General News about Frederik, Mary and Family Part 17: January 2018 - June 2020

[polyesco]

Happy 52nd birthday to CP Frederik
https://scontent-msp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...35&oe=5EF229B7

The DRF shares photo released for his 50th
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAo3LY5g..._web_copy_link
One of my favorites

[Roskilde]

A very happy 52nd birthday to our strong future King today
He has been good this year cause we have had wonderful summer weather today.

I hope he has a lovely day with his family.

***

https://www.facebook.com/23522781666...614134584/?d=n

“We wish Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik a HUGE CONGRATULATION with the 52 years today.

Denmark has flagged for him all day and the sun shone bright.

The Crown Prince celebrates the privately with his wife and their four children.

Father of four. Husband. Frogman. Art knowing. Music lover. Military man. Athlete. Business Ambassador. Son. Adventurer. Greenland traveller. Brother. And a good friend.

Exactly 2 years ago today the entire Denmark celebrated their future King's 50th birthday from morning to evening. The children surprised him during the DR's birthday show and his wife rounded off the day with the probably most humane speech seen in the Danish Royal House. People called it a huge declaration of love to her husband and the father of her children, the Crown Prince of Denmark.

"Sometimes we hit the target without even aiming. That is how I think of our first meeting. A stroke of good luck that became a choice.

We dared to lose that part of our heart, which we allowed the other to hold in their hands.

It takes courage to dare, but without daring we lose what could have been. I am so happy that you swept me off my feet and that we dared to fall for each other – not for a moment, but for life.

You invited me on our wedding day to come and see what awaited us in love, and I have enjoyed every step and every view.

For me, it is in our shared family moments that I feel most grateful, most connected, most in love.

Congratulations my love, I love you."

**

No surprise all F&M’s four children have so thick hair:https://www.facebook.com/23522781666...801545/?type=3

One of my favourite moments:
https://www.facebook.com/23522781666...468215/?type=3

You can re-read Marys wonderful speech to her husband here:
HRH The Crown Princess’ speech at the Gala Banquet at Christiansborg Palace | The Danish Monarchy - Front Page

Or watch it here:
https://youtu.be/Wm6LYIgXH2c

[HereditaryPrincess]

Originally Posted by polyesco

Happy 52nd birthday to CP Frederik
https://scontent-msp1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...35&oe=5EF229B7

The DRF shares photo released for his 50th
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAo3LY5g..._web_copy_link
One of my favorites

Frederik has amazing eyes - they draw you in!

[Muhler]

As some of you may remember Frederik's 50th B-day was marked with a TV show in which his children told anecdotes about their dad.
Unfortunately I have been unable to find these clips anywhere.

But BB has an article with transcripts of some of the things the children said:
https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelig...-hemmeligheder

Can he be romantic?
Isabella: "He's not sorta really, really romantic, but he can present mother with roses on Valentine's Day and such."

He motivates them when they are out running:
Josephine: "He always says we shall think and check our gut-feeling."
Isabella: "If you get a little tired, he says: Ai, come on. We can make it. It's right over there.
If you don't believe in yourself and say: I really can't.
Then he says: You can. - And helps us.

When it's about being allowed to stay up after bedtime, dad is the easiest to persuade.

Christian: "He, who it's easiest to plague that's one hundred percent dad. But if it's icecream, it's probably mother."

Dad's a sore loser.
Vincent: "He gets crossed if you take home more points than him."

The children also said that their dads laughs of his own jokes. And Isabella sums up: Their dad is like a fifteen year old inside.

- I think we can deduce that Mary is also fond of ice...

[eya]

Pavia Tobiassen with the kayak he has made for Crown Prince Frederik.
The handover of the kayak should take place during the Royal Run event in Nuuk in August - but during COVID-19 - it will take place next year.
Pavia Tobiassen is the chairman of the local kayak club in Nuuk - the capital of Greenland.
Pavia Tobiassen participated in the world's toughest skiing Arctic Circle Race in Sisimiut in 2016, where he met Crown Prince Frederik.
"I took this opportunity to have a talk with the Crown Prince and asked if he has tried to row a kayak.
- I told him that he should try a Greenlandic kayak when he has tried to drive a dog sled, and he was involved in that" Pavia Tobiassen says.


https://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?...6-2020%20Pavia

[polyesco]

What a cool and thoughtful gift. Just emphasizes the connection of Frederik and Greenland.
And what great craftsmanship.

