Frederik, Mary and the Media: A Discussion of Sorts


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It's not as if the CP couple could just disappear out of Denmark without letting people know where they are going. The public would in all likelihood have a complete fit, and then some of them might in fact be worried. And when pictures did emerge, as they would be bound to do, they would be upset that they were not made aware that their crown princely family was out of the country. I think that it is a no win situation for the couple, although, I would suspect that they've appeased the majority of people by letting it be known that they would be out of the country.

You would hope that the press would be more polite themselves, and be satisfied with one day of pictures. Enough. Yes, they are public people, but even they are entitled to a few days without the press hounding them. I think that the press are overstepping their bounds. Frankly, we have no right to all of these photos, and only becuase we demand them do the press hound this family. Yes, I think one day of photos is sufficient, and I don't think that Mary was rude at all in asking the other press to leave, especially if they had arranged a specific time to take photos.

And if they arranged a photo shoot? So what? Almost all of the Royal families do that on their private vacations, in the hope that this will be sufficient for the press, and they will be let alone to enjoy the rest of their vacation.

Staying in a private place or where no one knows that they are there? Well, why should they have to? Mary would like to see her family. And she probably does not want to put the burden on them for paying to go somewhere (no doubt exhorbitantly expensive) where they will be completely left alone? And no doubt there would be people who would complain if she offered to pay for it for her family, and call them hangers-on. And no doubt, there would be others who complained that they were wasting money if they themselves paid for such a thing for themselves. And, who doesn't stay with their family, at least for a short while, when visiting them? Of course she wants to visit with her family as much as possible, given that she sees them so rarely.

It's a learning experience. Just like everything else in life. So with each experience they know what to do differently next time. I think that they have dealt admirably with the intrusiveness of the media in this instance. And they might not allow so much access the next time.

For those of you who scream that she/they are all about the photos. Give the woman some credit. I sincerely doubt that she wore Prada boots with a logo so that the press would take photos of them to give to the masses who would then complain. If you all truly think that of someone whom you've never met, I feel sorry for you, since you obviously have no faith in human kind. She might just be like the MAJORITY of us, and when we can afford the better things, and the better quality, we do. It's not always about the labels, but frankly, the labels have a much better quality and workmanship than something from HEMA or H&M. She seems like a good and caring mother, and I can't reconcile that with what other people are reading into pictures, which is that she is a self possessed, self centered and egocentric woman. It doesn't work that way. You can't be so brand conscious, and full of yourself, and still be a good mother.

And a final note. Royals are not comparable to celebrities. Royals, despite the fact that they are mostly apolitical figures, are still figureheads linked to the political entity in their various countries, and are therefore high profile kidnap/terrorist/whako targets, and are therefore in need of more security than you average celebrity. A royal is in essence a call to action for the entire country. Imagine which would have more effect in your country (if you are in a country that has a monarch) if (let's use Britian as an example) the monarch was kidnapped or hurt? What would be the publics reaction to Queen Elizabeth being the target of a kidnap plot or terrorist plot versus say Kate Winslet or Helena Bonham Carter? I don't think you can compare.
 
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I don't think it comes anywhere near to be rude or unpolite. If two magazines miss the arranged photo opportunity, it is their own fault!!They could have been there on time!! Negligence doesn't give the right to special favours nomatter what the context are.

Biboquinhas when you assume that after the photosot all media have gone away and if she had waited these too Danish Photographers would also have gone, IMO you are giving the media a credit they don't deserve. In Denmark we have a saying: "If you give your littelfinger to the Devill he will take your hole hand" - I am pretty sure that saying is very well fitted to the media;).

