Mary Donaldson, Current Events 1: September 2002 - May 2004

[Jacqueline]

Sept-2002

Danish royal watchers are convinced the heir to their throne, Crown Prince Frederik, is about to announce his engagement to former Sydney real estate agent Mary Donaldson.

Ms Donaldson was wearing a large ring on her left ring finger when she was spotted in public with the crown prince in Denmark last weekend. The ring is the latest development in a romance that began two years ago at the Sydney Olympics and has since captivated Denmark.

Whether the ring signifies an engagement has Danish royal watchers in a frenzy of debate. The 30-year-old former Belle Property agent and her 34-year-old royal lover are becoming increasingly public with their affections.

While there is a question mark over the engagement, there is no doubt Ms Donaldson is being groomed to assume the role of future queen of Denmark. Gone are the casual outfits she used to wear before she left Sydney. In their place are smart suits like the white and beige ensemble she wore to the baptism, and stunning couture gowns like the one she wore to the wedding.

Frederik's choice of wife is important for the fate of the monarchy, which needs the people's support to continue. "I think it's important for the future of any monarchy that you have a royal family that is respected and does show a high level of values, and from that standpoint, I think it's very important who Frederik chooses," a palace source said.

When Ms Donaldson moved to Denmark to join the crown prince at the end of last year, the couple usually shunned public events or arrived separately to avoid being photographed together. But earlier this month they attended the baptism of the first son of Frederik's close friends, Caroline and Peter Heerings. They arrived at the Church of Oestre Egede in the south of Denmark, holding hands and smiling for the cameras.

Many people in Denmark think Donaldson would be the perfect wife for Frederik, who has had public affairs with a number of local girlfriends.

She has already won over Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik, who strongly approve of their eldest son's new partner.

Link: http://www.mostbeautifulman.com/gossip/pri...efrederik.shtml

[Jacqueline]

Hi Mary Anne! :)

Thank you for the picture and the article.


I read not long ago on the SRMB that Fred would not be bringing a guest to family celebrations this year.

What does everyone think that Mary will do for Christmas?

[kelly9480]

Spend it with her father, I suppose. The Queen and Henrik will be at Marselisborg for ten days, the 20th through 30th and I would think he'd spent plenty of time there. If she's sitting around Copenhagen waiitng on him to call rather than hanging with her family, it would show a lack of independence (that I don't really think she has anyhow).

[Julia]

I certainly hope that Mary spends Christmas with her father. If not, you are right kelly, she would be showing a lack of independence where Frederik is concerned.

Julia

[Jacqueline]

BT has reported that Mary's Danish is getting better and that she apparently knows Princess Alexandra and Prince Joachim very well. They also report that she and Fred recently attended a party at the home of one of Fred's friends in which Alexandra and Joachim were in attendance.

Bodil Cath går tæt på de kongelige. Læs hendes "juletjek" rundt omkring de europæiske kongehuse.

MARY ved nu alt om dansk julegløg. Hun kender efterhånden også prinsesse Alexandra vældigt godt. Mary og Kronprinsen, foruden prins Joachim og Alexandra har nemlig alle været til julegløg hos fælles venner, der deltog i lille Felix barnedåb. Ved gløg-gildet blev det bemærket, at ikke alene er Mary en sød pige, men hun bliver bedre og bedre til dansk

[Julia]

Dragon titles fire up hopes of royal visit
By ALISON RIBBON
19dec02
THE Crown Prince of Denmark is tipped to compete in the dragon class yachting world championships in Tasmania next month.

And speculation is soaring that his Tasmanian girlfriend, Mary Donaldson, will accompany him.

International media are saying Prince Frederik and Ms Donaldson look set to come to Hobart next month for the championships.

Peter Juul, editor of royal magazine Billed Bladet, said he was "almost sure" the couple would be in Tasmania for the event.

He said other magazines in Denmark were reporting similar things.

The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania could not confirm the speculation and said that, even if Prince Frederik had not registered for security reasons, he could still enter for competition the day before the first race.

Veteran Tasmanian dragon racer Nick Rogers said there had been many rumours about Prince Frederik entering the races but nothing was known for certain.

Prince Frederik's father is president of the International Dragon Class Association and the Prince is a regular competitor.

"Princess-in-waiting" Ms Donaldson grew up at Taroona, attending Taroona High School, Hobart College and the University of Tasmania.

She moved to Sydney and became a real estate agent.

