I have not posted an article here before. I hope this works! Here is the URL just in case:
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0...1%255E2,00.html
Mary ready to marry into royalty
Froms news.com.au
Mary ready to marry into royalty
By Sue Bailey
August 8, 2003
TASMANIAN Mary Donaldson looks set to marry Danish Crown Prince Frederik after his mother publicly approved of the relationship.
At a media conference in the south of France last night, Queen Margrethe II spoke for the first time about Ms Donaldson.
"I am sure that she will be a nice daughter-in-law," the Queen told about 30 journalists and photographers at Cahorf where she and her husband have a winery.
Queen Margrethe II has previously denied Ms Donaldson's existence.
However, Trine Larsen, a journalist on Denmark's biggest selling tabloid newspaper Ekstra Bladet said there was now no doubt who would be the country's next Queen.
"At the press conference the Queen was asked if she had met Mary and she said she had and she is very fond of her," Ms Larsen said.
"She would not say the couple were engaged but an announcement is probably now very close.
"The Queen asked if we could imagine if her 35-year-old son would find it amusing that we were talking to his mother about his business."
Ms Larsen said the Danish media were excited about the Queen's acceptance of Ms Donaldson, 31, who grew up at Taroona.
Prince Frederik is the eldest of the Queen's two sons and was 35 in May.
He and Ms Donaldson met at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
She graduated in law from the University of Tasmania and worked in real estate in Sydney.
Ms Donaldson moved to Copenhagen last year, renting a unit in a chic neighbourhood and finding work.
Speculation was rife in May that the engagement would be announced after a government cabinet meeting.