https://www.bt.dk/royale/klar-laest...ik-kapitel-2-derfor-elsker-danskerne-frederik
A BT article where a number of ordinary Danes who have met Frederik, tell their story.
A former PET officer, Jesper Lundorf, says:
"He resembles his morfar. (Frederik IX.) My grandparents could tell stories about how King Frederik took time off to get out among the people, have a beer with them, chatted with them. So does the Crown Prince. He is out as himself, they are out as a family. They mingle.
I think you one day will tell the same kind of stories about the Crown Prince as the ones that were told about his morfar."
Anne Larsen, the local baker near Fredensborg Palace, says: "When there are guardsmen in front of their house, then you know they are there. There is life in the house then".
M&F haven't actually been in her shop, but she has met them from time to time:
"They are very visibly here. Very folksy.
It suits Frederik getting older. You can tell that his shoulders have gone down, is more relaxed. He has settled in his role.
Will you imagine, we have a late-arrival aged 13 and who was sitting up there in the palace-church when she was baptized? Mary and Christian. With little Christian. He was eleven days old."
Katrine Helmer own an art-store, also in Fredensborg. Her children attended the same kindergarten as Christian and Isabella (back when they lived at Fredensborg), and she remember the mornings when she arrived at the kindergarten with her two children, while Frederik at the same time dropped his off:
"Our faces were both equally grey and tired."
M&F took part in the various activities of the kindergarten just as the other parents:
"When there was a summerparty in the kindergarten and all families were to bring a course (food), they also brough theirs. - Frederik was an ordinary parent who arranged playdates like everybody else.
I become so glad and warm that he is our future king. - You should try and walk up to the florist. That's where he always buy bouquets for Mary."
Christina Sparkov is the florist, and even though Frederik doesn't always buy flowers there, he does drop by. Mostly outside the flower-season because there are plenty of flowers in the palace garden and there is a florist as well.
But when he does, he says: "You know what she (Mary) likes."
He often buy the bouquets when Mary returns from a trip. "That sure is a testament of great love for his wife (informal word)."
And up to Christmas Frederik drops by with the children to buy Christmas-decorations.
"Then they stand giggling and laughing, until he says: Now we are going home to have war chocolate. - It could be any dad with his children. He leaves and incredibly likable impression. He isn't aloof, is down to earth. I'm really proud of him.
Arh. I do recall the period when he was young an rebellious and drove like mad through town. He has fortunately grown with the job."
Lene Tollestrup Johansen from the town of Trend, near the hunting lodge there, tell the story when she and her husband went to a nearby beach on Midsummer Evening (where bonfires are lit all over DK) and wonder why there was a red carpet there.
"Why, there was Frederik, Joachim and Henrik standing there. They had been hunting near the royal hunting lodge in Trend and would like to see the bonfire. I was cheeky enough to go over to Frederik and ask I could have a picture with him. It is after all not every day you get to stand next to a future king, right?
Of course you stop for a moment when you see crown-car 121 in town, but he blends in with the public. I think that's a place they enjoy when they are up here."
Uffe Sand met Frederik by accident in Key West of all places. He and his eight year old son Emil were strolling in the harbor, when Emil asked whether it wasn't Frederik. Frederik himself replied: "Yes, it is."
Then the Sand family was invited aboard the boat where they chatted with Frederik for fifteen minutes. And they asked for a photo, but:
"But the battery was flat. We chuckled a bit over that and then he asked whether we would be there the next day, because then we could come down and try again, if we remembered to recharge it.
He is often so stiff when you experience him at official events. It's like he's two different persons."
Lisbeth Elbæk Mortensen and Mona Hagelquist came to an audience to thank for their order, shortly after PH had died, and here Frederik stood in for his mother.
Lisbeth Elbæk: "Before you go in you are told exactly what you are to do. You start with: Hello, Your Royal Highness, and then you thank for the medal and talk about the job for which you have received the medal.
I've always had the feeling that he is the sweetest guy, totally down to earth.
He was simply so inquisitive, asked curious and relevant questions and comments. I was high when I came out. I'm not particularly royal, but that was a huge experience."
Mona Hagelquist says: "We had had the introduction about remembering to curtsy and all that. But no one told us what we were allowed to talk about. I had decided that I instead of talking about my work would offer my condolences. Perhaps that was getting a bit too close, but his father had died a month prior, so I thought it was a natural thing. You would do that to everybody else.
And then we had a good talk about it being alright that old people die when they are ill. That it can't be helped. It was a good chat. It could just as well have been you and me. Totally down to earth. He was such a man you felt like going out and have a cup of coffee with. It was cozy, nice and not awkward at all."
The photos in the article are off and with the people who told the anecdotes.
Judging from the shadows I'll estimate Mary went aboard between 19-20 this evening. Presumably the ship sailed shortly after.
