Frederik: Mary helped me to quit smoking

Confirmation (TV2) today of what was suspected for a while now. Following gentle pressure from Crown Princess Mary, Frederik has given up smoking. And it was because of that gentle encouragement to quit that Frederik paid tribute to Mary for his success. Even before they married Mary was gently encouraging Frederik to stop smoking, saying she wanted to "keep him" a while longer, Frederik has told Puk Elgård for an interview for DR and reported in B.T.

Frederik told Elgård it was difficult to give up and he chose to do it gradually rather than go cold turkey. Even though he is now a non-smoker, smoking is not totally forbidden at their home at Fredensborg and there is an agreed space where Joachim, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik can smoke.

So, as Frederik says, it was Mary's gentle pressure which helped him give up, which was sweet of her, and that is who to thank for his success.

TV2 article
Netavisen 'Kronprinsen har kvittet smøgerne'
Jyllands Posten 'Kronprinsen: Sådan kvittede jeg cigaretterne'
The Raw Story 'Danish crown princess' "pressure" helps crown prince quit smoking'

From The Sydney Morning Herald:

Mary helped me kick smoking: Frederik

October 8, 2007 - 6:29PM
Australian-born Danish Crown Princess Mary helped Crown Prince Frederick quit smoking by applying "positive pressure".
"It was a low-key request, she said she wanted to keep me a little longer," Frederik says in an interview with public broadcaster DR, to be aired on October 16.
Extracts of the interview, published in the BT newspaper, quoted the crown prince as saying he "gradually" reduced the number of cigarettes he smoked since he "couldn't stop at once".
However, his parents, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik, as well as his younger brother Prince Joachim still smoke when they visit the crown prince's home.
Frederik met Mary during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and married her four years later. The couple have two children.
In the interview, the crown prince says he eats salad every day and tries to exercise on a regular basis.
"It may seem selfish to spend so much time on that when you have little children. But if you look ahead, I'll get two, three extra years with my children and grandchildren," he said, adding that the workouts also helped him relax.
The crown prince is patron of a national campaign aimed at encouraging Danes to exercise more.
Summing up its main message he said it would be to "remember to exercise 30 minutes a day".
© 2007 AAP

Also on matters Frederik, the contentious upcoming book by a former PET officer who worked as a bodyguard with Frederik is on hold. Aschehoug, the publisher, is holding off publication until next year, reports B.T.. (See the earlier DRWs post here - 'New book by PET bodyguard to be reviewed')
B.T. (8 October 2007) PET agent’s book about the Crown Prince put on hold:

The Police Intelligence Service (PET) continues to be concerned about a new book about the life as a bodyguard for Crown Prince Frederik. The publication will now be delayed writes Nyhedsavisen on Monday.
It was due to be published in two weeks, but now the publisher Aschehoug will delay the publication.
It will instead hit the streets sometime next Spring, after the publisher has had a thorough look at the book.
This happens after the Police Intelligence Service has attacked the credibility of the book in the press, threatened legal action against the author and called it “damaging” for the service’s work in protecting public persons such as Anders Fogh Rasmussen (the PM), Pia Kjærsgaard and Naser Khader (politicians), who all have 24-hour protection by agents. The PET agents are all under strict obligations of confidence under national security provisions.
The publishing firm Aschehough guards the book closely and PET has not had access to examine the 272 page work. Instead the two sides have had several meetings in which PET has made it clear what they do not wish to see in the book.
In the press material promoting the book the publisher writes in the biography about the bodyguard “... how the Danish security service PET operates behind the scenes” and how the bodyguard, Jesper Lundorf, got his “training as a bodyguard at PET”. It will also relate the challenges of “following Crown Prince Frederik as a shadow and never being off duty”.
PET do no longer wishes to discuss the matter publicly but confirms that “we have had a number of meetings with the publisher where we have expressed our concerns about the book”.
The publisher Aschehough denies they have been under pressure to delay the book.
“PET has stated their opinion. We have listened to that. And that is cause for us to give the manuscript an additional security check. It takes time to do that thoroughly,” said Jeppe Markers, editor in chief at Aschehough. (thanks Muhler!)