought. I also heard the cyclist say that it was fun that she (Mary) was the one who did it".

One wheel on the cycle was damaged but it all took place at very low speed, because the street is narrow, there are cars parked and builders are doing some renovation.

Lene Balleby from the court says to Ekstra Bladet: "It's correct that the car of the Crown Princess glanced the cyclist. The Crown Princess was of course scared and (she) is sorry of the incident but glad that nothing happened to the cyclist. The Crown Princess has afterwards been in contact with the cyclist to ensure that the cyclist is fine".

Lene Balleby adds that the court will pay for any damages to the cycle.

[dbarn67]

Originally Posted by Muhler

No, I'm talking about cyclists in general. One of my pet-annoyances.

They're mine too, I'm more wary of people on bike than I am of the cars, especially in NYC.

[NoorMeansLight]

Google translation: Google Übersetzer
Such accidents happen every day, unfortunately! I hope everyone is doing well, including the children, who must have been shocked a lot!

[Duke-of-Earl]

Muhler, thanks for the details, makes it clear it was just an accident.

[Roskilde]

As a danish reader comments on Ekstrabladet's article:

Good to read that Mary has behaved so well and shown so much care, and that no one was seriously injured. This, once again shows her amazing person! Anyone can come out of an accident, it is the care after the accident that shows whether you are a good person.


I think it is a very good comment.

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Mind you, cyclist are more often than not reincarnated Kamikaze pilots on two wheels. Completely oblivious to any traffic rules and the world around them.

So true!

Just yesterday I myself witnessed a smiliar accident when a cyclist failed to stop. Wakey wakey!!

[ANNIE_S]

Well, I must disagree completely on that. I really feel annoyed when royals behave as they should, nothing more, and everyone makes a big deal of that, like "Oooohh, he/she´s such a good person, amazing..." and so on. It annoys me to no end.
Royals aren´t different from us moraly and ethical speaking, and if a royal or any other person hits accidentally another with his car (which can happen to anybody and there is no neccesity for looking for a guilty, I´m sure most of us have been directly or indirectly involved on some traffic accident, unfortunately), be sure that the other person is ok, pay for the damages and apologize doesn´t mean "being a good person" at all, it means being a decent human being, quite different from my point of view. Not doing that, however, would mean being not a good person at all (and the fact that can be many "indecent" individues out there, doesn´t change that).

I actually think that saying Mary is "such a good person" for doing it, would mean that she would be "average" if not, which is really unfair, IMO.

[Duke-of-Earl]

Originally Posted by ANNIE_S

I actually think that saying Mary is "such a good person" for doing it, would mean that she would be "average" if not, which is really unfair, IMO.

I agree. I mean how did people think she was going to handle the incident, fly off the handle? Of course she 'was such a good person'.

[Madame Royale]

Well, I must disagree completely on that. I really feel annoyed when royals behave as they should, nothing more, and everyone makes a big deal of that, like "Oooohh, he/she´s such a good person, amazing..." and so on. It annoys me to no end.
Royals aren´t different from us moraly and ethical speaking, and if a royal or any other person hits accidentally another with his car (which can happen to anybody and there is no neccesity for looking for a guilty, I´m sure most of us have been directly or indirectly involved on some traffic accident, unfortunately), be sure that the other person is ok, pay for the damages and apologize doesn´t mean "being a good person" at all, it means being a decent human being, quite different from my point of view. Not doing that, however, would mean being not a good person at all (and the fact that can be many "indecent" individues out there, doesn´t change that).

I actually think that saying Mary is "such a good person" for doing it, would mean that she would be "average" if not, which is really unfair, IMO.

I understand what you mean. The media, and many people, tend to become rather awestruck by the decent and moralistic actions of high profiled individual's because as a society we don't view them as people, per say, but as remote untouchables who we anticipate should experience a large degree of societal disconnect in regards to shared common values. It's such an odd mentality.

Mary approached the situation no differently to the way any other concerned motorist would have engaged with the person.

[ANNIE_S]

Originally Posted by Madame Royale

I understand what you mean. The media, and many people, tend to become rather awestruck by the decent and moralistic actions of high profiled individual's because as a society we don't view them as people, per say, but as remote untouchables who we anticipate should experience a large degree of societal disconnect in regards to shared common values. It's such an odd mentality.

Mary approached the situation no differently to the way any other concerned motorist would have engaged with the person.

That´s what I wanted to say
However, I can see how famous people´s actions like this can be used to awareness people (what is more than worrying that there´s a necessity for these "awareness campaigns", though).

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by Duke-of-Earl

Muhler, thanks for the details, makes it clear it was just an accident.