From what I have seen so far the danish media are giving the CP Couple more media attention on their privat family holliday in Tasmania then they do when the CP Couple are in Denmark. Not only is this ridiculous it is indecent and plain rude. For Gods sake................it is two small children - toddlers - they are harassing.............
I agree that the entire thing is the blame of the "late" two magagine employees. They made a big stink so that they would not be critized by their employeers and not be fired from their jobs. I, on the other hand if in Mary's position, would make sure that is what will happen to them causing such a disturbance. What is the use of being a future Queen if you have to take orders from trash media -- Off with their heads:rolleyes: I joke, but really am serious. They would pay in the long run for being being so low class that they wanted special favors when I went out of my way to let the media in in the first place. There has to be a line drawn in the sand at some time and Mary has the nerve to do it. I now agree with the Dutch Royals that will sue over this invasion after their time limit is over. I seem to find media employees [of all sorts] to become quite base and have lost most of my respect for them -- even my local TV channels are becoming more like "Entertainment Tonight" crap shows.
 
I agree that the entire thing is the blame of the "late" two magagine employees. They made a big stink so that they would not be critized by their employeers and not be fired from their jobs. I, on the other hand if in Mary's position, would make sure that is what will happen to them causing such a disturbance. What is the use of being a future Queen if you have to take orders from trash media -- Off with their heads:rolleyes: I joke, but really am serious. They would pay in the long run for being being so low class that they wanted special favors when I went out of my way to let the media in in the first place. There has to be a line drawn in the sand at some time and Mary has the nerve to do it. I now agree with the Dutch Royals that will sue over this invasion after their time limit is over. I seem to find media employees [of all sorts] to become quite base and have lost most of my respect for them -- even my local TV channels are becoming more like "Entertainment Tonight" crap shows.
I am not sure, if you understand the character of Billed Bladet. ;) And thinking about...I can´t think of anything "compareable" in the US.

I feel sorry for you, since you obviously have no faith in human kind.
You wanna play the "Emotional pressure"-card by saying, that everyone, who is assuming, that this was a show of vanity is a bad person, always searching for the worst in persons? May I cap it all ;) :
Oh, it´s easy to lose all faith in human kind, if you remember, how many little children 1200$ (price of the boots) could feed for a while. ;)

And what poster was going (concluding) from self possessed, self centered and egocentric to "no good mother"?


Isabella's hair gets lighter every time we see her! I remember how dark it was when she was born, but now it's light brown, almost a dark blonde!!
She is getting "toddler blond", but I am pretty sure around 4, it would be dark again and possibly also Christian would turn darker latest at puberty...
 
And I am fairly confident that the royal family donates quite a bit to charity, in addition to lending their name. There is no reason why one act should preclude the other. Frankly, I could care less what the boots cost, or the fact that they are Prada. She can wear what she wants. That does not make her a fashion addict, as some in this thread and others, have assumed.

I said that those posters who said that she self possessed, self centered and egocentric were in my opnion wrong about her. I conclude that she is a good mother from what I have seen. I said that I could not reconcile that impression of her with others impression of her that she is possessed, self centered and egocentric. In my mind, the two simply do not coexist in one person. Please read what I wrote carefully.
 
carlota said:
did they have a (past) not so pleasant relation with the DRF?
No, they had quite an good one...as they are much better in not spreading negative rumours, listen to the RF (e.g. they didn´t publish their pics of naked Christian at the beach)

Billed Bladet and its readers...this quote (though probably made by an American, who maybe doesn´t read the mag on a regular base) would describe it so well
It doesn't work that way. You can't be so brand conscious, and full of yourself, and still be a good mother.
The BB readers want (and believe into), at least in connection to the CP family, "white characters". And BB is giving them, what they want.
Mary has the greatest sense of style
Mary is interested in all her duties
Mary is impressing all ppl, she is meeting
Mary is the best friend, one can imagine
Mary´s blood is from morning to evening flooded with love hormones for Frederik.
Mary always has "Denmark´s best" in her mind 24/7
Mary´s acting is always based on an altruistic motives
Mary is loved by all Danes
Mary is the best mother on earth.


It´s all a bit as in a Telenovela, where there also is a "white character" (e.g. this Betty in "Ugly Betty"), who always wants the very best and acts right. In the end she would even get a "prince" and good looks.

