Mary in the media

Photos © Marc Høm / Vogue.de

Anticipation for the birth of Crown Princess Mary's twins is building among royal watchers in Denmark, Australia and a world wide sprinkling too* and in the Danish and Australian media. The Crown Prince Family has spent its first Christmas and New Year at the recently renovated Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg with their first night at their new home on December 17. The Crown Prince's standard was raised and Royal Guards were stationed outside. German Vogue has featured Frederik, Mary and the children and the new art works in the renovated Rococo Frederik VIII's Palace in its January 2011 issue. Even the twins make an 'appearance' wrapped in Danish red. The photographer is Marc Høm, who is married to Caroline Heering's sister and whose wedding was attended by Frederik and Mary.

According to Vogue.de's publication preview, the photo of the family together in the Knight's Hall is a reference to a Velázquez court painting. Frederik said: "Being a modern couple, we have modern interests, so we try to reconcile this with the traditional. About the renovation, we have decided to include contemporary art." The article centre's on the Crown Prince Couple's royal style in an old palace revived with modern art.

For six years Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg, built in the elegant style of the European Rococo, was modernised for about €30 million. Since 1828 Frederik VIII's Palace has been in royal use and is home to the Danish Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Crown Princess Mary, their children Prince Christian (5) and Princess Isabella (3). In January, the royal couple is expecting twins.

"The interesting thing about modern art is that it provokes dialogue. The refurbished rooms combine respectfully restored antiques with contemporary design and historical works by Danish artists with modern art", said Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.

Vogue.de 15 December 2010



...and three of the artists with their works in the palace:


Vogue.de photo gallery of the art and decoration in the palace interior

Photos © Marc Høm / Vogue.de

If you don't have access to the magazine and are interested in purchasing it, try emailing in English to Vogue.de at vogue@burdadirect.de.

Mary's gold dress is by Talbot Runhof

Sky News clip - Australia

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Meanwhile, don't know what News Ltd's journalist Damien Brown usually reports on, but a royal reporter he is not, at least on the evidence of his handiwork in the last few days. Where to start? Every paragraph has errors. Okay, let's just work through it one by one:

• "...the recent cancellation of several traditional Christmas and upcoming New Year events..." - Crown Princess Mary has taken 'maternity leave' for each of her pregnancies. Mary's last event before Christian was born was 13 September 2005, although paparazzi photos were taken of her walking in the palace park around Chancellory House, including the day before Christian was born, 15 October 2005 . We saw a little more of Mary before Isabella's birth on 21 April 2007 because of the balcony appearance for the Queen's birthday on 16 April 2007 and Christian beginning nursery school on 27 March 2007, otherwise her last official event was 20 March 2007. This time around Mary's last official event was at the Queen's neighbourhood reception for Fredensborg at Fredensborg Palace on 23 November 2010
• missing the New Year royal courts is hardly surprising since Mary will either be in advanced pregnancy with twins or giving birth to them or at home with them and breastfeeding (Mary encourages this in her patronages for maternal and baby health for the UN and breastfed Christian and Isabella). Mary was simply not included in the royal guest list for the New Year courts this year because she is on maternity leave and Billed Bladet reported that she sent her apologies in advance long ago. Mary would otherwise normally attend court events on January 1, 4 and 5 and then a reception later in January for her own 25 patronages. The spokeswoman for the royal family made no special confirmation that Mary would not take part - she was just not included in the regular calendar postings of events on the royal family's website Kongehuset.dk
• "[Mary and Frederik] cancelled the annual trip to Schackenborg Manor..." - Schackenborg is not the traditional place for a Danish royal Christmas, so there was nothing cancelled. The royal Christmas is normally at Marselisborg near Aarhus. Christmas 2010 was an exception because of Mary's unusual pregnancy and the Crown Prince family have just moved into Frederik VIII's palace in Copenhagen. The Queen and Prince Henrik were in the unusual position of being able to do an unusual Christmas which included Nikolai and Felix because it was Prince Joachim's turn to have them. It was the first time the Queen and Prince Henrik had Christmassed at Schackenborg. In short, all was very unusual combined with the unpredictability of a harsh northern winter.
• Mary "increasingly troubled as her stomach grows and grows"? There is no evidence Mary is at all troubled. Mary has looked happy and comfortable during all her appearances and there has been nothing to indicate otherwise. Frederik has been asked how Mary is during all his recent events and has replied she is very well and strong every time. Might Mary be tired? Quite likely, she is pregnant with twins.
• We don't know that Mary is due to give birth in 'mid-January', there has only ever been one statement - the official press release which says "January". A natural birth always includes unpredictability and wishing an end doesn't have any effect on what is a physiological process. There is no planned Cesarean unless it turns out to be medically indicated. We know a lot about the birth team since we have met most of them all before for the births of Christian and Isabella and this time round Frederik will be considered part of the birth team according to Billed Bladet. With his experience he is expected to offer more than moral support to Mary by cutting the umbilical cord of twin A and holding him or her while midwife Birgitte Hillerup helps deliver twin B.
  