[Roskilde]

"HRH The Crown Prince shares a special moment from earlier today when the Crown Prince together with T.R.H. Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine watched the Royal Stables white horses being put on pasture for the summer.

It was not long before the newly washed horses became dirty as soon as they were released into nature. In the scenic North Zealand, the horses will now romp until they are brought back for washing and training in mid-August.
The horses are put on pasture every year, and this year the stay will be a little longer due to the canceled summer cruise in September."
H.R.H. The Crown Prince ©️

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBDjKXjA3gR/comments/

****

A cute little thing for those who don’t understand Danish:
In the video clip you can hear Josephine saying: “Aww Mom should see this”
And Frederik answers with a smile: “Yes Mom should see this”.
You know, Mary is a real horsegirl, and Bella and Josephine has become too.

Vincent thinks the horses are cool, but he is not that impressed. In best Vincent-style

And Frederik thinks this moment is very beautiful, you can cleary hear it in his voice.

I love Frederik and Mary shares all these little private moments with us. Gives a insight in a very close and loving family (who are fond of horses!).

[polyesco]

Lovely! Thank you for the translation Roskilde.
Sweet moment, reminds me of when the twins went to see the cows let out of the barn for the summer some years ago.

[Roskilde]

When Crown Prince Frederik & Crown Princess Mary held their 16th wedding anniversary, a couple of weeks ago, I came across this post.

In this quiet corona time I post it here as I think it tells about a strong and storming love between two people, but also tells about the 'dark side of the picture', which we don't read about in the press. About the media's inhuman hunt of an totally unprotected and unprepared young woman, of longing, loneliness and to miss. But a love so strong for each other, and a willingness to hold on tight in difficult times, so that two different lives across the globe succeeded so beautifully into one.

https://www.facebook.com/23522781666...jmxQ&__tn__=-R

14. May 2020

The other side of the picture.

Sixteen years ago, the Crown Prince got his Australian Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, but the road to today has not been easy, and not at all for the then young Mary who totally unprepared and unprotected was hunted around in Australia's streets by a relentless and aggressive press, and who was lonely during the pit stop in Paris, before she was was smuggled into Denmark via dark roads up through Germany and Jutland. One of the Crown Prince couple's closest friends, Ellen Hillingsøe tells in the portrait book of the Crown Prince 'Under the Beam' that besides a obvious strong love Frederiks and Marys relationship also succeeded because Mary managed to hold on when the period was most inhumane for her.

It is only in recent years the Crown Prince couple has opened up about how difficult the time up to the wedding was for them and the then completely unprotected and unprepared Mary Donaldson had to incur 24 hours of day protection from one day to another, and thus lost of all her personal freedom.

Here comes the story of the Crown Princess:

The year is 2000 and here the 28 years old Mary Elizabeth Donaldson's friends tries the best they can to lure Mary with them to a night out one evening at the Sydney Olympics, but Mary is tired and she has to go to work the next day. The friends leave, but not long after Mary regrets her choice and jumps into her clothes and walks down to the bar to meet up with her friends. Cause how often is the Olympic Games in your town?

Sydney bubbles during the Olympic Games and the city is packed with so many people, athletes and also royalty. At the Slip Inn bar Mary Elizabeth Donaldson meets her friends who have fallen in talk with foreign guests. Among them is Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik. Crown Prince Frederik has since told that he was blinded by Mary and couldn't get his eyes from her. Her smile, her dark eyes, her calm being, her relatively deep voice and her way of moving.

- The introduction was a little secretive, but very beautiful. To visualize it, it was almost like a summer landscape in moonlight.

- It was all about Mary that I was drawn to.
To me there was just something inexplicably attractive about her. First of all a very calm being, her eyes and then the way she moved, her dark voice which was incredibly fascinating. And then we talked tremendously good together. After all it wasn't just love, but also much the feeling of having met a soul mate. What exactly is hard to say when I love my wife as I do, the Crown Prince tells in the portrait book 'Under the Beam' from 2018.

They fell in talk, the two of them. Talked all the evening and all night. Forgot about their friends. They followed each other to a new bar before sharing a taxi home late at night.

Crown Prince Frederik had completely swept the feet off under Mary, this loving, charming, intelligent man who spoke multiple languages, shared the same casual humor as herself, and then he looked very handsome too.