Now in reality (thanks god) most mothers are "good" in terms of truly loving their children and trying their very best. But also most mothers have their faults and are not always role models. So personally I wouldn´t label a mother, who has her moments of vanity and her "homecoming moment" as "bad mother".
And yes, I am thinking, that Mary is struggling a bit with her self esteem and has a bit of a narcistic personality (as IMO most commoner princesses...most girls wouldn´t marry into such a public position) and yes I am wondering, how Christian and Isabella, as Europe´s most exposed Royal children, should develop in this "fish bowl", that their parents have partly "co-built" and I am also not liking this model of always having a nanny as support...but I wouldn´t label her as "Rabenmutter" (uncaring mother) and wouldn´t question her as mother generally!
I am sure she loves her children and wants the best for them...if I wouldn´t think so, I would have not posted those pix of a happy Xian meeting his mom after her stay in China and would have hoped that none at all would have found them...
 
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..... how Christian and Isabella, as Europe´s most exposed Royal children, should develop in this "fish bowl", that their parents have partly "co-built" ...

You are way off the mark with that comment; yes, right now, this week, there are pics galore of these two kids - but think back - when have their parents last worked to create a 'fish bowl' for them? There were no pics from Gråsten, no official pics from their holiday at Blokhus, only paparazzi pics and they can be hard to avoid for any royal. If Mary and Frederik for example take their kids to the circus and they are photographed, this can hardly be helped.

I don't see these two kids more exposed in the media than for example their cousins - or the three Swedish youngsters years back.
 
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I don't think they children are "exposed" more than any other royal children. I think their parents are trying to let them experience normal things that all children want to experience. It is unfortunately their "bad luck" that they seem to have a permanent press pack following their every move.

I don't blame Mary for asking the photographers to leave them alone after a set time for pics. It's frightening to be in situations where cameras are everywhere and flashbulbs are going off. Imagine if you are a very young child and you are experiencing it. I'm sure it's disconcerting, no matter how "used to it" a child might be.

In fact I wish we were seeing less photos from their trip, just so everyone could have some peace and quiet. I think even royals are entitled to a sometime where they are not hounded by the press.
 
You are way off the mark with that comment; yes, right now, this week, there are pics galore of these two kids - but think back - when have their parents last worked to create a 'fish bowl' for them? There were no pics from Gråsten, no official pics from their holiday at Blokhus,

Not to mention "the missing pictures from Prince Christians birthday" which is so very well documented in this thread:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forum...are-members-expectations-realistic-14494.html

:ROFLMAO:
 
I don't think they children are "exposed" more than any other royal children.
No, the difference is really huge. Count the pix of Amalia, which were done in 2008 so far and then count all (Paparazzi, shootings...)the pics of Christian. I could even imagine, that if you would sum up all series of Amalia, Elisabeth, Leonor, and Ingrid, the result would be equal to the series on Christian.
I´ve extra checked most series and was self quite surprised, how many it really were.

One huge difference to all other CP families is, that it doesn´t seem difficult to photograph around the home of the family. In the past there have been many series of Christian in front of Kancellihuset...greeting his grandpa, greeting mummy, watching a tow-car, leaving for his birthday celebrations ;)...and then there have been many pics in the park....riding his bike, sitting in buggies, going for icecream, playing with an other child...

One thing to start with would have e.g. been to choose a family house, which wouldn´t be so very public. The renovations of Kancellihuset weren´t cheap, so one could actually have renovated a Villa, which would be more private.

Then Blokhus was mentioned. Obviously quite a popular summer place and they had been at a public beach. Why not going to an small island instead or a protected summer place. E.g. the summer castle of the Swedish RF has a private beach at least (the pics with the ultralong lenses are really bad)
Last summer...M&F went for a big Yacht, which was earlier rented by Bono.

And why do they have to go to fancy Verbier, instead of "Hintertupfing" for skiing?

And why wasn´t it possible to get at least something as the dutch "media code"
Yes, I am well aware, that Denmark isn´t the NL. But e.g. pointing out again and again in public press conferences before and around the birth of Christian, that their child would need privacy and that they would hope, that one would find an agreement, it could have worked.
Now they would e.g. do "preventive photoshootings" as in Australia and Verbier, but the positive result isn´t measurable.
The dutch CP family in Lech on the other hand, would be mostly left alone before and after the shooting.