Ms Donaldson met Prince Frederik at an Olympic Games function in 2000.

The pair managed to keep their relationship quiet until November last year.

Since then, Ms Donaldson has become the "Princess Diana of Denmark", a woman of intrigue affectionately dubbed "Kanga".

She features on the front pages of Danish tabloid magazines almost every week.

However, the cover of the latest issue of Billed Bladet featured Ms Donaldson's father, John Donaldson, and her stepmother, author Susan Moody, who were in Copenhagen recently.

Billed Bladet journalist Jan Korner said Ms Moody arrived in Denmark on December 5 and Mr Donaldson a day later.

They stayed in Hotel Nyhavn, only a few hundred metres from the royal palace Amalienborg, and had dinner with Ms Donaldson and Prince Frederik at Ms Donaldson's apartment.

The pair also went to the nearby city of Aarhus, where Mr Donaldson gave a lecture at the university.




From: www.themercury.news.com.au

[Jacqueline]

Well, Billed-Bladet has done it again-they have made me laugh!



Margrethe i biografen med Mary - nr. 2

Venskabet mellem dronning Margrethe og hendes sandsynligvis kommende svigerdatter, Mary Donaldson, er nu så tæt, at de også går i biografen sammen. Da dronningen fik lyst til at se gigantfilmen »Ringenes Herre – de to Tårne« en ekstra gang, inviterede hun således Frederik og Mary med i biffen. Det foregik mellem jul og nytår i Palads biografen i Århus, og ingen af de øvrige gæster var i tvivl om, at her kom dronningen med sin søn og svigerdatter.

I certainly needed that laugh. Apparently Queen Margrethe has supposedly gone to the movies with her "future daughter-in-law" and son. They all saw The Two Towers together to be exact. Her Majesty invited Mary to come along with Fred. This little outing supposedly happened during the Christmas and New Year holidays. But, still we have yet to see any pictures of the happy family or should I say family-to-be entering or leaving
together

Ah....the things that people will write just to keep the talk going and make a little money of course.

That was really hilarious!

Billed Bladet missed getting a picture of Mary driving away from the palace after having met the Queen at Christmas and now it appears they missed the opportunity to photograph them going to the cinema together. How fortunate we are that they didn't miss out on the opportunity to report on both (i.e. sell papers). Guess they gave the photographers Christmas and New Years off.

The photograph of Mary (inset) is lovely, I don't think I have seen it before.

Kathy

[Jacqueline]

Hi Kathy! How are you?

I don't recall ever seeing that photo of Mary either. I am sure that it must have been used before, but I must have missed it. :P She looks very natural here. I wonder where the found it?

Visit to future in-laws
By ALISON RIBBON
11jan03

A SMILING Prince Frederik returned from his first sailing event yesterday to find his potential in-laws waiting for him.

John Donaldson and Susan Moody, parents of the Danish Crown Prince's girlfriend Mary Donaldson, were at the Royal Hobart Yacht Club from about 3.30 yesterday afternoon to greet the Prince.

He looked very happy to see the pair as he and his crew came in on Nanoq about 5pm.

They had come seventh in the invitation race, a warm-up for the Prince Philip Cup today.

Professor Donaldson and Ms Moody, looking uncomfortable with the media attention, waited patiently, declining all attempts by journalists to interview them.

A television crew, two photographers and four reporters followed Ms Moody and Prince Frederik as they walked to the silver Honda Prelude where Professor Donaldson was waiting.

Professor Donaldson, former head of mathematics at the University of Tasmania, and Susan Moody, an author, spend six months abroad every year.

It is believed they returned from England some time yesterday, but it is not known if Mary came back to Hobart with them.

She is expected to come to Tasmania from Denmark next week, after attending a christening at the weekend.

It is thought Prince Frederik spent time at Professor Donaldson and Ms Moody's home in Sandy Bay last night.

The couple would not comment on whether Mary would soon be in Hobart or if they planned to show their royal.

Link: http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/s...55E3462,00.html

Hi everyone! :)


Mary attended the baptism of the son of Danish actress, Ellen Hillingsø. Some of you may remember that during the time in which Mary was said to be moving into her new flat, she and Ellen were photographed having lunch together. You may also remember that Ellen is a very close friend to The Royal Family of Denmark. Her parents (especially her mother) are good friends of Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik. Queen Margrethe is also Ellen's godmother. However, BT reports that Queen Margrethe did not attend the church ceremony.