- I was spellbound. He really swept me off my feet this handsome man, who also seemed beautiful inside - positive and humorous, experienced and traveled. It was also very appealing, I thought, that he besides a good English also spoke French. For fun, I've always said to myself that I would love to find the man who could both dance, ride a horse, speak several languages, be a good swimmer and wear sensible shoes. Although Frederik is not the born dancer, he really likes to dance and all the other things were there in plenty of ways. He had the whole package ... yes, he was a good package!, Crown Princess Mary tells in the portrait book about the Crown Prince.

When the taxi reached Mary's home, Crown Prince Frederik gave her a kiss on the cheek and asked for her number.

- I was home at three or four at night. Frederik dropped me off in a taxi and before it disappeared around the corner he asked for my phone number. I gave it to him and got a little goodnight kiss on the cheek, Crown Princess Mary tells.

Crown Princess Mary tells she at the same time thought, 'Yeah well, I will never hear from him again, but I've had a fantastic evening.'

But Mary decided to allow herself to indulge into the adventure as long as it lasted. She wanted to enjoy the rest of the Olympic Games and Frederik's presence, and to concentrate on the present and displace all the sensible thoughts she is so good to get.

The next day Mary was hoping and waiting for him to call but she didn't dare to hope too much. But he called. Repeatedly. As Crown Prince Frederik has said: "We talked so well together, as soulmates, we talked and talked and have never stopped since."

We all know the rest of the story.

But there was also a dark side which the Crown Prince couple only rarely have told about.

A growing and strong love is blooming. Frederik and Mary are spellbound by each other, but thier love must last for several years with long distance, longing and long flights back and forth. They get one year together before the press discovers them. A year that meant everything for their relationship has Crown Prince Frederik since told. When the Crown Prince travels home Mary feels it like a heartache. She can't think, she can't concentrate, she misses him so it hurts.

One thing know Mary though is that she has met an unusual man whom she dearly misses as soon as he has left her.
That year she often listens to the song by Dido "Here with me", which is about the woman who wakes up in bed in the morning and discovers her beloved is gone and the emptiness and sadness grabs her.

John Donaldson has told that his daughter was constantly looking at her phone during that period and was beaming like a sun when the Crown Prince called. She realizes she has to choose whether to stay in her safe anonymous life or take the huge unknown jump - she knows there is no way back if she jumps. The love and longing to be together is too strong. The couple has succeeded in creating a bow of love across the earth that they decide to get carried away. It has to be the two of them.

The journey to today is long. Full of strong love, but also inhuman hard. A totally unprepared and unprotected Mary Donaldson is hunted by aggressive paparazzies in the streets as she drives to and from work and they camp out in front of her home and they look through her trash when she goes down with it. The paparazzies are relentless - and Mary is in chok and terrified, she locks herself into her home, rolls down the curtains and she shakes. Mary's sister Jane tells in the portrait book that Mary was so worried about her family during that time, would they also be exhibited and hunted?
The Crown Prince is in Denmark and he looks on powerless from the other side of the world. Unfortunately, Mary Elizabeth Donaldson way too quickly needs 24-hour protection and loses all her freedom out of the blue. The Crown Prince wraps an iron ring around her, he is hiding her for a while to Paris in a loving attempt to give Mary a rest, but Paris was not a good time for Mary. In Paris she was all by herself, she didn't knew anyone. She founds herself a job as teaching english at a school and she waits all week only for Crown Prince Frederik to come during the weekends.

Crown Princess Mary tells in the portrait book that she during that period became uncertain. Why did Frederik suddenly not want to appear in public with her anymore, why did he hide her everywhere, why did he let go of her hand when they were out? She thought: 'Frederik, are we two together or not?' It wasn't until later that Mary realized that Frederik just was doing everything he could to protect her. But how could an ordinary woman know that? Mary only really understood that later on when she really learned how intrusive the media is.

- We had a wonderful start together, but I could not yet allow myself to give everything of me. And that was the case right up until I moved to Copenhagen in the summer of 2002. I was so uncertain about how it all would go, and part of my doubts at the beginning was also because I couldn't really understand what Frederik saw in me. I mean he could get, you know, all women, and probably had a great selection to choose from. That's how I thought. So even though we had a wonderful time every time he came in the first year he also had to travel back home every time. Back to his world, and I to mine. But he always called back quickly after he left so I never got stuck in my doubts, Crown Princess Mary tells in the portrait book.