At least their home and the area around it, they should have made to a "private zone"
What are actually their security guys good for? As close as some Paparazzis get, one could wonder, how close sickos could get.
 
One huge difference to all other CP families is, that it doesn´t seem difficult to photograph around the home of the family.

You are right. It has alwayes been easy to gain access to the ground near the homes of the royal family in Denmark. I can walk right up to their frontdoor at Amalienborg and knock if I want to, and getting eqally close to Fredensborg, Marselisborg and Kancelihuset is pretty much just as easy. This hasn't been a cause for problems earlier and the media has alwayes respected a certain distance. But IMO the media has begun to act in a manner that is overstepping my ideas of decent behavior. I find it regrettable if TRF has to lock themselves up inside fences just because the media can't figure out how to behave - but this might very well be the result.
 
No, the difference is really huge. Count the pix of Amalia, which were done in 2008 so far and then count all (Paparazzi, shootings...)the pics of Christian. I could even imagine, that if you would sum up all series of Amalia, Elisabeth, Leonor, and Ingrid, the result would be equal to the series on Christian.

You can't compare the two, as the Dutch Royal Family have a strict media code in effect, which effectively minimizes the amount of unauthorized pictures that we see of the Dutch Royal children.
 
It must be so difficult to look forward to a holiday with your family so much and then to have such a media presence on everything you do. I really feel sorry for her.

I actually do not feel sorry for her. She knew what she was signing up for. If she truly wants a private holiday, then don't announce it ahead of time; don't stay at your sister's house which is not secluded. One cannot play to the cameras one minute and then turn off the access later. I think it is very unwise for her to show bias against the Danish media. The Danish media can make or break her to the Danes and after all the Danes are paying for her lavish lifestyle. She can have privacy if she wants. She just needs to be consistent about setting boundaries between her public life and private life.

And most importantly, when these boundaries are crossed by the media and public, she needs at the very least to be gracious. That is a trait the late Queen Ingrid personified.
 
SE og HØR writes the following today:

Mary has hired an Australian spindoctor and on purpose staged her private visit to Australia to become something very public. PR agent Nina Fudala is according to them the one who let the media know when Mary, kids, nannys and eighteen bags would land on Australian soil and she is also the one who turns more normal everyday-events to big events for the media.

When Mary went to buy nappies in town, it was also no accident that the photographers were already there waiting and spread pictures of Mary as an ordinary "housewife" around the world.

Nina Fudala has a background as a correspondent for the national Australian television channel ABC and is known for being super expensive. In 2004 the Australian tax payers apparently had to foot the 300,000 DKK bill for the PR agent after the Crown Princely Couple's official visit. This time the Danish tax payers are footing the bill but how large it wil be is not yet clear.

The Danish Royal Household's press director Lena Balleby says: "The Court cooperates with Nina Fudala on the handling of the press in connection to the Crown Princess' official business during the stay".
 
Wonder where Se & Hør has got this story.
Hopefully, things aren't the way it is presented in the article :cool:
 
Well I think the problem is that Mary has too little children and these children need to go out every day, they need to play outside the house, they need to go to the park and to public places so there is no way to avoid press and people during this visit!!!! If she stays all the time at her sisters's house then that will be for sure a private visit with no photos but the moment you step outside the house than this visit will turn public for sure and there is no way to avoid that :rolleyes: Also is very obvious and understandable that Mary has plenty more attention when she is not on royal events, she has more attention when she is informal dress with their two little kids playing in the park, everyone likes to see these kind of photos and photographers can sell them for a mucht higher price....she is a royal yes but now she is more like a celebrity. And to me she is a fashion addictied!! That is not a bad thing but Mary is a fashion addict yes:ermm:
 
I just read the article in Se og Hør in danish. The tone is - like alwayes in Se og Hør - provocative. They do understand how to blow up a "non-issue" to something.

