Four years down the track; Is Mary OK now?

[Madame Royale]

I don't see Mary as having changed the most

I do see a woman who's past, compared to her counterparts isn't as 'interesting' and some often like to exploit this fact and make it into a negative by trying to either find things that aren't there, or challenge the authenticity of the things that are.

what happened to the little Tassie girl?

My guess would be she grew into a woman like the rest of us .lol.

I see this "Little Tassie Girl" comment quite a bit and being an Australian I don't make much sense of it. What does Mary have to posses that's meant to represent the "Little Tassie Girl"? what are the grounds for that?

Its like saying the "Little Argentinean"! Where's the latin dancing, crazy haird vixen who likes chillies known as Maxima?.lol. See, Its just such a perculiar statement. Does Maxima put on a display of Argentinean values or ways? No, why would she? Why should Mary do the same with her homeland? Mary's relationship (connection) with Australia is sentimental and life long, but she isn't Australian. She is Danish. Her upbringing has made her who she is and I see a very warm and sincere lady. Not because I wish to see it, but because that's what I see.

[Xeara]

Wow, Madame Royale...some great pointsand well made...I agree with you when you say her "connection with Australia is sentimental and lifelong, but she isn't Australian...she is Danish"...I think that is the main reason for their recent Australian visit...Mary was probably nostalgic for her old life due to her new life of hobnobbing with the rich and influential and its inherent constraints...but I think when she got here she realised how GREAT her new life actually is...you get to socialise, wear nice clothes, get things done for you (child-minding, cooking, cleaning, shopping) and have interesting things to do and interesting places to go (the rest of Europe)...and she probably pitied her poor hardworking sisters who have to do it all (work and raise a family)...

And I would like to make another point about Mary "being Danish"...she HAS to be Danish due to the fact that she just didn't marry any Danish guy, she married the Crown Prince of Denmark...so she has to live in that country and represent Danish values, customs and traditions and speak their language...Look, if she just married any "Soren Jorgensen" she may have got away with not having to learn the language so quickly...heck, they could have even settled in Australia and we would have been none the wiser and little "Mary Donaldson-Jorgensen" could have slipped into relative obscurity...but the fact is he was a Danish prince and he had more to lose and she had all to gain...

I am not sure what point I was exactly trying to make...maybe that Mary just didn't marry any Dane, she married THE Dane and all that goes along with it...and I want to ask all of you: we all know small details of how Mary and Frederik met...at the Slip Inn during the Olympics...friend of a friend of a friend kind of situation...Mary's flatmate, Andrew knew Beatrice who knew Bruno the cousin of Prince Pavlos who is cousin to Prince Frederik...so anyway they met and they talked...Mary didn't know who he was until later...do you think she would have found him "alright" at first but after she found out who he was he (Frederik) became more attractive and desirable? and then she did everything in her womanly power to achieve the "goal" of marrying him?

I only ask this because of the Andrew Denton interview when asked if there were fireworks when they met...Mary says NO, not really and Frederik looks genuinely surprised at her answer...His look says "what? there were fireworks for me...love at first sight...you told me there were "fireworks"...like she is telling him one thing and feeling another way...telling him what he wants to hear, biding her time, massaging his royal ego...Well, that's the impression I got anyway...

[Currier]

For years many of the comments about Mary were vicious and cruel. I write to lend my support to a woman who has made Frederik happy and provided the Queen and the Danes with a CPrincess who has not been an embarrassment. Why are some demanding 100% perfection? Currier

[linda85]

my comment- Frederick seems to be the happiest ever. Mary has made him happy as a wife and mother to his children. He doesn't have the lost look that he had a while ago. I have seen it is the lot of the Crown Princes who were allowed to marry the woman on their choice. They seem to be happier and will fufill their duties better with a devoted spouse at their side.

[crisscross1]

Originally Posted by Xeara

I only ask this because of the Andrew Denton interview when asked if there were fireworks when they met...Mary says NO, not really and Frederik looks genuinely surprised at her answer...His look says "what? there were fireworks for me...love at first sight...you told me there were "fireworks"...like she is telling him one thing and feeling another way...telling him what he wants to hear, biding her time, massaging his royal ego...Well, that's the impression I got anyway...

