General News about Frederik, Mary and Family Part 13: July 2014 - September 2015

[amaryllus]

They did it with style...Seriously, early Norse earls of Orkney were nicknamed the 'Skull Splitter' followed by a 'Harvist-Happy'.

[Lady Nimue]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Nice info, Roskilde.

They no doubt stayed for at least some days at Trend. They do seem to love that place.
In the autumn weather we have had this December that would have been a change from Copenhagen.

Mary is no doubt familiar with forests but a Nordic forest in winter time is naturally different from Tasmania. First and foremost it's dark! Just fifty meters from the lodge, despite lights from the windows and lights along the lane to the lodge, you literally can't see your feet. Trend is so far from anything that there are no reflections from the clouds to think of. And it's silent, the naked trees and pines muffle all sounds.
Dawn starts at 08.00 and if there is an overcast it never gets really light until dusk starts to set in a little after 14.00 and by 16.00 it's darker than in a coalmine.
So you cuddle up inside, with "hyggelys" = small lamps in the corners and more or less everywhere else, and naturally lots of candles, with a crackling fire in the fireplace. (*)
And there they sit in the dimmed light in front of the fireplace. Sitting in a couch, under a blanket with a glass of wine, with Ziggy lying in front of the fire gnawing on a bone to the sound of the rain whipping against the window panes. There is nothing to see through the windows but blackness. Sometimes a gust of wind makes the windows creak slightly in protest.
The twins are asleep, Bella and Christian can be heard talking about something in the other end of the lodge.
And right now you are alone, completely isolated from the rest of the world. It's almost a sacriledge to turn on the TV, the mobile, or even music. There is no need to say anything, silence is better. And you feel warm and safe here in your little burrow.

Walking in the forest the next day, among naked trees, among firs - in silence, because the dead needles muffles your steps, it doesn't take a stretch of the imagination to believe that around the next bend there is a pancake-house.
But once you step out of the forest near the fjord, the sky is suddenly endless and blindingly bright, especially when it's overcast.

And Frederik can tell his children in the bed about the wolves watching the lodge right now. Which they might actually do...

(*) For those interested, this is "hyggebelysning" = cosy mood lighting: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dHfcpUIl1B...vstorp08sm.jpg
http://i.boliga.org/ss/x1400y933/bss...0w0/172033.jpg

What a wonderful description, Muhler! Love it! Very evocative.

[Roskilde]

Tonight DR will send their annual TV show "Christmas Greetings from Greenland". DR have sent the traditional broadcast since 1932. During the show Frederik sends his greeting to Greenland and thanks on behalf of Mary and the children for the fantastic trip to Greenland. Vincent and Josephine he of course mentions as Prince Minik and Princess Ivalo:

- The immediate cordiality which I always experience in Greenland my children became a part of. The Crown Princess and I, Prince Christian and Princess Isabella, Prince Minik and Princess Ivalo would like to wish all of you in Greenland a very happy Christmas.

VIDEO Gør som Kronprinsen: Send din julehilsen til Grønland | Jul i DR | DR

[Tarlita]

Muhler you have set a wonderful cozy scene with your narrative on Trend. Thank you.

[kronprinsessa-marl]

New photo of Mary and Isabella with Josephine Fleming

Księżna Mary: Gdzie Mary spędziła ostatni weekend?

[Roskilde]

Thanks

Mary is godmother to Josephine Flemming. And the picture is taken in Copenhagen last Saturday (20th December) when Josephine Flemming celebrated her 8th birthday.

Text at the picture: "A very happy birthday girl - Josephine eight years - happy birthday"

[polyesco]

Originally Posted by Roskilde

Tonight DR will send their annual TV show "Christmas Greetings from Greenland". DR have sent the traditional broadcast since 1932. During the show Frederik sends his greeting to Greenland and thanks on behalf of Mary and the children for the fantastic trip to Greenland. Vincent and Josephine he of course mentions as Prince Minik and Princess Ivalo:

- The immediate cordiality which I always experience in Greenland my children became a part of. The Crown Princess and I, Prince Christian and Princess Isabella, Prince Minik and Princess Ivalo would like to wish all of you in Greenland a very happy Christmas.

VIDEO Gør som Kronprinsen: Send din julehilsen til Grønland | Jul i DR | DR

How nice
and Frederik with the pink tie
its cute that he uses the names Minik and Ivalo

[MidwestMom]

Muhler, you've outdone yourself with that lovely description of night at the lodge in Trend. It reminded me of the days when I used to live in the country.

[Muhler]

Thank you for the kind words, ladies.