(1/2)

[Roskilde]

(2/2)

- And Frederik just kept calling. Often when it was morning in Australia and late night in Denmark and sometimes he was in a more festive mood than others, and then we talked until he fell asleep. But it was a bit dreadful and not always easy because I was usually in the office when we had these long conversations and I had to stop the work I was doing. At the same time it was very important for me to talk with him when he called. In reality, I didn't thought much longer than from one call to the next during that period.

The Crown Prince's close friend, Jeppe Handwerk, tells in the book how he during that time helped hiding Mary into Denmark. They drove a car from Paris up through Germany and into Denmark. On a dark country road Frederik waited in another car and Mary switched to that car in the dark and cold night and was driven further into Denmark. In that way the Crown Prince knew they could cut off the press - and they succeeded.

Jeppe Handwerk tells in the book that it was snowing and was so dark that he felt so sorry for the Australian Mary who was used to the warm and sunny climate and now stood in a life where she had to be smuggled into a country in the middle of a blizzard.

In October 2003 Frederik and Mary decide that it is now over to hide and live separately. Crown Prince Frederik plans to propose to Mary in Rome. He arranges a romantic weekend, he finds a church that he thinks is the right place to kneel and asks if Mary wants to marry him? He says at the same time that she can't say no. They have since smiled a lot about that.

- And then I said "you can't say no, don't say no, you have to say yes". And then she said "yes". It was lovely and great. We were happy and just the two of us, Crown Prince Frederik tells in the portrait book.

Crown Prince Frederik gets a big yes and they have both since described the propose as the finest little romantic moment. The propose is a surprise to Mary, but they have of course talked thoroughly about getting married and Mary tells she probably had guessed that something was in the works that day because Frederik suddenly behaved a bit strange and searching. Today, she knows it was because he was looking for the right place to ask for her hand.

Mary Elizabeth Donaldson says yes to Crown Prince Frederik with all her heart, but she also says yes to a whole new life and a conclusively goodbye to everything she knows. On 8. October 2003 the couple announce their engagement. The couple beams, they are happy, they are relieved - now they can finally express all their love for each other without constantly being afraid of being discovered.

The entire country is presented to a radiantly beautiful Mary who immediately wins the heart of the Danes with her personality when the couple's engagement is announced live on TV.
She is intelligent, sweet, charming, warm. Understandably nervous and overwhelmed, but at the same time calm and brave. And then Mary also starts with speaking Danish:

- "Hello. I would like to say a few words before we begin. I hope you can understand that I'm a little nervous."

Later in the engagement interview on DR1 a blushing Mary tells:

- Frederik makes me happy. He is smart, brave and caring, and he is so fun and charming. He is warm and he has a big heart, she told the world's press.

Denmark is cheering! The country goes into a 'Frederik and Mary booble'.

In 2004 the Crown Prince marries Mary Elizabeth Donaldson who at the wedding is given the title: Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth of Denmark.
The Crown Prince succumbs to years of burnt-out emotions and his eyes are in tears of joy as his beautiful bride walks down the aisle with her Scottish father John Donaldson - and the wedding goes down in history as the most romantic, touching and human royal wedding.

Crown Princess Mary assumes her new role with great humility, respect and love. She shows from the first day that she knows apanage and respect is something one must work hard to gain.
She has ever since been a very diligent, committed and worthy Crown Princess for her country which she has always shown great love to.

The following year she gives birth to a healthy boy and thus she gives the Crown Prince and Denmark a healthy heir, Prince Christian. The year after she gives birth to a daugther. The first Princess born in Denmark in 60 years. Three years later she gives birth to twins, a son and a daugther. The love she has for her children and her husband is so obvious in every way we see the Crown Prince family in.

"I'm so happy that you swept me off my feet and that we dared to fall for each other - not for a while, but for life," as Crown Princess Mary said when she held the most beautiful and humorous speech to her husband on the occasion of his 50th birthday in 2018.

Big congratulations with the wedding day and to the Crown Prince couple to succeed in creating love between two worlds and from one end of the globe to the other.

Enjoy!

[MARG]

I know it's trite to say but for all the stress and strain, their courtship really does sound like something from a Mills & Boon romance novel. For all the Royals we cover we can be pretty sure their courtship wasn't a cakewalk.

Real life has a nasty way of intruding at the worst possible time and I would pretty much bet that buckets of tears were shed and not just by Mary. But here they are over 16 years into their marriage and they are still holding hands and sharing those famous loving looks. Long may they continue.

[Tarlita]

They have a lovely romantic story and I have followed them from the engagement. At first it was really hard to find good reliable information on them and then I found The Royal Forums after using Danish royal watchers, which was a good site.