I think it would be easy to read anything into her response. My feelings are that she probably wanted to keep that sort of information private, between them. I saw the interview and his look of surprise seemed to be in fun, which is perhaps why they still look so happy and in love.

I have always thought that Mary was doing an ok job as CP and I still do.

[Little_star]

Originally Posted by Madame Royale

I don't see Mary as having changed the most

I cannot speak for all, but I think most people are refering to her physical appearance when they say this. After all, the woman in the Starmakers photos is drastically different form the Mary seen today.

[Australian]

but i am positively sure that anyone who is about to enter the media and world spotlight WILL upgrade their appearance. It's not a fault, it is a sign that she cares about how her people see her and how she represents her new country, by upgrading her appearance.

[bebajp]

With all the respect to everyone and I didn't read all the post replies here's my comment about the this thread:

I think Mary has been doing a good job considering she was a COMMONER like most of her counterparts (except Mathilde). Most of the people at the beginning had a lot of criticisim towards her: because she wasn't POLISHED 100%, because her accent sometimes was not good enough, etc. But she doing her best to do jer JOB, even when for the rest of the world apparentely sounds EASY to do: get dress very well (designer clothes, which she wisely recycles), jewerly (not all, because some Queen's pieces not belong totally to the RF), having a cute husband (who someday will be King of Denmark), go to charity events, having might we call a "laid back, luxury life". Buttttttt... with all those "benefits", there's some responsabilities she has to accomplish: have a heir (which she already did), give up her private life, everything she does it will be under escrutiny and magnified 10 times, she had to move to another country, learn a complicated language (at least for me it is), culture, lifestyle.

Seems simple, but WE DON'T REALLY how hard (might) was for her decided to leave Australia and move to Denmark. If she was really (like some people said in the past) after his money or media attention, she have nothing but to loose in case there's a divorce (I hope this never happens). My point is, even when we see all those glamorous things, maybe they have problems like any other normal couple, the difference between them and us, it's their life will be surrounded by media, anything they do, good or bad will be criticize. I give her credit for managed gracefully and with intelligence.

What it looks outside as a simple duty, sometimes it isn't. What it seems to be a job for ANYONE.... I think not ANYONE would do it with grace, charisma, intelligence, as her.

I hope I didn't sound rude to the forum community.

[lisamaria]

Originally Posted by Xeara

I only ask this because of the Andrew Denton interview when asked if there were fireworks when they met...Mary says NO, not really and Frederik looks genuinely surprised at her answer...His look says "what? there were fireworks for me...love at first sight...you told me there were "fireworks"...like she is telling him one thing and feeling another way...telling him what he wants to hear, biding her time, massaging his royal ego...Well, that's the impression I got anyway...

I'm not sure if I fully understood what you tried to say, but I think it is a perfectly normal answer; Mary said already in a documentary done before the wedding that it was just a normal, nice meeting of two people, nothing big or dramatic - I don't think that despite of his act there, Frederik saw fireworks either. In other people's world that is called courtship or dating - time of trying to figure out if the positive in any given person outdoes the negative I have never fallen in at first sight, and the older I get the less likely I find it to ever happen like that. There may be chemistry and lust and what not, but real love? Doubt it.

[eireann]

Originally Posted by lisamaria

I'm not sure if I fully understood what you tried to say, but I think it is a perfectly normal answer; Mary said already in a documentary done before the wedding that it was just a normal, nice meeting of two people, nothing big or dramatic - I don't think that despite of his act there, Frederik saw fireworks either. In other people's world that is called courtship or dating - time of trying to figure out if the positive in any given person outdoes the negative I have never fallen in at first sight, and the older I get the less likely I find it to ever happen like that. There may be chemistry and lust and what not, but real love? Doubt it.

Sometimes the man gets fireworks before the female. I know my boyfriend of almost 3 years fell in love with me the first evening - whereas for me it was like Mary, just a nice normal meeting of two people. I think Mary keeps her relationship with Fred very private and is very careful about what she discloses to the press.

