Summary of a pretty flattering article about Mary, whose birthday is around the corner.
Written for BT, by Jens Grund, editor-in-chief in the Berlingske publishing house that honored Mary recently.
Min hyldest til Mary: Jeg frygtede at give hende en skalle | BT Blogs - www.bt.dk
Jens Grund and his wife were among those invited when Berlingske presented Mary with an award and as such he met Mary.
- I'm crazy about Mary.
That's it, I said it. The Crown Princess turns 45 on Sunday. Mary is the greatest gift anyone could give the Danish people.
I was so fortunate that my wife (formal word) and I were invited to the honorary dinner with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, when the Berlingske Foundation in January honored Mary for her work for exposed and vulnerable groups in the society.
I'd even knotted on a tie on the occasion. So apart from a chronical feeling of suffocation by big concern was whether I in my eagerness to bow - a pretty unusual drill for me - accidentally headbutted Mary on the way down.
I could see the headline before me: Editor-in-chief knocks out the Crown Princess with a leaping headbutt".
The bodyguards probably wouldn't look at such an episode with kind eyes. Fortunately the bow went well, even though it's bleeping difficult to bow and look someone in the eyes at the same time - without straining your back.
I was unfortunately too lost for words to fire off a smart-ass remark like: "Well, how's the devils-spawn in the royal caravan doing"?
Instead I muttered "Your Royal Highness", without sounding like a newsreader from the 1950's.
I didn't stutter much else. I was simply starstruck by meeting Mary. Something I hadn't experienced since I in 1982 got my inner ears sandblasted by Thin Lizzy. In a way two different experiences - but with the same sense of standing before something special.
Because Mary is something special.
Even though she isn't born a princess, she is a genuine princess; wiser and more beautiful than most. When she and the Crown Prince kissed in January 2003 in front of the cameras of the press, I was sold.
I was helplessly lost back when she sat next to the Crown Prince and in Danish explained that it wasn't true when people said she spoke fluent Danish - but that it was important for her to learn it.
I'm basically crazy about the DRF. In my youth at the university it was otherwise good fashion to be a whinging opponent of the monarchy. Yes, of course the DRF have special privileges which a president hasn't. That for example that the regent is not elected by the people, but has it in the blood.
I'm fine with that. In a fairy tale special rules apply - otherwise it's social-realism in a dull grey weekday.
Mary is literally the better half of the Crown Prince. She has found the perfect balance between being folksy and aloof, which define a true royal. The cliche about capturing the hearts of the people is anything but a cliche in the case of Mary.
She hasn't just done a lot good for Denmark, she has also done a lot of good for her consort (here meant teasingly and lovingly). He appear much more relaxed and a lot less awkward that in his youth. I'm certain the Crown Princess has a big part of the honor for the self-confidence which the Crown Prince radiate.
No hooting wonder he's gained self-confidence. As he is future king you can hardly claim that he has scored above his level - yet it seems like the Crown Prince is the lucky one.
We have gotten a Crown Princess about whom we can be proud. She outshines everybody else in the DRF with her natural splendor. Yes, she learned the language a good deal quicker that Prince Henrik, but I've also always been crazy about him as well. A unique, musical and witty person who unfortunately was too vain to accept his place in the royal hierarchy.
Mary never needs to fight for her place. Because all will always see her as equal with the king. We will happily take another 45 years and already now look forward to the 90th birthday on TV.
With a bit of luck I can enjoy it myself from a wheelchair in front of the telly, without worrying about headbutting anyone.
- The article is written with a twinkle in the eye, so some expressions are not translated literally.
).
There were official audiences that day, usually Frederik attends with the Queen i think. 
Indeed.
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