Update and media wrap ....

It has been a quiet time since the visit to Schleswig-Holstein last weekend. As reported in B.T., SE og HØR and Billed-Bladet this week, Frederik, Mary and Christian have been having a private break skiing in Verbier in Switzerland. Oh, I expect Christian is not quite on skis yet, but perhaps it is just a matter of time! It has been Frederik's and Mary's custom to ski at Verbier at the time of Mary's birthday for the past few years, but we can expect the schedule will always vary due to official events and of course Christian, the new 'little man' of the family, will have a natural impact on how things are done. Frederik arrived a day before Mary and Christian.

According to B.T.'s Torben Bagge the trip to Schleswig-Holstein was a great success while Christian's first official visit with his parents was as 'Denmark's secret prince'. Arrangements were especially organised around Christian's schedule so that Mary and Frederik were not separated from him and so Mary had time with him between engagements for breastfeeding. The crowds who greeted Frederik and Mary were not disappointed that they did not 'show off' the royal baby and nor did they mind that the royal visitors were delayed in arriving at the Kunsthalle in Kiel because Mary was attending to her son. Rüdiger Ewald, spokesman for the government of Schleswig-Holstein, said the royal schedule was deliberately flexible so that Mary had time with Christian. Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein declared the visit a success in maintaining and developing the friendly relationship between Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein. Billed-Bladet reported Mary was a special drawcard for the crowds who greeted the official royal visitors. Here is another Billed-Bladet link on Frederik's good humour on the visit to the Danewerk Museum.

The reports in the German press were equally positive. Hamburger Abendblatt Online decribes the sequence of events during the day of the Hamburg part of the visit, then the Matthiae-Mahl feast, about the research, culture, tourism, etc. purpose of the visit, about Frederik's
speech at the Matthae-Mahl and music, among other stories you can access on these links if your German is up to it! Sorry, you also need Danish to read the links for the Danish press links above!

Abendblatt reports that Frederik arrived at midday in Hamburg by car and Mary and Christian arrived half an hour later by a Danish Air Force flight. As with Queen Margrethe and heir Frederik, it would appear it is already the custom that Frederik and Christian do not travel together for security reasons. The newspaper also reported Mary and Frederik (well, especially Mary!) had several hours with Christian before they attended the Matthae-Mahl feast.

There were also other news reports of the visit in various newspapers, on television and in German magazines. All reports were that Frederik and Mary were greeted very enthusiastically at each place they visited. You can see German video clips through these links to ZDFmediathek 1 and 2.

Frederik, Mary and Christian will need to return to Denmark today because Frederik will be regent from February 25 to March 2. On March 3 the Queen, Frederik, Mary and Christian will go to Oslo for the christening of Norway's newborn Prince Sverre on March 4.