General News about Frederik, Mary and Family Part 16: August 2016 - December 2017 - Page 20

Somebody · #**381** 12-12-2017, 02:41 PM

The Dutch royal family organizes a photo call anytime they are in Argentina for Christmas (every other year as well), so there are lots of pictures. Officially the photo call is organized for the Argentinian press in the hopes of being left alone afterwards.

Furthermore, queen Máxima has been photographed many times on short private visits. So, not announcing doesn't seem to be a solution.

Quote:

Originally Posted by polyesco

In 2015 their holidays were also announced beforehand and they were pretty much left alone. Some pictures might come out but they seem to have quiet times in Australia

This is only their second Christmas away from Denmark, so it makes sense to have an announcement

What about their previous december trips to Australia? Are you saying that they always returned before Christmas?

polyesco · #**382** 12-12-2017, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Somebody

What about their previous december trips to Australia? Are you saying that they always returned before Christmas?

As far as I know yes. I might be wrong but 2015 was the first Christmas in Australia.

Nordic · #**383** 12-12-2017, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Somebody

What about their previous december trips to Australia? Are you saying that they always returned before Christmas?

Yes.

This is the second time that they spend part of December just privately in Australia. The other visits in November/December have been official visits for most parts.

I think this is the second time in 17 years that Mary (and her family) gets to spend Christmas with her family in Australia.

Somebody · #**384** 12-12-2017, 02:57 PM

Thanks for the confirmation! I couldn't remember and assumed that they stayed for Christmas in previous years as well.

Sun Lion · #**385** 12-12-2017, 09:42 PM

Good video of yesterday's yacht race -

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...629136279&_rdr

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...376939223&_rdr

Muhler · #**386** 12-16-2017, 05:01 AM

https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelig...n-i-australien

BB writes today that one major and traditional event in Australia is the sailing-race from Sydney to Hobart. And M&F intends to follow that race, especially because one of the boats are owned by a friend of M&F, Sandy Oats. The race will take place on the 26th.

- I know modern sail-boats are fast, but surely it will take a couple of days to get to Hobart?

eya · #**387** 12-16-2017, 11:03 AM

HereditaryPrincess · #**388** 12-16-2017, 03:31 PM

Nice to see the family enjoying Australia - I particularly like this photo of little Josephine as it really captures her fun-loving personality. I'm guessing that the woman with blonde hair is a friend or the children's nanny?

polyesco · #**389** 12-16-2017, 04:00 PM

Thanks for the photos Eva. The family looks to be having a great time.
Love the photo of Vincent and Josephine playing soccer
https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/...c990?width=650

the blonde lady looks to be Amber, Mary's Australian friend.

Sun Lion · #**390** 12-16-2017, 04:06 PM

Both Mary and Frederik were injured in the surf.

Mary on her elbow - hence the photo of her being helped with a couple of band-aids by Frederik, and Fred himself catching a gash across his chest.

The family were at the northern most beach - of what is known as the Northern Beaches of Sydney - on Friday, Palm Beach or "Palmy".

(Now Sunday morning here and grey, cool and raining. Good for the dangers of the fire season, and a break from the heat-wave, but not ideal summer/beach weather - though it's starting to clear and we may get a good afternoon. Still on 8.30am.)

An article, with a few extra photos, was in the local Sydney paper and had some details of the day.

The group - family, friends and minders - arrived about 11.30am and spent an hour swimming.

They almost had the beach to themselves, apart from a group school children, due to the overcast weather - and also being a work day.

The group had lunch at one of the beach cafes after their swim.

Palm Beach is one of many ocean beaches along the Northern Peninsula of Sydney.

It probably has the most "glamorous" reputation, as it has a lot of expensive housing.

Nicole Kidman, Sarah, Duchess of York and any well-known person is photographed here, even though the other beaches as just as good.

Sarah's sister Jane was married just nearby above Whale Beach if you remember the "Hello" photos.

And any fans of Australian TV show "Home and Away" will know Palm Beach as "Summer Bay", as that is where so much filming is done.

As Palm Beach is where all the well-known visitors to Sydney rent for a beach holiday, I wouldn't be suprised if Mary and Frederik have taken a house there, rather than stay at a city hotel.

