Mary's routine check-up triggers false alarm & second time this week media gets it wrong

Photo © Hanne Juul/Billed Bladet

So where are we at? Mary has had a check up at the hospital but is not in labour and the court has confirmed that Crown Prince Frederik has cleared his calendar of an event for January 13. Since the twins have not yet appeared he is bound to be on extra Daddy-duty in the near future. The photos of Frederik's arrival perhaps look a little more dramatic than what was actually happening. It appears that since the media is watching at the front of the hospital, Frederik might have driven Mary to a side entrance to drop her off before parking the car and going upstairs with Professor Peter Damm, a member of the birth team. The media has got it wrong twice this week. It is 1-1 between Denmark and Australia. B.T. got it wrong earlier in the week and today News.com.au (and all its mastheads, The Daily Telegraph etc.) got it wrong.


For the past few days while Frederik has been busy with official duties during the New Year Courts, Mary has been both at home and also out and about. What is new for royal watchers is seeing the Crown Prince Couple and the children in Copenhagen during this time - there is a whole new way of city living going on since they moved into Frederik VIII's palace. Mary has been seen walking with her father along the harbour-side near the palace (a blog exclusive, thanks Adelaide), going out to some New Year sales, picking up Christian and Isabella from across the square at Amalienborg (with Ziggy), seen indoors at the palace and most recently she has been to Rigshospitalet for a routine pre-natal check up. As for Mary's trip across the square to pick up Christian and Isabella at Christian VIII's Palace, we don't know why they were there, Ekstra Bladet has assumed it was to visit Prince Joachim's apartment for a visit. The palace houses a museum, apartments for Joachim and his family, for Princess Benedikte, a part of the Queen's Library and meeting rooms. Also Mary and Christian were photographed looking out onto the square to see Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik departing for Christiansborg Palace in the golden coach on January 5.

As you can see below the media stories, especially in English language publications, continued to publish that Mary was having her babies three days ago, despite Communications Chief Lene Balleby saying January is the due date and Mary is anticipating doing things naturally. A low moment in the Danish tabloid press was Ekstra Bladet offering 5,000DKK for anyone who took photos of Mary in labour on her way to hospital. It was greeted by all-round criticism and EB withdrew the piece and then reduced the amount on offer to 1,000DKK, now all removed from online. Babies, as we all know, have their own timetable - and that is the timetable we are running on in this virtual maternity waiting room. So here is some stuff to read, as you do while waiting...

Frederik with Isabella the evening before Mary's admission to hospital Photo © Billed Bladet/Jacob Ljørring

Berlingske Tidende The Crown Prince Couple have been to Rigshospitalet tonight for a last check up before the imminent twins birth.

By Helle Lho Hansen

Thursday the 6. January 2011, 21: 41

On Thursday evening around 7 p.m. Crown Prince Frederik arrived at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. Alone in the Crown Prince Couple's red Saab Frederik parked at a side entrance, reports B.T.dk.

Here he was and his two bodyguards were welcomed by Professor Peter Damm, who is a part of the team of expert physicians who are helping Mary with the twins birth. Still, however, there is no report of baby joy from the Royal family.

Lene Balleby press coordinator for the Royal family says the Crown Prince Couple were at Rigshospitalet for one of the final check ups before the twin birth.

"They have been for a check up at Rigshospitalet. But they are probably already back at home again," she said to B.T.

"There is no set time laid down for the birth. This will happen in the course of January, as planned. There is not so much else to say. It will happen when it happens," she says.

Billed Bladet Mary and Frederik to Rigshospitalet - and home again

On Thursday evening the Crown Prince Couple made a trip to the Kingdom (colloquial name for Rigshospitalet) to make a probable final routine check-up .They are at home at Amalienborg again... B.T. reports that the Crown Prince Couple were received at Rigshospitalet by Porofessor Peter Damm, who is one of the experts in the team to assist at birth.

The Crown Prince Couple, who were flanked by two P.E.T. security officers, is now back in their home at Amalienborg, and Crown Princess Mary is therefore, according to Lene Ballaby, not yet ready to give birth.

Ekstra Bladet once again EB quotes B.T. - it was a check up
Ekstra Bladet

The expectant mother was with the twins' father, Crown Prince Frederik, on a visit to University Hospital late Thursday evening to undergo one of the last checks before delivery.According to the court's information officer Lene Balleby the expectant parents were back in their new home at Amalienborg later Thursday evening.

Cleared calendar

But after consultation with the royal birth team, Crown Prince Frederik has chosen to clear his official calendar.

Therefore his planned participation in the 250th anniversary dinner for Købstædernes Insurance at the National Gallery of Art on Thursday January 13 has been removed from the Crown Prince Couple's official calendar.

The court's communications chief Lene Balleby said last night that there is no set time for the birth.

Up until now the court has stated that Mary will give birth in the most natural way - which means that she has not planned to have the birth induced nor planned a caesarean section.

According to statistics, 60 percent of all twin births in Denmark are via caesarean section.

B.T.
The latest news about the royal pregnancy

Frederik and Mary at the Kingdom (colloquial name for Rigshospitalet)

HELLE LHO HANSEN | MORTEN MÆRSK-Thursday, 6. January 2011, 21: 32

On Thursday evening around 7 p.m. Crown Prince Frederik arrived at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. Alone in the Crown Prince Couple's red Saab, he parked at a side entrance to the maternity wing.