• "A bonus was the surprise arrival of Professor Donaldson and his wife Susan Moody on Christmas Eve." - No, it must have been a planned visit since John Donaldson and his wife Susan now live in France and the Billed Bladet article last August says they will visit Denmark later in the year, ie: now. Christian and Isabella are accustomed to John and Susan looking after them when Frederik and Mary have been away (eg: their trip to the US) so it is a treat for the children while Frederik and Mary are busy delivering the twins. John and Susan used to live in Denmark but have been in France most of 2010 - see Billed Bladet's photo gallery of John and Susan at their farmhouse.
• "The couple's new home at Amalienborg, to which they moved in July" - No, The Crown Prince Family officially took up residence on December 17, 2010. Mary has been very occupied with management of the move according to Billed Bladet which also confirmed in this article on December 12 that "The pregnancy goes as planned and the Crown Princess is very busy with the move," says head of DRF communications Lene Balleby.
  

Lucy Carne of The Advertiser/Adelaide Now got it pretty right though - so it can be done!

News.com.au - Denmark's Princess Mary prepares for early birth of her twins
The Mercury (Hobart) - Mary due any day soon
The Courier Mail (Brisbane) - Princess Mary's baby due soon
Perth Now (Western Australia) - Denmark's Princess Mary prepares for early birth of her twins
The Advertiser/Adelaide Now (South Australia) - Princess Mary ready for early birth of twins : by Lucy Carne, who at least got the facts right. Good on you Lucy!
Female First repeated all the rubbish with 'Princess Mary to give birth early?'
Examiner.com - Crown Princess Mary of Denmark ready to deliver twins any minute

* evidence is based on the blog visitors, among other things.
Thanks gudinde, kimberley, Tamriko and Ayvee :))

Christian keeps busy & a family move is a bit closer

All Amalienborg photos © Steen Brogaard

As well as lunch at Ida Davidsen's with the Siesbye's on November 16, Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary and Prince Christian attended a reception at their future Copenhagen home at Amalienborg Palace. The reception with the workers marked the end of major construction work on the Frederik VIII Mansion as part of the staged renovation of the building, which has not had any work done on it in more than 70 years. In Riddersalen (the Knight's Hall) they celebrated the conclusion of this part of the restoration with the workmen engaged on the project, which is not expected to be finished until autumn in 2009.


All Amalienborg photos Billed Bladet & ¡Hola! © Steen Brogaard


From Jyllands Posten/© Steen Brogaard

A bit of Amalienborg 101 below. Some aerial shots 1) shows the proximity to the harbour and the gardens next to the water, 2) the palace/mansion in the bottom of the picture is Frederik VIII's Palace or Brockdorff's which is being restored for Frederik and Mary and their family, 3) bottom right is Margrethe's and Henrik's, bottom left will be Frederik's and Mary's, top right is where Frederik and Mary, Joachim and Benedikte currently have apartments and it is also the location of the Amalienborg Museum, top left is the reception and guest palace and the scene of official functions, including "balcony scenes", 4) the facade of Frederik VIII's Palace, 5) a view from the harbour before Frederik and Mary were married, no work had begun on Queen Ingrid's and King Frederik's old Copenhagen home and Margrethe's and Henrik's was having some exterior restoration work done, 6) a view towards the new Opera House, Frederik's and Mary's on the top left and Margrethe's and Henrik's on top right, 7) a map!


Amalienborg - explains the history of the rococo buildings
Amalienborg and Amalienhavn
Frederik VIII's Palæ
Frederik VIII's Palace - from Frederik's and Mary's website

The Palaces and Properties Agency is responsible for the maintenance of the exterior and internal structure of the buildings, Europa Nostra has contributed to restoration of the facades during the 90s (helped by the good offices of ex-president Prince Henrik, no doubt) and the Royal Family is responsible for the cost of interior decoration, furnishings and including kitchens, bathrooms and other utility areas.

