Christening of Prince Christian: January 21, 2006 - Page 24

Smilla · #**461** 01-23-2006, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sesa

She is a fright!!!! those RED gloves, shoes, hat, and purse!!!! Good God! Could she have not toned it down a bit!! I'm not sure what bugs me the most-the RED shoes or the RED gloves!!

If you are prepared to use that bright shade of red, you have to wear some makeup. I'm sure I would do bad enough at such an occasion, but I'd make sure to have a stylist slap some makeup on my face and check my clothes. I wonder why Mrs. Moody didn't.

Margrethe II · #**462** 01-23-2006, 07:04 PM

Unfortunately for Susan, she has a frumpy figure so it doesn't really matter what she wears, she shall always look awkward.

What

...she didn't curtsy to HM the Queen?....what sacrilege is this?

"MII"

BeatrixFan · #**463** 01-23-2006, 07:06 PM

I thought it was quite rude. Everyone was bowing and curtseying. John Donaldson bowed to the Queen and Prince Henrik but Susan barely made eye contact let alone curtsey.

Saragli · #**464** 01-23-2006, 07:06 PM

Marys step mum did look rather upset at the christening and I also noticed that she didnt curtesy to the Queen. Maybe she deosnt get along with her step daughters in laws. But I wouldnt read to much into it. She could just have been in a bad mood. I like Marys father. He seems like a happy go lucky type of guy. The kind of guy you would find in scotland in the highlands careing for his farm.

Jamerican · #**465** 01-23-2006, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margrethe II

Unfortunately for Susan, she has a frumpy figure so it doesn't really matter what she wears, she shall always look awkward.

What

...she didn't curtsy to HM the Queen?....what sacrilege is this?

"MII"

She actually looked quite good at the wedding. I thought her make up and hair was well done, and the colour she chose was really soft and feminine. Red and grey are not her colours. She should also dye her hair back to blond.

ysbel · #**466** 01-23-2006, 07:25 PM

Well, here's a little piece of news that I found interesting:

Almost 2 million Danes watched the christening live on Saturday, on TV2 and DR1 according to Ekstrabladet and the percentages of younger Danes (who are traditionally not interested in royalty) were surprisingly high.

For Danes between the ages of 21 and 50: 48% watched it on TV2 and 34% on DR1.

For Danes between the ages of 15 to 30 (traditionally this group is usually the least interested in royalty) 40% watched the christening on TV2 while 26% watched it on DR1.

So it seems that Mary, Fred, and little Christian put on a very good show. :)

Sean.~ · #**467** 01-23-2006, 07:29 PM

Quote:

I notice Susan Moody didn't curtsey to the Queen or Prince Henrik as they walked past her.

She (or anyone, for that matter) isn't required to curtesy. It is optional. As an educated, modern woman, she may have chosen not to. After all, it is 2006 and the world is much more egalitarian. Moreover, she isn't even a Danish national & thus may not feel comfortable curtysing to a foreign head of state. I know I would. Americans, too, tend not too curtsy & bow, as it is considered un-American.

BeatrixFan · #**468** 01-23-2006, 07:48 PM

It may be optional but she knew the world was watching her. Americans don't bow or curtsey, I know that. Personally, I find anyone - whatever nationality, who doesn't bow or curtsey to be rude and obnoxious. Maybe that's my Catholic upbringing. I just believe it to be good manners. Especially if one's step-daughter is going to be Queen.

Margrethe II · #**469** 01-23-2006, 07:51 PM

Quote:

She (or anyone, for that matter) isn't required to curtesy. It is optional. As an educated, modern woman, she may have chosen not to. After all, it is 2006 and the world is much more egalitarian. Moreover, she isn't even a Danish national & thus may not feel comfortable curtysing to a foreign head of state. I know I would. Americans, too, tend not too curtsy & bow, as it is considered un-American.

Well, I doubt if they are the reasons.

I am sure I have seen Susan curtsy before. And coming from the UK herself would be aware of how to address a royal (even if she has never met the BRF).

That's fine if Americans feel it un-american to curtsy or bow as you say..I know I would have no hesitation in paying what I percieve to be the correct form of address to a Queen, let alone any foreign head of state.

But in saying this, I know quite a few Americans (personally) who would infact pay such reverence to a Queen or King. I guess it's up to the indavidual actually.

And although optional (as you say), it is still very much common place to bow or curtsy when being presented to a member of the royal family in Denmark as it is in England.