[Muhler]

Daily Mail has a let's-write-something-anything-about-Mary article today: Inside Princess Mary's stunning Danish palace* | Daily Mail Online

This time comparing her modest childhood home (You almost get the impression she and her family used to live in a rolled up newspaper inside a septic tank) with her new home at Amalienborg complete with several year old photos.

[Muhler]

I guess we can put this here: Forvirring i Kina: Hvem er Frederik, og hvem er Joachim? | Nyhederne.tv2.dk

(The second clip is mostly devoted to Frederik).

As you know one of the most important roles of the DRF is to promote DK.
A popular Chinese TV-show (200 million viewers) has for the first time send their hosts to a European country and DK was selected.
The reason apparently being that DK has a good brand in China. H.C. Andersen is mandatory reading in Chinese schools and has been so for many, many years. (Because his fairy tales can be interpreted in a very Maoist way if need be). QMII was the first monarch to visit Communist China back in the 70's.
To the Chinese middle class especially Danish design and products has a good rapport. The welfare system is also very palatable to the one party capitalism they have in China.
That includes selling fully packaged welfare systems to China, like kindergartens and retirement homes designed, build and run according to Danish principles. Including Free from Bullying. (While we in DK debate as to whether we should change our educational system to be more like the Chinese. It is indeed a strange world)!

As such the DRF has been to China several times in recent years to promote Danish commerce and QMII got a surprisingly good and wide coverage on her recent state visit there.
It also helps that DK is a small country that poses absolutely no political threat to china.

As such Frederik was shanghaied (couldn't resist ) to act as tour guide for the Chinese Tv-crew to cycle to the Little Mermaid. She's located a little kilometer down the quay from Amalienborg. Alas, they got his name wrong. Oh, well...

But the coverage helps! The last time a similar Tv-show aired a show about DK the embassy was flooded with requests for visas to DK. And we absolutely love Chinese tourists! They are little fuss and they spend a lot of money in our most expensive tourists traps.

[Rudolph]

Competing biopics to chart lives and romance of Danish royal couple | World news | The Guardian

She has been described as the Australian Kate Middleton, while he is a more follicly gifted Prince William. Now the lives of the Danish crown princess, Mary, and the crown prince, Frederik, are to be depicted on screen in 2015 with two television projects charting their lives and romance.

Neither project has been approved by the palace, but Mary: The Making of a Princess is billed as a “true life fairytale” about how Australian Mary Donaldson met Prince Frederik at a Sydney pub in 2000. Her prince will be getting the biopic treatment in Frederik’s Young Years – focusing on his playboy reputation in the 1990s.

[Archduchess Zelia]

"The Australian Kate Middleton" – only, wouldn't it be the other way around since Mary and Frederik married long before marriage was even a topic between William and Catherine?

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Daily Mail has a let's-write-something-anything-about-Mary article today: Inside Princess Mary's stunning Danish palace* | Daily Mail Online

This time comparing her modest childhood home (You almost get the impression she and her family used to live in a rolled up newspaper inside a septic tank) with her new home at Amalienborg complete with several year old photos.

Tak Muhler! This is wonderful. I've never seen so many photos of the reception area of the CP couple's home at Amailenborg.

[polyesco]

"he is a more follicly gifted Prince William"
oh Dailymail

Interesting the China Documentary, cant get better with Frederik as a tour guide

[Tarlita]

I was thinking about the China documentary before xmas. It seems a shame we won't get to see it here in Australia. I hope you all enjoy it in Denmark.

[HereditaryPrincess]

The Danish royals are about to be given a Hollywood makeover - two films are being made about the Crown Prince Of Denmark and his colourful love life.
The first biopic, called Frederik's Young Years, will cover the Crown Prince Frederik's past as a prolific playboy.
The second, called Mary: The Making of A Princess, will focus on his fairy tale romance with his now-wife, the Australian 'commoner' Mary Donaldson, who he met in a pub in Sydney 14 years ago.

Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary to get TWO films made about their love lives | Daily Mail Online

[Muhler]

Had a closer look at the newly published pics of Amalienborg Square. (Me loves details ) http://kongehuset.dk/materialemappe/...otsplads-5.img
The pic was taken on the 29th at 12.01. - A cold day as you can see.
M&F are in residence because the flag is up and they have just lit up a cozy fire in the fireplace.
Because at 11.57 there was no smoke from the chimney.
http://kongehuset.dk/materialemappe/...slotsplads.img

BTW: Happy New Year.

[tommy100]

Looks lovely!! Out of interest does a flag only fly when they are in residence?

[Muhler]

Yes.

Notice the mansion with the scaffolding, the RC's mansion. No flag, because QMII and PH now reside at Fredensborg.