BT had articles on the event.

[Julia]

Hmm, I am beginning to think that an engagement is eminent. Fred sailing in Tasmania and speaking to the press about Mary (if this is true). Mary attending this baptisim...things are picking up a bit!

Mary does look much better in these photos...I think she got a hair cut!

Thanks for the info, Jacqueline!

Julia

[Jacqueline]

You're welcome Julia. :)

I agree that there may actually be an eventual engagment between these two. Mary seems to have gotten very close (or should I say chummy ) to a very close friend of the Royal Family-At least I would think so. You simply don't invite just anyone to your child's baptism. Forming relationships such as these with close friends of Fred and his family certainly cannot hurt her chances of a proposal sometime this year. But, I still don't think that she is really the one.

I love her bangs! I have been wanting for her to either layer her hair or get bangs for a while now. The bangs are really a good look for her. This is one of the best photos that I have seen taken of her since she has been living in Denmark.

I wonder if Queen Margrethe didn't attend because she didn't want the press to literally go crazy if she and Mary were to actually be in the same place and only a few feet away from one another I am sure that there was most likely some sort of reception or get-together following the church ceremony. Maybe Queen Margrethe attended then But, then again, perhaps she didn't. The press were probably waiting for that opportunity as well.

[Julia]

Hey Jacqueline! Mary's bangs and new layers are most becoming. Her hair needed some movement.
I think that Mary is slowly starting to appear at events (not exactly on behalf of the royal family) to get her feet wet. I am beginning to think that there is some sort of understanding between Fred and Mary. Either they are "secretly" engaged, or Fred has made a promise of engagement. We shall soon see, I guess!!

Julia

I agree with everyone that Mary looks much better with her new hairdo, the bangs really soften her face. I also think she looks much better without the heavy handed blusher and sans the frosty eyeshadow. I do wish she would go a little easier on the eyeliner though.

I think that Mary is slowly starting to appear at events (not exactly on behalf of the royal family) to get her feet wet. I am beginning to think that there is some sort of understanding between Fred and Mary. Either they are "secretly" engaged, or Fred has made a promise of engagement.

Julia, Fred has taken previous girlfriends to 'official' functions as well as personal functions, so Mary appearing at these events is no real news. Fred has always included his girlfriends in his personal and professional life, at least to the extent the Queen allows. Mary could have easily gotten to know the parents of the child through Fred and developed a personal friendship exclusive of their relationship, which would have snagged her a personal invite to the christening. I don't think we should read to much into it.

Kathy

[Jacqueline]

Hi everyone. :)

Here is a photo of Fred in Tasmania with Marys' stepmother, Susan Moody.

Here are a few more pictures of Mary attending the recent baptism.

I think she looks very pretty. She would look good in a tiara and ball gown, witha certain crown prince on her arm. She looks very happy too.

That is very sweet of him to go and meet her parents. Even if she wasn't there with him. I think it shows that he cares for her. Other wise he wouldn't have gone out of his way to spend time with them.

I don't think this is Mrs. Donaldson, she is a rather umm... robust woman with salt and pepper hair, and this doesn't really look like Fred either.

Prehaps someone can help me out here, but I don't think this is them.

Kathy

[Jacqueline]

Actually, Kathy, I think that it is her. I don't know about her hair, but her bone structure IMO certainly seems to resemble that of the woman (said to be Mrs. Donaldson a-k-a-Susan Moody) who was photographed with Mr. Donaldson in Denmark not long ago.

If you or anyone else is able to find an actual photo of Susan Moody, the crime writer, and prove the individuals over at IBL wrong, then by all means have at it.

It has been my experience that IBL has usually been good at providing adequate captions and identifications for their photos, but as I said if anyone can find an actual photo of Susan Moody that contradicts this or any major mistakes that IBL has made during it's existence then please share them with us.

[Julia]

Yep, that's Freddo. No mistake about it. :)

Julia

[Jacqueline]

Warm reception ahead for Mary's homecoming
By ALISON RIBBON
17jan03

TASMANIA'S own Cinderella, Mary Donaldson, is expected to join her handsome prince in her home state any day now.

Members of the Danish media, who are arriving in Tasmania in droves as speculation about the "princess-in-waiting" soars, have begun staking out the Hobart airport in anticipation of her arrival.

Mary, 30, has been working in Denmark, which is experiencing sub-zero temperatures, for the past week while her boyfriend, Crown Prince Frederik, has been enjoying some Tassie sunshine.