Many thanks Roskilde for sharing with us.

[Tarlita]

For page 27 thanks to all for links and info. It was great to read.

[stellam]

Thank you Roskilde, that was a lovely read. 17 years later I am still excited and happy to read the tiniest snippet of this couple. May they have many happy years together.

[Muhler]

Frederik's going sailing in Danish waters for a while: https://www.bt.dk/royale/mikkel-beha...prins-frederik

He will be sailing with the experienced sailor Mikkel Beha aboard his large sailing boat.

Frederik looks forward to enjoying DK from the sea and to tell his family about his experiences when he returns home.

UPDATE:

The trip will be filmed and shown on TV.

[Nordic]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Frederik's going sailing in Danish waters for a while: https://www.bt.dk/royale/mikkel-beha...prins-frederik

"The trip itself is being documented by a camera crew who is on board to record for the upcoming TV 2 program 'Course against Danish coasts'.
A corona-friendly version of the popular 'Course to Far Shores'.

Along the way, Crown Prince Frederik will experience both sailing and diving with the Beha family, who do as they usually do - just in Danish waters.

"We have not made any royal program for the Crown Prince, but we share the love we have for Denmark with him. We experience Denmark from the seaside and see the pearls our country offers, and we go ashore and talk to many different Danes, ”says Mikkel Beha Erichsen from Wallenberg in a press release.

Together, the flock has already visited some retired fishermen who, with a thick dialect, have shared their stories of a harsh and sometimes dangerous fishing life, according to the TV host, who seems to enjoy having a royal visit on the ship."

[polyesco]

How nice! DRF Instagram post.
"I have boarded the Beha family ship Wallenberg, where we will spend the next few days on an adventure to a number of coasts in northern Jutland.
There is no doubt that the waters here at home are incredibly beautiful, especially in the summer, and I look forward to sharing stories and experiences about our lovely summer country with my family when I get home"
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBS0KxwA..._web_copy_link

"Crown Prince Frederik is the carrier of Denmark's history, and he is incredibly knowledgeable about our country, which he has visited on land and from the Royal Yacht Dannebrog throughout his life. He is a huge capacity to have on board when he gives us important historical scratches of Danish history. "

No doubt Frederik is very knowledgeable.

[Roskilde]

Surprise visit by Mary in Ringkøbing town on her way home from her official event:

Mary and Ander Aggers* in one picture

https://dbrs.dk/artikel/mary-besøgte...esøg-på-torvet

"It was a surprise! On her way home after the inauguration of Naturkraft, the Crown Princess had time to make her way past Ringkøbing Torv, where she greeted her father-in-law's sculpture - and a local acquaintance of the family - Anders Agger.

It took some time before people walking around the square in Ringkøbing to notice that it was indeed Crown Princess Mary, who at 13:30 stepped out of the black car that made the stop on Torvegade, and then stepped over the cobblestones to the bronze sculpture "Miss Ringkøbing". When it first dawned on people, the cell phones came out of their pockets and photographs were taken.

Pictures:
https://images.jfmedier.dk/images/f/...0_b46aad06.jpg
https://images.jfmedier.dk/images/7/...1_309ce6ab.jpg
https://images.jfmedier.dk/images/7/...5_649bb46b.jpg
https://images.jfmedier.dk/images/b/...6_7b16056a.jpg
https://images.jfmedier.dk/images/9/...9_7270b32c.jpg

* Anders Agger is a respected and popular journalist who makes some fantastisk tv-series. It was, by the way, Anders Agger who produced the serie “Kongehuset Indefra” where we followed the DRF. It was send in 2009.

And Frederik on a surprise visit as well during his days on board Wallenberg with the Beha family:

https://nordjyske.dk/nyheder/nordjyl...e-107101f722fa

Hirsholmen’s only resident - soon 78-year-old Jørgen Nielsen - received a surprise visit on Thursday by Crown Prince Frederik and Mikkel Beha.
The guests enjoyed the sun outside Jorgen Nielsen's house while he told tall tales from the islands.

[polyesco]

Another photo of Frederik sailing with the Beha family and stopping around Denmark
https://nordjyske.dk/nyheder/frederi...6-8a4a69c89f1c

[Muhler]

The island of Læsø: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._laeso.svg.png

Some of you may remember the M&F family went on a surprise visit to the island a couple of summer holidays ago.
I remember describing the island in details somewhere on this forum.