Margrethe visits, John Donaldson visits & two 21 gun salutes for newborn prince and princess

The Queen said the twins are not so big but are very fine and all in the family are very happy. Normally the Queen is a bit reserved with the press, but today she was a radiant and proud grandmother. The Queen's visit lasted about an hour and she spoke to the press afterwards.
"They are not so big but very fine ... We are all very pleased, all of us in the family... and the parents are feeling very well, both of them I think ... My daughter-in-law looks wonderful and the children do as well ... I'm so pleased for the Crown Princess that her father is here. He has been here for Christmas ... It's nice for her to have her family with her."
Her Majesty had a little gift, but she did not want to say what it was.

Photos © DR.dk/Keld Navntoft/Scanpix, B.T.,Berlingske Tidende

• Ekstra Bladet clip - Queen Margrethe

• TV2 clip (4:18) interview with John Donaldson

• It seems Christian has a cold and so he and Isabella may not visit their new brother and sister today, they heard the news with everyone and smiled but John Donaldson is not sure they entirely understand.

• Billed Bladet Mary's father proudly praises his daughter

January 8, 2011 | Jan Bergman

Immediately after Her Majesty the Queen had left the University Hospital, Crown Princess Mary's father came down from the delivery room.

And it was certainly a happy and enthusiastic grandfather, who welcomed his two new grandchildren.

"They are amazing," he said, and revealed that he thinks they look like Princess Isabella.

John Donaldson also praised his daughter and told her that she is quite unique and that she even has the energy make jokes and have a bit of fun, but did not elaborate on this further.

While Crown Princess Mary has been at University Hospital, her father was home at the Royal Palace, with Prince Christian and Princess Isabella.

Prince Christian and Princess Isabella were given the happy news while their grandfather was with them and they both smiled, he said.

John Donaldson, who has been in Denmark since before Christmas, is apparently not busy with traveling again yet, as he told me that he will remain in the country at least one more week.

• Berlingske Tidende Canon salute to the little prince and princess

The guns thundered at Holmen and Elsinore in honor of the royal twins.
Saturday 8 January 2011, 12:35
Flags immediately flew to the top of both government buildings and ships, when Denmark Saturday got a prince and a princess.
And at midday guns thundered in both Elsinore and Copenhagen. Twenty one shots were fired twice with smoke and steam from the Battery Sixtus on Holmen [Copenhagen] and from Kronborg Castle [at Elsinore] in honor of the two small newborns.
There were two minutes between the two shot series.
Cannon salute is a tradition that marks special events in the Danish royal family. Cannons boomed so also, when Crown Prince Christian was born on 15 October 2005, and when Princess Isabella was born on 21st April 2007.
The four guns used at Battery Sixtus were operated by Navy personnel. The 17 guns used at Kronborg Castle, dating from 1766-1769, were operated by gunners from the Army.
Dating back to Viking times bonfires and beacons have been used for special signals to provide information on important events.


/ Ritzau /

• B.T. Unreal for Christian and Isabella : Thinks mum comes home with dolls. Christian and Isabella are at home with John and Susan Donaldson

• B.T. Jane Stephens tells B.T. how thrilled they are at the birth by phone from Tasmania

• B.T. John Donaldson has visited and confirmed that he too is a sensitive chap, he wept when Mary was born. He says he will stay in Denmark for a week or so and one of Mary's sisters will arrive in Denmark shortly. In talking to the media he also said hopefully Mary "with her big family" will visit Australia around next Christmas. He said " Mary is great and looks radiant. She bubbles with happiness," says John Donaldson, who has cared for Prince Christian and Princess Isabella, while the Crown Prince has been at Rigshopitalet.

• B.T.

Proud Queen sees new grandchildren
The Queen: Mary looks brilliant
SUSANNE JOHANSSON | KRISTINE BUGBEE | BERIT HARTUNG
-Saturday the 8. January 2011, 15: 02
The Queen had a gift for Mary!
"Of course, I had a gift with me. What it was I do not say," sounds a delighted Queen Margrethe, who had just been visiting her daughter-in-law Mary and visited her new grandchildren, Denmark's royal twins.
"My daughter-in-law looks brilliant" and Fredrik also welcomed the happy Grandma on the visit, while she tried to leave the University Hospital.
But the questions fell into a steady stream, and she managed to say that it is a Danish tradition that naming the baby first takes place at the baptism, before she returned to Amalienborg.

• TV2 article - play clips on this page