"MII"

monkeyfish · #**470** 01-23-2006, 07:52 PM

I have been reading with interest (and shock, sometimes) at some of the comments posted here, and questions about why CP Mary wore what she wore, why she alone was holding the baby, etc. I thought I'd throw out a few things that occurred to me as a mom who has been through two christenings of my own sons at similar ages:

Lilleman/Prince Christian: Most babies in the first few months look a bit like little aliens. Put a baby boy in a fussy, frilly, ancient Christening gown (no matter how beautiful), let alone a lace bonnet, and he's going to look a bit unnatural. Add to that the fact that he's surrounded by a huge crowd of people in a strange place, and yes, he looked a bit overwhelmed at times. But the photos of him grinning up at his mother were adorable, and anyone who can't see that and appreciate the pure love and joy in those photos is without a soul. In proper little boy's clothes, I bet he's a charmer!

CPMary: A bare head would have been inappropriate for a Princess in this setting, and wearing a big hat would have probably been a bad choice for several reasons. First, the chance of windy weather...she couldn't have kept a good hold of the baby and been trying to keep a hat from blowing away. Second, a big hat would have probably been disconcerting for her son, who at this age is beginning to see more than a foot or two away more clearly. A headband and girlish ribbon like CPM-M wore would have looked silly on her. So I thought her choice was unique, and appropriate given all those considerations.

As for the comments about Mary being the only one seen holding the baby yesterday: There have been a few photos I think of CPF holding him on other occasions, and I think watching their interactions during the ceremony and in photos, it's clear he's a doting father and husband. But this child was in a big, cavernous place surrounded by many, many people, most probably for the first time in his life. The music and the amplified voice of the celebrant in the church, the din of hundreds of voices at the reception - that's overwhelming for an infant who is used to the relative quiet of his own home and probably hasn't even experienced so much as the bustle and hum of a busy pediatrician's office, let alone a large church or reception. He is most likely to be calmed by his mother, his food source, the center of his universe at this young age. It was therefore entirely appropriate and wise that she was the one holding him most, if not all, of the day. It was simply the most practical thing to do to help keep him calm and feeling safe.

Finally, though I realize she has much better things to do than read our silly thoughts, I can't help but think how she'd feel to read comments about her son on such a day, and how hurt she'd be by people questioning her parenting and making unkind remarks about the looks of her child. I know these are public forums for us to discuss and debate, but we're talking about a baby here, folks. If we can't say something nice, could we not opt to say nothing at all? He's got the rest of his life to have his every little freckle and action criticized by people like us who have nothing better to do in our own lives than to criticize the lives of others. It just seems sad we can't simply all be kind to a three month old, as we'd hope someone would be to our own child.

Clearly, these are just my thoughts, as a ridiculously doting mother, and nothing more than my insignificant opinion. Carry on!

sesa · #**471** 01-23-2006, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smilla

If you are prepared to use that bright shade of red, you have to wear some makeup. I'm sure I would do bad enough at such an occasion, but I'd make sure to have a stylist slap some makeup on my face and check my clothes. I wonder why Mrs. Moody didn't.

I'm very afraid of what she would have looked like had she slapped some makeup on!!!

**Zonk** · #**472** 01-23-2006, 07:59 PM

Monkeyfish....welcome to the TRF..and thank you so much for your insightful and well thought out comments.

sesa · #**473** 01-23-2006, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margrethe II

Unfortunately for Susan, she has a frumpy figure so it doesn't really matter what she wears, she shall always look awkward.

What

...she didn't curtsy to HM the Queen?....what sacrilege is this?

"MII"

Frumpy figure or not does not mean that you have to look like a "bagain basement frumpy figure", and that is being kind to the women. She obviously "thought", as a lot of other people do, that she looked good when she walked out of her room, and she obviously does not have a full length mirror in her room!!! Either that, or Mr. Donaldson told her she looked good!
If more people invested in full length mirrors and actually "looked" in them before they leave, I bet you half the people in the world would not go out looking like they do!

Margrethe II · #**474** 01-23-2006, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sesa

Frumpy figure or not does not mean that you have to look like a "bagain basement frumpy figure", and that is being kind to the women. She obviously "thought", as a lot of other people do, that she looked good when she walked out of her room, and she obviously does not have a full length mirror in her room!!! Either that, or Mr. Donaldson told her she looked good!
If more people invested in full length mirrors and actually "looked" in them before they leave, I bet you half the people in the world would not go out looking like they do!