[stellam]

I agree with eireann that Mary comes across as a private person if her comments to the press are anything to go buy. Obviously her physical appearance has changed but as few of us knew/know her personally, we cannot comment on her mannerisms, character etc other than from what we see in the press. With regards to their love for one another, Fred did say in his wedding speech "after 2 days" of meeting her "his fate was sealed."

Stellad

[fandesacs2003]

Originally Posted by bebajp

With all the respect to everyone and I didn't read all the post replies here's my comment about the this thread:

I think Mary has been doing a good job considering she was a COMMONER like most of her counterparts (except Mathilde). Most of the people at the beginning had a lot of criticisim towards her: because she wasn't POLISHED 100%, because her accent sometimes was not good enough, etc. But she doing her best to do jer JOB, even when for the rest of the world apparentely sounds EASY to do: get dress very well (designer clothes, which she wisely recycles), jewerly (not all, because some Queen's pieces not belong totally to the RF), having a cute husband (who someday will be King of Denmark), go to charity events, having might we call a "laid back, luxury life". Buttttttt... with all those "benefits", there's some responsabilities she has to accomplish: have a heir (which she already did), give up her private life, everything she does it will be under escrutiny and magnified 10 times, she had to move to another country, learn a complicated language (at least for me it is), culture, lifestyle.

Seems simple, but WE DON'T REALLY how hard (might) was for her decided to leave Australia and move to Denmark. If she was really (like some people said in the past) after his money or media attention, she have nothing but to loose in case there's a divorce (I hope this never happens). My point is, even when we see all those glamorous things, maybe they have problems like any other normal couple, the difference between them and us, it's their life will be surrounded by media, anything they do, good or bad will be criticize. I give her credit for managed gracefully and with intelligence.

What it looks outside as a simple duty, sometimes it isn't. What it seems to be a job for ANYONE.... I think not ANYONE would do it with grace, charisma, intelligence, as her.

I hope I didn't sound rude to the forum community.

Perfect Perfect bravo
At least an opinion realistic, and fine analysis. I'm fed up to see people criticising Mary for doings thinkgs, that noone of these who easily criticized her, her have never done themselves, .... unless we have a "hidden" crown Princess among us.
Thanks for her

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by Little_star

I cannot speak for all, but I think most people are refering to her physical appearance when they say this. After all, the woman in the Starmakers photos is drastically different form the Mary seen today.

I agree. Mary is not as filled out as she once was but I wouldn't (personally) call that a drastic change. Its a woman committed to maintaining an image she feels right and appropriate for her

[sirmax]

If you look at the aspect of the adaptation to her public role, I think that Mary is fine now. When she married Crown Prince Frederik, she knew what she was getting into and if she wouldn't be able to cop with this she would of never married Frederik

[lise]

Originally Posted by Currier

For years many of the comments about Mary were vicious and cruel. I write to lend my support to a woman who has made Frederik happy and provided the Queen and the Danes with a CPrincess who has not been an embarrassment. Why are some demanding 100% perfection? Currier

Good question Currier, as far as I'm concerned nobody will ever be 100% perfect. I think 100% prefection is an unrealistic expectation to have of anyone.

[fandesacs2003]

Originally Posted by lise

Good question Currier, as far as I'm concerned nobody will ever be 100% perfect. I think 100% prefection is an unrealistic expectation to have of anyone.

I agree with you.
And in anyway wht does "perfection" mean?

There is no ONE perfection, but for me if Mary makes Frederik happy and proud for her... this is perfection.

[Lady Bluffton]

Sorry to have offended anyone with the term "little Tassie girl"...I mean that as a positive phrase. In other words, she seems to have shrugged off, or buried some of the down-to-earthed-ness that the average "commoner" would have, and substituted it with Euro-chic.

I am all for any woman improving her appearance and trying to look her best every day, but there is something endearing about someone with a true Cinderella story still seeming down to earth.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again, I admire Mary Donaldson very much because she has undergone an amazing transformation that would tax the best of us physically, psychologically, and emotionally, to be with the man she loves. However, I think she has developed -- out of necessity -- a very strictly public and private face, with the public face adhering to a certain ideal (representing Denmark, the Danish royal family, her husband, European royalty, etc.) with her private face the only evidence of the down-to-earth commoner she was, and still is. I can just imagine how I would feel moving in the circles that CP Mary does...overwhelmed, a little insecure, overcompensating because I was not born to this life, but have to learn to embody it.