It's not a long trip down to the CBD and Harbour, for any non-beach days.

Sun Lion · #**391** 12-16-2017, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muhler

https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelig...n-i-australien

BB writes today that one major and traditional event in Australia is the sailing-race from Sydney to Hobart. And M&F intends to follow that race, especially because one of the boats are owned by a friend of M&F, Sandy Oats. The race will take place on the 26th.

- I know modern sail-boats are fast, but surely it will take a couple of days to get to Hobart?

The "Daily Telegraph" article about the family's Palm Beach swim again suggested Frederik may be involved in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race Muhler - even though the Channel Ten video from Tuesday has him saying he won't be.

They are suggesting he may go on the Danish/Australian crewed "Nokia" rather than "Wild Oats XI, owned by the Oats family.

No spectators follow the race on other boats as it is so dangerous, so maybe Mary and Frederik will be following it like the rest of us, via the news.

Even the officials lose the contact with various yachts throughout the race and the whole field gets very spread out.

Several people died a few years ago, lost fingers etc.

The race Mary and Frederik were involved in on Sydney Harbour on Tuesday was in aid of that tragedy.

Princess Carolin'es son Pierre was a crew member in the 2015 race.

I would certainly expect the whole family to be out among the throng on the Harbour on Boxing Day to see the start, if they are still here in Sydney.

(Though that would mean not having Christmas Day in Hobart. But they may not even go to Tasmania at all of course.)

There is always a race to be the first out of the Heads - that is, to be the first yacht to get out between North and South Head which is the opening of the Harbour out to the actual sea.

I've been on a boat for that - a lot of commercial vessels take passengers and do a big lunch affair.

I've also seen the start from different beaches.

A lot of people gather on the Heads themselves to see it all, and there will be big crowds around the Harbour and on private vessels. Busiest day on the Harbour, apart from Australia Day.

Always very exciting when the spinakers go up and the jostling for position that has been taking place - to be near the start line, but not cross it too soon - leads to a great getaway.

Here is a wiki article about the 1998 race that lead to six deaths, the loss of five yachts, the rescue of fifty-five crew members and the involvement of the military in the rescue operation which took twenty seven Navy vessels and thirty-five aircraft.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998...art_Yacht_Race

Roskilde · #**392** 12-16-2017, 05:20 PM

It’s indeed very sweet pictures, they sure have a lovely and funny time in mom’s home country. However, I really think papparazi photos shouldn’t exist! But they seems to be left alone as they have been in Australia for a week now. Great.

And Sun Lion, a big thank you for all your information of Australia, places and traditions. It’s a beautiful country you (and Mary) have

Quote:

Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess

Nice to see the family enjoying Australia - I particularly like this photo of little Josephine as it really captures her fun-loving personality. I'm guessing that the woman with blonde hair is a friend or the children's nanny?

It’s Mary’s friend, Amber.

Sun Lion · #**393** 12-16-2017, 05:37 PM

You're very welcome Roskilde.

What suprises me is that this time the children's faces haven't been pixaletd out. (Remember the 2015 Byron Bay photos.)

Anyway, the day is warmng up again already - looks like the cool and the rain are over.

And I'm wondering if the children will be doing Bridge-Climb.

Mary and Frederik did it a few years ago.

The children are old enough for it, and our zoo can't be that different to Copenhagen's, Luna Park not that different to Tivoli etc.

But climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge would be a unique experience for them.

Here are some photos of Palm Beach I took a few years ago.

Very narrow isthmus with the ocean - Palm Beach on one side, and a more sheltered beach on Pittwater, on the other.

The middle photo shows some of Palm Beach, and the last photo shows the headland at the far end of Palm Beach.

Large lighthouse in the area where I took the photos from. (It's a "thing" to climb the steep, sandy dunes to get to the lighthouse - very hard going.)

Lovely homes on both sides and a ferry service on Pittwater to other places in that area. Some islands have homes on them, but people often have their own run-abouts.

This is where the seaplanes often fly back and forth from, for people who don't want to travel the road which is winding and busy as there is no train service in the whole Peninsula area.