He is in Hobart for the world Dragon class sailing championship, an event that has been blessed with beautiful summer weather.

But Mary could be about to shake off the snow.

Her father John Donaldson, stepmother Susan Moody and sister Jane Stephens have all been spotted down at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania in Sandy Bay, where the Dragon races are being held.

Only one person is yet to welcome her Prince Charming to Tasmania _ Mary herself.

Mary grew up at Taroona, attending Taroona High School, Hobart College and the University of Tasmania before moving to Sydney to work as a real estate agent.

She met Prince Frederik during the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

Mary has since moved to Denmark, learning the language and picking up her own Danish designer on the way.

There has since been speculation about the pair gettingengaged and Mary becoming the future queen of Denmark.

Prince Frederik arrived in Hobart last Thursday and spoke to about Mary's parents and a possible meeting with her sisters.

He also mentioned visiting Wineglass Bay and Seven Mile Beach, two destinations recommended by Mary, who stayed in Denmark to attend a christening for the child of Danish actress Ellen Hillingso.

While last reports had Mary still in Denmark, it is expected she will fly to Tasmania soon, perhaps by the weekend.

Frederik will stay in the state until at least January 28, when the world Dragon championships end.

Link: http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/s...55E3462,00.html

[Jacqueline]

Reception fit for a princess
By ALISON RIBBON
18jan03

IT was one of Hobart's most anticipated arrivals.

Rumours of Mary Donaldson returning home proved true yesterday when the 30-year-old stepped off a plane at the Hobart Airport shortly after 9am.

Neither a famous entertainer nor a politician, the tall brunette's only real claim to fame is her world-renowned relationship with the Crown Prince of Denmark.

And she was met at the airport in true celebrity style.

Cameras flashed and microphones and tape recorders were poised as Mary walked into the airport, where she was welcomed by her sister, Jane Stephens.

After saying very little except that she was glad to be home, the pair drove away in Jane's Pajero, followed closely by the mostly Danish press.

Mary has returned to Tasmania to be with Prince Frederik, 34, who has been here for the past week preparing for the world Dragon class sailing championships, which begin this weekend.

However, she didn't rush straight into the arms of her handsome prince, choosing instead to spend her first hours with her family.

Mary was ushered into Jane's West Hobart home, where a handful of the 20 or so Danish press who had been at the airport were waiting, somehow beating her there.

Her father, John Donaldson, and other sister, Patricia Woods, arrived at Jane's house shortly after Mary.

Anxious photographers and journalists wandered around outside the red brick house, a far cry from the palaces of Denmark they are used to staking out on the royal rounds.

Jane and Patricia's children could be heard shouting excitedly for the attention of their suddenly famous aunt.

Far away from the constant limelight of her newly adopted country, Mary relaxed in red shorts, T-shirt and bucket hat in a typical Aussie backyard with her sisters.

She had finally left the subzero temperatures and snow of Europe for the hot summer of Australia.

It wasn't until the paparazzi had finally left, making a pact to back off for a while, that Prince Frederik was dropped off by his two bodyguards shortly after 1.30pm.

Dressed in casual shorts and white T-shirt and carrying a white paper bag, the Prince greeted one of Mary's nephews with a handshake as he went up to the house to be reunited with his girlfriend of the past two and a half years.

The Prince, Mary and her sisters are believed to have had lunch at the house before Frederik returned to the Salamanca Terraces, where he is staying, about 4.30pm.

It is not known whether Mary will stay at Jane's, at her father John and stepmother Susan Moody's home in Sandy Bay, or at the $2000-a-week terrace apartment with Prince Frederik.

Despite having his Tasmanian girlfriend with him in the state for the first time, the Prince attended the reception for the world Dragon class championships at Government House last night without her.

A small gathering of journalists and photographers were disappointed not to see their likely future queen.

Prince Frederik arrived 45 minutes early for the event and Mary's father and stepmother turned up about half an hour later, but there was no one in the back seat of their car.

Mary grew up at Taroona, attending Taroona High School, Hobart College and the University of Tasmania.

She is the youngest of four children to John and the late Etta Donaldson.

After finishing a law degree, Mary moved to Sydney, where she met Prince Frederik during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Their romance has blossomed and speculation about an engagement has been rife, especially in Denmark.

The world Dragon class championships end on January 28 and it is believed Mary will stay in Hobart until then.

Link: