General News about Frederik, Mary and Family 11: January - August 2013

[Muhler]

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #19, 2013.
Mary og børnene på cykeltur - Mary and the children going biking.
Written by our pedalling reporter Casper Nielsen.

Actually it's more likely that Casper Nielsen has written the article based on the photographs by Birger Storm.
Anyway, last Sunday the weather was great and Mary took all four children on a ride along the waterfront next to Amalienborg.
In the front was Bella, wearing a Nutcase helmet and with a very concentrated look on her face. Behind came Mary on her Nihola bike with the twins crammed inside. They are getting big!
Vincent wearing a blue helmet that had slid back to the back on his head, while Josephine's helmet had slid almost down her forhead. But she did establish eyecontact with the photographer.
Equipped with a package of raisins each they enjoyed the ride.
Christian, being the responsible older brother, stayed next to Mary.

Judging from the pics there were lots of people around.

Mary wasn't the only mother out that day. The photographer spotted a duck and as the reporter puts it: - Not far from the royal peloton another proud mother was out showing her kids (well, ducklings) how to behave in the traffic. Without any comparison...

[MaggieDenmark]

thank you very much mulher! :-) it sounds like a lovely little sunday trip for Mary and all children. i will definitely go buy billede bladet later today to see the photos :-)

[dazzling]

Mary has been very quite these days, her schedule pretty empty. Any reason for that?
Its good to see her out enjoying a day with the kids.

Muhler, were there any nannies or was it just Mary and the kids? (obviously pet officers were around as well)

[polyesco]

there's probably 4 reasons for that

but i dont see her schedule being any more empty than Mette-Marit for example or even Victoria
(Mary also just came back from a trip to NY last week?)

[Muhler]

There were no nannies, nor any PET officers to be seen in the pictures. Nor were they mentioned.

[polyesco]

Originally Posted by Muhler

There were no nannies, nor any PET officers to be seen in the pictures. Nor were they mentioned.

I thought PET officers are always around?
Brave of Mary to go out with all 4 kids on bikes by herself
Im sure Frederik was getting lunch ready?

[dazzling]

Originally Posted by polyesco

there's probably 4 reasons for that

but i dont see her schedule being any more empty than Mette-Marit for example or even Victoria
(Mary also just came back from a trip to NY last week?)

I wasn't comparing and it has nothing to do with other royals IMO . She was in New York about 10 days ago and in The Netherlands last week.

Originally Posted by Muhler

There were no nannies, nor any PET officers to be seen in the pictures. Nor were they mentioned.

I thought they worked 24hrs protecting the family and out with them. Could they have been around but quite blended in? I cannot imagine the royals especially the CP family out without protection.

[Muhler]

Oh, I'm sure there were PET officers around. They not doubt stayed out of the pictures on purpose, because both Mary and the children were very much aware of the photographer and Mary obviously didn't mind, judging from her facial expression.
But they were not mentioned in the article.

Jon Bloch Skipper, the DRF expert, has claimed in a Q&A that it happens that M&F don't have PET officers around and also that he has a pretty good idea at when that happens, but he naturally wouldn't say.

That is also something I won't speculate about here, but in regards to the children I'm very certain that M&F will take no chances. I'm convinced the children have 24/7 protection.

[Roskilde]

Mary and her foursome on the bike ride last Sunday

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...86760800_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...74865560_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...98837639_n.jpg

I think it's so great that M+F do everyday things like this surrounded by the other locals Danes out for a Sunday stroll in the good weather!

[polyesco]

lovely to see
hopefully they were left alone after the pics

[FasterB]

Could it be CP Frederik behind CPss Mary, or am I imagining things here?

[dbarn67]

Originally Posted by FasterB

Could it be CP Frederik behind CPss Mary, or am I imagining things here?

No, that doesn't look like Frederik to me.

[MaggieDenmark]

it is some lovely and very down to earth photos of mary bicycling with the children. you can also see isabella inside the magazine :-)

i am pretty sure it is not frederik behind mary, i guess it was a mom-children trip :-)

[Muhler]

It's not Frederik.

- Not unless he has started to wear glasses, has become twenty years younger and begun to grow darkblonde hair.

The article is very specific, it was Mary who was out with the children.
It would be odd if the photographer didn't take a pic of Frederik if he was around. It would be equally odd if Frederik wasn't mentioned if he indeed had been present.

We have over the years seen many delightful pictures of M&F and indeed J&M, going for a stroll around Amalienborg and Fredensborg.
The way it works, as I understand it, is that a photographer hang around for a few hours at Amalienborg if the weather is good. (Must be boring work).
M&F are probably not much different from other active families with small children in DK; they go for a walk/ride before or after lunch on Sundays and after a while the photographers know their habits.
In a case like this the photographer may not get to Mary and the children when they go out but they are bound to return at some point, probably within an hour or so and the photographer just has to wait. Also, they are likely to return along the waterfront because that's a safe route without cars for small children on bikes. (Resident Copenhageners: am I right?)
Okay, there they come. The photographer steps out in the open, say hello and probably ask politely if he can have a couple of shots.
Judging from the pics of a relaxed Mary with one arm hanging down, the only one who was cycling at any speed was Bella. After a few shots the photographer says thanks and Mary and the kids are left alone and everybody is happy.