You are welcome.

From the details we have learned:
Yes, Mary behaved like anyone should do in such a situation, but unfortunately not everyone do.
- In that sense you can perhaps say she is a "rolemodel" for reacting in the right way. Like tending to the cyclist first and foremost.

She didn't start to blame the cyclist or yell at her or leave it to PET and drive away as soon as possible or simply stand in the background. Which some in a situation similar to hers might have.
She also seemed to go through the standard practise of leaving this to the insurance companies, as evident by the woman spontanously offering to text her.
It appears, fortunately, to be such a banal incident that PET didn't even bother to call in a patrol car to assist.
And one of the articles mentions that it hadn't even been reported to the police.
So, yeah, Mary did okay.

In my opinion it requires steady nerves to drive in downtown Copenhagen, not least with two no doubt talkative children in the back.
I personally hate driving in city centres and in my opinion it's the adult cyclist who are worst, they ride on auto-pilot.
Children tend to be more aware, is my experience.

[Archduchess Zelia]

Mary handled the situation very well and as every decent person should, I think what amazes the reader on ekstrabladet.dk (who usually have readers who are critical surrounding absolutely everything) is that Mary didn't tell her security to handle the matter and that she took care of it herself, might not be surprising for someone who knows a thing or two about Mary, but for someone who might be opposed or critical of the monarchy, it might strike them as a surprise.

As a frequent cyclist in inner Copenhagen where I've gone to school for a couple of years, I can safely tell you that most of the car drivers are absolutely inconsiderate and only think about moving forward as fast as possible. This doesn't include Mary, I'm sure she's a good driver (I'm sure we would have heard about it otherwise), but I just felt like I needed to defend my "people" It's especially frustrating riding your bike when there are cars parked on each side of the road and drivers who don't respect the right of way. That said, I know there are a lot of horrible cyclists out there, sometimes I doubt if the even know the common rules of cycling.

[Artemisia]

I'm just glad both Mary and the cyclist were OK.
Incidents do happen, and while most of us know how we should behave in such circumstances, not all of us actually do when push comes to shove.

[FasterB]

Originally Posted by Muhler

No, I'm talking about cyclists in general. One of my pet-annoyances.

Originally Posted by Muhler

In my opinion it requires steady nerves to drive in downtown Copenhagen, not least with two no doubt talkative children in the back.
I personally hate driving in city centres and in my opinion it's the adult cyclist who are worst, they ride on auto-pilot.
Children tend to be more aware, is my experience.

Cyclists in CPH are driving with their heads under the right arm, but so are some drivers.
I remember that when I moved to CPH a loooooong time ago I had to learn where to stop if I were going straight ahead - it´s a jungle driving bike in CPH

[Roskilde]

Mary's maid/dresser, Tina Jørgensen gets buried in these hours and Mary and Christian says goodbye to her

http://multimedia.ekstrabladet.dk/st...=379;33186.jpg
http://multimedia.ekstrabladet.dk/ar...ix_859172o.jpghttp://a.bimg.dk/node-images/795/5/6...5795710-bt.jpg

Article from eb:
Ekstra Bladet - Mary har Christian med til begravelse

And from bt.dk
Mary i sorg: Siger farvel til hofdame lige nu - Royale | www.bt.dk

Oh this is sad, they must have been close

http://a.bimg.dk/node-images/795/5/6...5795840-bt.jpg

[Muhler]

As this is posted Mary and Christian are attending the funeral of her Lady's maid/chamber maid, Tina Jørgensen.

Two large pictures:
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files...5795710-bt.jpg
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files...5795609-bt.jpg

And a gallery from BT, which I presume will be updated: Se billederne: Mary og Christian til begravelse | www.bt.dk

A number of those close to Mary are also attending, among them Caroline Heering and Søren Hedegaard: Mary i sorg: Siger farvel til hofdame lige nu - Royale | www.bt.dk

According to the captions Christian and Tina Jørgensen were close.

[Madame Royale]

I've never seen a photograph of a royal so visibly moved. The poor dear :(

[FasterB]

Heartbreaking

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by Madame Royale

I've never seen a photograph of a royal so visibly moved. The poor dear :(

I know, it's awful to look at pictures like that.

[Archduchess Zelia]

That picture of Mary is absolutely heartbreaking, it's really clear to see just how treasured Tina Jørgensen was to her. I think it's good she brought Christian with her, I was right about his age when my uncle, to whom I was very close, died and my mum didn't bring me to his funeral and I'm really kind of sorry that she didn't bring me, because I would like to have had the chance to say goodbye, so I'm glad Mary brought Christian, who undoubtedly was close to Tina.