If I went on a holliday somewhere knowing a pack of media would follow because it is their job and it is part of my job to have them around - I to would hire someone professional to tackle this pack.

Se og Hør is also blowing up the fact that the bill for this professional is payed by the danish taxpayers, as the expense will be drawn from Mary's appanage. And so what - this is among other things why she gets an appanage.

Se og Hør is Se og Hør - and will remain to be Se og Hør. Gutter-journalism:D
 
IMO the Danish Crown Prince couple have somehow created this media frenzy by continiously exposing themselves in a manner that is more celebrity like then any other royal couple. For instance a week or so before they arrived in Australia there was a huge article in the Women's Weekly, a very popular womans magazine here in Australia in which Fred went on and on about Mary, their relationship and "Why he would never leave her.." I mean that is totally celebrity talk and behaviour, you don't see Willem Alexander doing an interview like that...so Australia was totally geared up for their visit, it was anoounced on the news even months before they came. I think F&M are feeding into this celebrity status, ( mary doing the Voque shoot a prime example)and sometimes regret that they do...
 
Sure SE og HØR may be tabloid press, just like in Sweden, but I don't think we can escape that Mary is indeed using media-spin to make the most out of what she does. She wants good PR and media attention because it strenghtens her "brand" and her status as a famous person, just like a lot of other people she knows how things work in our media age and does her best to use it. By doing this she remains one of the more known royals and it makes it easier for her to do her job in the manner that the media will give what she does more attention, she can represent Denmark with a whole pile of anxious photographers and journalists in tow.

That the media knew when she would step onto Australian soil speaks very well for the kind of "media preparations" that had been taken, and also the fact that the Royal Household has acknowledged that the family were going on a holiday to Australia. Also mixing in official business during a supposedly private trip is bound to make more photographers and journalists focus on Mary and the family.

Had they wanted a really private vacation the best thing would've been to keep mum about going to Australia in the first place, not using a PR woman and not doing anything official during the stay. That way they might have been able to land without it being on the news, and perhaps getting little bit of privacy in the beginning at least.
 
As it seems some Aussies were quite upset, that they had to pay the bill in 2006


Reference to Hansard (which is the formal record of all government parliamentary proceedings) from February 2006 and deliberations by the Senate Finance Committee.
here is the topline quotes:

Senator ROBERT RAY— ...why was it necessary to spend
$69,920 hiring a media consultant for the visit by the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of
Denmark? I think Ms Nina Fudala won the contract.

Mr Leverett—We have to hire media consultants on a fairly regular basis for high-level
visits. This particular visit attracted far more media attention than most and it was for a
slightly longer period than most. We had to hire two staff to handle the media, so the figure
appears high. Although it is to one company, it covered two people rather than one person
who would normally handle it.

Senator ROBERT RAY—I think Woman’s Day would have done it for nothing

And now the Danes pay it...and Danish media ppl get rebuked.
One has to love Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth for her way of acting.
Alone that she was giving us a show instead of not announcing the visit, instead of renting a house (with a playground in the garden)
Usually the post summer season starts slow in Royal houses...but this year we have Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth, her entourage and the Danish&Aussie press :clap:
 
Only in Danish but still:

TV 2 Vip - Mary hyrer berømt spindoktor

Mary bruger formue på spindoktor - Nyhedsavisen - Avisen.dk

If true it only confirms what was pretty obvious from the beginning - this is not a private visit but the "Mary CP of Denmark Homecoming Tour 2008". They have always had a strong leaning towards attention - I don't mind when they are on duty - but it's too much to disguise a trip a "private" and then hire some people to stir up the media and play the celebrity game. That's cheap, even more as the kids are involved, and these two official events that haven't even taken place so far are only a sad excuse for employing a PR person.

As the danish taxpayer has to fork out the money for their activities anyway they should at least be open about the handling - no need to take people for a fool, thank you very much.
 
As it seems some Aussies were quite upset, that they had to pay the bill in 2006




And now the Danes pay it...and Danish media ppl get rebuked.
One has to love Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth for her way of acting.
Alone that she was giving us a show instead of not announcing the visit, instead of renting a house (with a playground in the garden)
Usually the post summer season starts slow in Royal houses...but this year we have Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth, her entourage and the Danish&Aussie press :clap:

Unless I am incorrectly reading this, you are speaking of something that happened in 2006, and which has no bearing on the current trip. Until there are CONFIRMED sources stating that this has been done for this trip, then it is OFF TOPIC for this thread.
 
I agree that if Mary wanted a real private vacation, she would have rented an entire small island somewhere [there are plenty, believe me] and refused any photos, etc. Actually she could have paid to gather her entire family with her on the island. She would not have been the first person to do this.

But she didn't do that. She OKed a few photos with the understanding, I am sure, that they would stay far enough away so as not to disturb her children--she is used to it, but not the children. [going up to her sister's front door just showed how low class these were and right then they should have put a stop to everything] This Royal couple are damned if they do and damned if they don't -- and we here at the forum are a large part of it all. We want to see photos but on the other hand don't want it to appear that Mary and Fred gave permission.

I think that the Dutch Royals, upon learning that their second & oldest daughter was frightened with all the close reporters, refused to have their Argentina vacations so frequently. Maybe all the Royals should take a page from them and just permit the "stiff" photo sessions with posed pictures and stiff smiles followed by the 15 minutes of Q & A. I thought at first that the Dutch were being rather harsh to the public, now I tend to agree with them.

The children come first and you can see in some photos that Mary and Fred's two cling to their parents or get that "look" on their face when the reporters get too close. They seem to feel safer on granny's balcony with railling between them and the animals. I understand.
 
.

Had they wanted a really private vacation the best thing would've been to keep mum about going to Australia in the first place....
Empress has already explained very well in the Australian visit thread why this scenario would not work.
 
Personally I think that there has been some serious reason that prompted Crown Princess Mary to do what she did, i.e., to ask Danish media to leave. She is fully aware of consequences of her request. Crown Princess Mary knew that the offended Danish media would create a storm that might cause adverse comments directed at Crown Princely couple.
 
Personally I think that there has been some serious reason that prompted Crown Princess Mary to do what she did, i.e., to ask Danish media to leave. She is fully aware of consequences of her request. Crown Princess Mary knew that the offended Danish media would create a storm that might cause adverse comments directed at Crown Princely couple.

But at least Billed Bladet, whose reporter got rebuked doesn´t seem to have negative comments this week. Their header is about Her Royal Highness Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat and her neat/nice look.
And as it seems you can find out, where to get her jacket from.
http://www.billedbladet.dk/Kongelige/ArticleFolder/2008/8/Koeb%20Isabellas%20vest.aspx
 
It is nice to know that Billed Bladet has been so generous... As for the trip, I am glad to see the Crown Princely couple having a good time with children and relatives. Princess Isabella looks cute indeed.
 
Having read a number of posts criticising Mary for combining official duties on this tour with a family holiday I must ask how much more criticism she would receive if she took her family holiday and then returned for another trip for the patronages???
I dont think it has been a great success in many ways but I remember from previous posts and her previous visits it was often commented that the media attention they receive in Australia is out of all proportion to what they receive in Denmark. Remember the good old days when the media reported the bloody news and wasnt THE NEWS....btw Did Fred really give that rag of a magazine an actual interview or are they doing their usual close sources/good friends / friends of friends thingy??
 
Did Fred really give that rag of a magazine an actual interview or are they doing their usual close sources/good friends / friends of friends thingy??

I will bet my right arm that he didn't.
 
But at least Billed Bladet, whose reporter got rebuked doesn´t seem to have negative comments this week. Their header is about Her Royal Highness Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat and her neat/nice look.
And as it seems you can find out, where to get her jacket from.
Billed-Bladet - Her kan du købe Isabellas lækre vest


Thanks for the link, but can you, and others from now on, simply call her by her short name... Isabella? It's just, well... you know, annoying having to read more than necessary over and over again... You can understand that, right? Tak.

:D:flowers:
 
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