I mean, we shouldn't worry about photographers racing after Mary and the children on bicycles snapping away. PET would simply order them to get lost.

We occasionally see pics of the DRF in public places, where they are not aware of the photographer and that I think can sometimes be debatable.

ADDED: The square building in the background of the scan Roskilde kindly posted must be Skuespilhuset (theatre), which means Mary & Co. must just have passed Copenhagen Admiral Hotel on the way back to Amaliehaven (small) park and Amalienborg. - Google maps is a cool thing, eh?

[FasterB]

Originally Posted by Muhler

It's not Frederik.

- Not unless he has started to wear glasses, has become twenty years younger and begun to grow darkblonde hair.

I stille see him that way

Originally Posted by Muhler

Also, they are likely to return along the waterfront because that's a safe route without cars for small children on bikes. (Resident Copenhageners: am I right?)

You are indeed right Many copenhageners stroll on that quay BTW

[HereditaryPrincess]

Originally Posted by Roskilde

Mary and her foursome on the bike ride last Sunday

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...86760800_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...74865560_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...98837639_n.jpg

I think it's so great that M+F do everyday things like this surrounded by the other locals Danes out for a Sunday stroll in the good weather!

Me too. The photos are very nice, thank you for posting Roskilde. To me they looked like any other family. Does anyone have any photos of Isabella cycling? I couldn't see her in these ones.

[fairy tale]

Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess

Me too. The photos are very nice, thank you for posting Roskilde. To me they looked like any other family. Does anyone have any photos of Isabella cycling? I couldn't see her in these ones.

Yes here is Isabella http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/6230/6541320.jpg

[Archduchess Zelia]

How adorable they all are - the twins are almost too big for the little "cabin". Are Bella and Vincent wearing the same kind of jacket? Or perhaps the jackets are just looking very much alike.

[Roskilde]

Bella's facial expression in that picture is priceless! Something like... Come on dear photographer, you delaying my mom and siblings and they are slow enough already..

Originally Posted by Muhler

Okay, there they come. The photographer steps out in the open, say hello and probably ask politely if he can have a couple of shots.
Judging from the pics of a relaxed Mary with one arm hanging down, the only one who was cycling at any speed was Bella. After a few shots the photographer says thanks and Mary and the kids are left alone and everybody is happy.

Yes, and IMO Mary seems to handle these situations very well (better than, for example, Frederik who faster becomes irritated) She seems to understands their game. If I remember correctly, I mean that Mary once pointed out in an interview that paparazzis can be really frustrating, but that it often pays to quickly stop up, give them a smile and so move on. IIRC she said something like.. you know, it only takes you a few seconds and then they will most probably leave you alone.

[gerry]

Originally Posted by Muhler

It's not Frederik.

- Not unless he has started to wear glasses, has become twenty years younger and begun to grow darkblonde hair.

The article is very specific, it was Mary who was out with the children.
It would be odd if the photographer didn't take a pic of Frederik if he was around. It would be equally odd if Frederik wasn't mentioned if he indeed had been present.

We have over the years seen many delightful pictures of M&F and indeed J&M, going for a stroll around Amalienborg and Fredensborg.
The way it works, as I understand it, is that a photographer hang around for a few hours at Amalienborg if the weather is good. (Must be boring work).
M&F are probably not much different from other active families with small children in DK; they go for a walk/ride before or after lunch on Sundays and after a while the photographers know their habits.
In a case like this the photographer may not get to Mary and the children when they go out but they are bound to return at some point, probably within an hour or so and the photographer just has to wait. Also, they are likely to return along the waterfront because that's a safe route without cars for small children on bikes. (Resident Copenhageners: am I right?)
Okay, there they come. The photographer steps out in the open, say hello and probably ask politely if he can have a couple of shots.
Judging from the pics of a relaxed Mary with one arm hanging down, the only one who was cycling at any speed was Bella. After a few shots the photographer says thanks and Mary and the kids are left alone and everybody is happy.

I mean, we shouldn't worry about photographers racing after Mary and the children on bicycles snapping away. PET would simply order them to get lost.

We occasionally see pics of the DRF in public places, where they are not aware of the photographer and that I think can sometimes be debatable.

ADDED: The square building in the background of the scan Roskilde kindly posted must be Skuespilhuset (theatre), which means Mary & Co. must just have passed Copenhagen Admiral Hotel on the way back to Amaliehaven (small) park and Amalienborg. - Google maps is a cool thing, eh?

Definitely cool, but judging by the coats on the crown princess and her children, Copenhagen is probably more cold than cool!
Thank you for posting these pictures and translations. As spring slowly winds its way into summer plans, I am wondering whether the children are spoken to in English by the Crown Princess' parents and in French by the children's grandfather. I would think that the various cousins in the extended Danish/Greek/French family meet somewhat frequently so that French and English must play a prominent role in family communication. It would seem that the Crown Princely children must of necessity be multilingual so that I also wonder whether French is a common language to learn in Danish schools