The Daily Telegraph - Sydney 'Hands-on mum Princess Mary grooms baby Prince Christian' (!)
¡Hola! 'Los Príncipes Federico y Mary con su hijo, el Príncipe Christian, supervisan las reformas de la que será su neuva residencia real'
New photos above and from Jyllands Posten - Topping-out ceremony with Frederik and Mary

By Else Boelskifte
Published 29 Nov 07
Prince Christian went along when the builders and craftsmen and his parents raised the roof tree the other day in connection with the renovation of Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg.
The palace becomes Frederik's and Mary's official home when the extensive renovation works are completed during 2009.
Rafters and roof beams in the building are finished and that inspired a party, not only for those who were responsible for the roof, but with all the builders who are currently working on the renovation of the palace.
However, Mary and Frederik and their children will only stay at Amalienborg for a part of the year, just as the Queen and Prince Henrik do now [in winter].
Nice as the palace in capital is, it can't compete with Chancellery House in Fredensborg, which has a swimming pool and is, after all, a nicer place to be for Prince Christian and his little sister Isabella. This is even though it is thought the palace is endowed with some 70 square metres of roof terrace at the back of the building.
The budget for the renovation by the Palaces and Properties Agency has gone up and is now around 200 mill. DKK. [More serious structural and rising damp/wood rot problems were discovered in 2005] and in particular, the wings of the building were found to be in greater disrepair than expected.

And from Billed Bladet 'Her skal vi bo, Christian' – We are going to live here, Christian:

The Crown Prince Couple took Prince Christian along when they held a topping up ceremony in Frederik VIII’s Palæ (mansion) at Amalienborg with the many craftsmen who, for a couple of years now, have worked hard in restoring the building. Mary and Frederik have long looked forward to moving in to the renovated mansion together with little Christian and Princess Isabella in the Autumn of 2009. And it is no less now, after having seen how grand the craftsmen have made the old Frederik VIII’s Mansion look already. New kitchen, new bathrooms, roof terrace and much more luxury will be completed in a year and a half from now.
While Princess Isabella was sleeping soundly during the entire reception, Christian had a cosy time with mum and dad and with the many craftsmen present at the reception at the palace. Mary diddle-diddled him on the nose and told him about the old palace. Christian listened to his mother, just as he listened to a couple of the many builders who came to say hello to him.
Crown Prince Frederik loves traditions and has a huge respect for the craftsmanship and the people who have toiled in order to make the mansion beautiful and more modern inside. That’s why he and Mary got a topping up ceremony up and running. A topping up ceremony is traditionally held when the walls are finished, the beams laid and the roof construction raised. The new construction is then decorated with garlands (in the shape of wreaths). The master craftsmen take care of the garlands and the building's owner pays for the reception for all who have taken part in the construction. Frederik had therefore brought port, marzipan ring cake, red sausages (a DK specialty) and beer and fizzy drinks ad libitum for all the craftsmen, who got a perfect end to a long workday. The Crown Prince Couple naturally proposed a toast to the workers and Frederik then gave a speech in which he thanked them and emphasised that he and the Crown Princess look forward to moving into their new home. Frederik, Mary and children will however not completely abandon Kancellihuset in Fredensborg, where they live now.
“The idea is that the Crown Prince Couple will live at Amalienborg a part of the year. Bur some of the time they will still live in Fredensborg where there are better possibilities for activities for their children,” says the DRF information chief, Lis M. Frederiksen.
Prince Christian will still attend a nursery in Fredensborg when he and the family move in at Amalienborg in Copenhagen, but a year or so later he will start school. In all probability he will be together with his cousins Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix at Krebs School, located only five minutes by car from Amalienborg. From a purely practical point of view it is therefore also an advantage for the Crown Prince Couple to move to the capital.
There are however other benefits as well. The newly renovated and restored mansion at Amalienborg for example has a 70 square metre roof terrace. It is large enough for the Crown Prince Couple to enjoy the weather and a BBQ-evening under open sky along with Christian and Isabella. And it will be little wonder if they won’t host a BBQ or two with their closest friends. There will also be a brand new kitchen of the Italian brand Olis, costing almost a million DKK. And then there will be a couple of sparkling new and grand children's bedrooms, naturally prepared for Prince Christian and Princess Isabella. (By Ulrik Ulriksen and kindly translated by Muhler!)

More hunting. Prince Henrik hosted the Grib Forest hunt yesterday. Frederik participated and when the results of the hunt were displayed at Fredensborg Palace, the Queen, Mary and Christian joined the proceedings as is traditional.


Photo: Claus Poulsen
Also see Søren Steffen's photo gallery
Our post on last year's Grib Skov hunt.

Added: Her&Νu video clip the Grib Skov hunt display (as usual, slow loader) - hear Christian exclaiming over the display

And in this week's edition of HER&NU it is reported that Princess Isabella eats oatmeal in the mornings, according to Frederik, who told the press yesterday morning before the hunt. He said that she sits and eats by herself, although perhaps with some hovering assistance from Mum or Dad. Seems inconsequential, but this is the kind of news you get about a seven-month-old! (thanks Benedikte!)

And today Crown Princess Mary has had another meeting concerning the ongoing work of the Mary Foundation, this time at home at the Chancellery House.