(Pippa followers will remember the seaplane photos from her honeymoon time in Sydney.)

carina_a · #**394** 12-16-2017, 06:32 PM

Awww they were in the Northern Beaches, how nice! I lived there for 3 years (although much closer to the city)

Soula · #**395** 12-16-2017, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polyesco

In 2015 their holidays were also announced beforehand and they were pretty much left alone. Some pictures might come out but they seem to have quiet times in Australia

This is only their second Christmas away from Denmark, so it makes sense to have an announcement

We're fairly casual and laid back down here

They'll be able to do their own thing without many intrusions

gerry · #**396** 12-16-2017, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun Lion

You're very welcome Roskilde.

What suprises me is that this time the children's faces haven't been pixaletd out. (Remember the 2015 Byron Bay photos.)

Anyway, the day is warmng up again already - looks like the cool and the rain are over.

And I'm wondering if the children will be doing Bridge-Climb.

Mary and Frederik did it a few years ago.

The children are old enough for it, and our zoo can't be that different to Copenhagen's, Luna Park not that different to Tivoli etc.

But climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge would be a unique experience for them.

Here are some photos of Palm Beach I took a few years ago.

Very narrow isthmus with the ocean - Palm Beach on one side, and a more sheltered beach on Pittwater, on the other.

The middle photo shows some of Palm Beach, and the last photo shows the headland at the far end of Palm Beach.

Large lighthouse in the area where I took the photos from. (It's a "thing" to climb the steep, sandy dunes to get to the lighthouse - very hard going.)

Lovely homes on both sides and a ferry service on Pittwater to other places in that area. Some islands have homes on them, but people often have their own run-abouts.

This is where the seaplanes often fly back and forth from, for people who don't want to travel the road which is winding and busy as there is no train service in the whole Peninsula area.

(Pippa followers will remember the seaplane photos from her honeymoon time in Sydney.)

How gorgeous the images, Sea Lion, thank you for sharing! I am curious how the Crown prince couple could be injured in the Australian surf....I know about the rips, but what other hazards are there that require beach first aid and bandages

Sun Lion · #**397** 12-16-2017, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerry

How gorgeous the images, Sea Lion, thank you for sharing! I am curious how the Crown prince couple could be injured in the Australian surf....I know about the rips, but what other hazards are there that require beach first aid and bandages

Hi gerry - the newspapers are reporting that the family were using body-boards, (not surf-boards), and perhaps one hit Mary's elbow or Frederiks chest. He was said to have a gash.

Even getting dumped in rough surf can scrape some part of you on the underwater sand.

Having said that, the report is also suggesting maybe something happened during Tuesday's yacht race.

Especially with Mary, as she already had a bandaid on her elbow and it needed replacing with a couple of fresh ones by Frederik after she was in the water for a while.

I think Palm Beach drops away quickly underwater - a rougher beach than one that would be more gently sloping, but no reefs, need to be near rocks etc that could be a problem in some places.

Plus if it was windy up there on Friday, that would probably make the surf rougher.

All the Sydney beaches are pretty clean so no rubbish to come up against, and not shelly beaches which can be harsh to scrape on.

As the family were photographed swimming, I won't be suprised if more photos come out in due course.

Different media outlets seem to use different photos as they start to file their own stories.

A lot of "new" photos of Mary and Frederik sailing on "Wild Oats XI" came out a few days after the first photos.

T4phage · #**398** 12-17-2017, 11:39 AM

Regarding the gash on Frederik's chest, I have noticed it before over the years. I believe it's always been there and is more a mark he's always had rather than a gash obtained on this trip.

Someone else correct me if I am wrong though.

Sun Lion · #**399** 12-17-2017, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T4phage

Regarding the gash on Frederik's chest, I have noticed it before over the years. I believe it's always been there and is more a mark he's always had rather than a gash obtained on this trip.

Someone else correct me if I am wrong though.

HereditaryPrincess · #**400** 12-17-2017, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roskilde

It’s Mary’s friend, Amber.

Thanks Roskilde. Nice to see that they are visiting Mary's Australian friends.