Well, I'm certainly not going to get malicious towards the woman because I don't like her outfit.

"MII"

Sean.~ · #**475** 01-23-2006, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margrethe II

Well, I'm certainly not going to get malicious towards the woman because I don't like her outfit.

"MII"

Everyone has a different sense of style, I guess. I wasn't particularly fond of her outfit (or that of her step-daughter's), but different, sometimes eclectic styles is what makes the world interesting. :-)

Quote:

Margrethe II]Well, I doubt if they are the reasons.

I guess we will never know what was going on in her mind. But at the end of the day it was her decision, and I don't think there was anything rude or 'sacereligious' about it.

Quote:

I am sure I have seen Susan curtsy before. And coming from the UK herself would be aware of how to address a royal (even if she has never met the BRF).

Maybe she didn't want to lose her balance or rip her skirt? After all, it is an akward position to be in! :-)

Quote:

But in saying this, I know quite a few Americans (personally) who would infact pay such reverence to a Queen or King. I guess it's up to the indavidual actually.

It would certainly raise a few eyebrows. I know quite a few fervent American royalty scholars etc. who deal with royals regularly. And even tgey have stated that they would never bow/curtsy as Americans. As Laguardia said 'such behaviour is very un-American'.

Quote:

And although optional (as you say), it is still very much common place to bow or curtsy when being presented to a member of the royal family in Denmark as it is in England.

Actually, AFAIK it isn't unless it is a formal setting. The Danish RF is very casual on a day-to-day basis. The Queen goes out shopping in the open, after all. Indeed, the Scandanavian (and Benelux) courts are quite lax on this issue in general ( in the Netherlands it is hardly, if ever, done). There is an anecdote about members of the British RF flying out for the wedding of Beatrix to Clause in the 60s and a one of the guests on the plane (lady Elisabeth Anson?) stated that Queen Julian did not like being curtsied to and that as far as she knew no one was to do it. Princess Marina replied that it didn't matter and that as representatives of Britain they would curtsy! So I guess it works both ways!

[quote]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

It may be optional but she knew the world was watching her.

Maybe that's why she didn't do it! Perhaps her skirt was too tight or her heels too high. Or perhaps she didn't want Australians to see her as kowtowing. Maybe she thought that as step-mother to the future Queen she doesn't need to (she might consider herslef an 'equal'). After all, they too are the grandparents of Prince Christian. Or maybe it in the nervousness of the moment she forgot what to do (it happens to the best of us). In other words, there are a myriad of possible reasons, and I guess wWe'll never know which one (s) it was. :-)

Sean (who is just trying to cut the woman some slack:-))

Toledo · #**476** 01-23-2006, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grevinnan

Perhaps Mary is not an overprotective mother but rather a sensible one. At a major event one does whatever it takes to keep the baby calm and that usually means in the arms of mom. To be near the foodsource and the familiar heartbeat is calming for any baby and Mary did a good job of keeping him comfortable.

She did a great job, so many people so many noises around the baby. No place safer that in his mom's arms. :)

Lord Williams · #**477** 01-23-2006, 09:40 PM

This is going to sound somewhat odd but HRH Princess Mary was reminiscent(sp...its late) of the Holy Virgin with the colors of her outfit.

i.e. Mary is typically pictured wearing that color of blue with a white veil---which CP Mary's floral hairdecoration reminded me of...

Thats just what it instantly reminded me of when I saw the blue and white. And the same name too...

Royal Fan · #**478** 01-23-2006, 09:46 PM

I Agree and as a dad Frederik gets top marks from me :)

Saragli · #**479** 01-23-2006, 09:47 PM

Well when I saw it it looked like she forgot to curtsey and didnt know she had to. You have to remember she sees the Queen mostly in very informal settings and doesnt curstey to her and knows that in Denmark it is not done often. She probably just wasnt used to or aware that she was supposed to.

LadyM · #**480** 01-23-2006, 10:15 PM

Well said Monkeyfish.

betina, there are a couple of pictures of the Crown Prince holding his son in the thread about Prince Christian's birth. Mary carried the little prince out of the hospital, but the Crown Prince carried his son from the car to their home.

In response to those commenting about Mary letting her son suck on her finger, Princess Diana did the same thing with one of her sons at his christening. As long as the mother's hands are clean, I don't see the problem. Is it so different from the baby sucking on his own hand for comfort?