No offense meant to my Australian friends on the Forums, but I still think she has -- out of necessity and growth -- left behind a lot of herself when she became who she is now. That's what I meant by "little Tassie girl".

Look, none of us likely know CP Mary personally, and we are all observing her from afar. I'm just sharing my perceptions with you based on body language, demeanor, and what she has said publicly.

No offense meant!

[crisscross1]

Originally Posted by Lady Bluffton

Sorry to have offended anyone with the term "little Tassie girl"...I mean that as a positive phrase. In other words, she seems to have shrugged off, or buried some of the down-to-earthed-ness that the average "commoner" would have, and substituted it with Euro-chic.

I am all for any woman improving her appearance and trying to look her best every day, but there is something endearing about someone with a true Cinderella story still seeming down to earth.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again, I admire Mary Donaldson very much because she has undergone an amazing transformation that would tax the best of us physically, psychologically, and emotionally, to be with the man she loves. However, I think she has developed -- out of necessity -- a very strictly public and private face, with the public face adhering to a certain ideal (representing Denmark, the Danish royal family, her husband, European royalty, etc.) with her private face the only evidence of the down-to-earth commoner she was, and still is. I can just imagine how I would feel moving in the circles that CP Mary does...overwhelmed, a little insecure, overcompensating because I was not born to this life, but have to learn to embody it.

No offense meant to my Australian friends on the Forums, but I still think she has -- out of necessity and growth -- left behind a lot of herself when she became who she is now. That's what I meant by "little Tassie girl".

Look, none of us likely know CP Mary personally, and we are all observing her from afar. I'm just sharing my perceptions with you based on body language, demeanor, and what she has said publicly.

No offense meant!

Perfect Lady Bluffton, couldn't have said any better myself.

During their recent trip to Tassie, wearing jeans, jacket and a scarf Mary could have been just any other mum out walking the baby with her family and friends. Thus, going to prove that when she hangs up the jacket and scarf and puts on an evening gown she proves herself to be confident and happy in both walks of life.

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by Lady Bluffton

No offense meant to my Australian friends on the Forums, but I still think she has -- out of necessity and growth -- left behind a lot of herself when she became who she is now. That's what I meant by "little Tassie girl".

Look, none of us likely know CP Mary personally, and we are all observing her from afar. I'm just sharing my perceptions with you based on body language, demeanor, and what she has said publicly.

No offense meant!

And no offence has been taken at any time At least not on my behalf and its great that you have responded so thoughtfully and with understanding, Lady Bluffton. My thanks.

What's known for certain is that Mary will always be known as the Australian born Crown Princess, Queen Consort, (and if she outlives Frederik) Queen Mother. She shall be the first ever Australian born woman to inherit by way of marriage, the position of Queen Consort.

I am happy to see Mary becoming (establishing herself culturally and in all other aspects required and appropriate) very much the Dane she must and should be. Mary has before commented on the simularities between the Danes and Australian's (social values etc) and that since they are not all that different that it did make her transition all the bit easier, or comforting.

I dont necessarily believe any of this means she left alot of her old self behind, rather, that 'same girl' has carried on with her into her new life. HRH now has an image to maintain and expectations that must be lived up to as a Dane.

Though, publically and privately, I believe and would like to think Mary is Mary. To me I don't recognise any one thing which represents who she is because I cannot. We are all influenced by many things, and not just by our nationalities.

Again, I feel Mary's affiliation with her homeland to be sentimental and lifelong. That to me is a given and I'm sure its understood by those of us (yourself included) who understand or recognise (as best we can) the dynamics of this life changing and historical situation

[Little_star]

Originally Posted by Australian

but i am positively sure that anyone who is about to enter the media and world spotlight WILL upgrade their appearance. It's not a fault, it is a sign that she cares about how her people see her and how she represents her new country, by upgrading her appearance.

Perhaps, but she decided to upgrade her public image within weeks of meeting Fred. That says more about her future aspirations that anything else.