He was, together with two bodyguards, welcomed by professor Peter Damm, which is a part of the team of expert physicians helping Mary with the twins' birth. But there are still no reports of baby joy from the Royal family.

As a consequence, Lene Balleby press chief for the Royal family, the Crown Prince Couple were at Rigshospitalet for one of the last check ups before the twins' births.

"They have been for a check up at Rigshospitalet. But they are no doubt back at their new home again," she said.

It remains that there is no time set down for the births.

"This will happen in the course of January as planned. There is not much else to say. This will happen when it happens," she says.

According to Ekstra Bladet the Court has confirmed that after the visit on Thursday, an arrangement in the Crown Prince's calendar was removed. He was to have taken part in the 250th anniversary dinner for Købstædernes Insurance at the National Gallery of Art on January 13, but it is now apparently cancelled.

TV2 Crown Prince Couple in visit to Rigit
Ekstra Bladet 5-1-2011 - Heavily pregnant Mary took the car 100 meters

The heavily pregnant Crown Princess Mary drove around on the palace square at Amalienborg Palace along with her two children and the dog Ziggy.

With two children in the tummy 100 metres can feel a very long distance. Crown Princess Mary this afternoon took the red station wagon and drove from the newly renovated Frederik VIII's Palace to the Amalienborg palace where Prince Joachim has his apartment.

Twenty minutes later Mary returned, cramped behind the wheel because of her large stomach and with her two small children in the back seat, as well as the dog Ziggy in the luggage compartment. Border collie Ziggy watchfully looked out of a side window, as if she was looking out for the whole Royal family.

Mary appeared completely calm and not at all like a woman who is very soon to give birth to twins. So I wonder if a few days or more will pass before the birth will begin.

Meanwhile, the canons at Kronborg in Helsingør are being prepared for the salute when the twins are born. There is normally a 21 gun salute when a royal child is born and so on this occasion there will be two salutes with a total of 42 shots:
TV2 clip (1:48)

News.com.au Maternity dash triggers false alarm: Princess Mary not in labour and still waiting
News.com.au Reports of Princess Mary in labour premature, twins not
The Daily Telegraph Heir of expectation
The Herald Sun Princess Mary labour mystery, Prince Frederik rushes to hospital
The Mercury False alarm on Mary's labour
The Courier Mail Princess Mary a busy mum-to-be
Kid Solo.com

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 
Previous days' reports. I include these because you can't believe everything you read in newspapers, and also, some of the headlines are pretty funny, this is only a selection of the many published stories reporting the imminent birth :

News.com.au Princess Mary's waiting game continues as royal twins fail to show up
The Sydney Morning Herald Crown Princess Mary 'ready for early arrival of twins'
The Adelaide Advertiser Princess Mary's twins 'will be born today', says Danish media
The Mercury (Hobart) Oz names tip for Mary's twins
The Herald Sun (Melbourne) Princess Mary's waiting game continues as royal twins fail to show up
VG Nett no (Norway) - the royal house rejects rumours of birth in Denmark
Ekstra Bladet - Very pregnant Mary drew fresh air

Mary still has the energy to go outside of Amalienborg. According to one newspaper was Crown Princess Mary's birth was to be induced yesterday. [dig at competitor tabloid B.T.] She has not appeared in public for a while and no longer participate in official royal events. But despite two babies in the stomach, she can still find the energy to leave the Royal Palace and get some fresh air.

"She's at home at Amalienborg and well. Everything is as it should be. Today she has been out," says Royal Family Communications chief Lene Balleby to ekstrabladet.dk.

According to the court no one knows when the babies will come and it also denies that there is a definite timetable for it. "She has given birth to her previous children naturally. There is no timetable for it," continues Balleby.

Rumors have circlulated elsewhere the Crown Princess will this time give birth by a Caesarean section. If it proves nevertheless to be a planned caesarean section, the gamblers might not put their money on the twin birth being tomorrow.

"Crown Prince must be at the New Year Court tomorrow, and as it appears now, he intends to meet his obligations," says Lene Balleby.

It remains only to wait in breathless excitement.

The Courier Mail (Brisbane) - Fair dinkum Australian names predicted for Danish royal twins but public will have to wait
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Crown Princess Mary ready to give birth
News Wooeb (Atlanta) Denmark's Princess Mary is due to give birth today
Male Extra (UK, brother to Female First ;) ) Crown Princess Mary to give birth today?
The Herald Sun Secrecy on Mary's twins

The Herald Sun photo gallery

Nine Network Today show clip (2:56)
TV2 clip (4:23) - interview with BB editor-in-chief Annemette Krakau and journalist Anna Johannesen (the Danish journalist who 'discovered' Mary in Sydney). They say Billed Bladet is ready for the twins' arrival!

7 News clip (1:49)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Update:

• Seven News clip (1:54) 11am bulletin

• Seven News in Sydney (6pm bulletin) had an interesting twist on today's events: they reported that Mary stayed at home while Frederik rushed to the maternity wing at Righospitalet for a visit! Bet they don't put that news clip up on the net :D

• Billed Bladet Frederik has cleared his calendar and is ready for all his paternal duties

• The Copenhagen Post

Thanks gudinde, and Adelaide :))

Media in labour over Mary - anatomy of a breaking story : yes! NO! ...relax

Photo © Keld Navntoft /Scanpix / TV2 No

According to Lene Balleby, the Royal family's communication director, there are no plans for inducing the birth of the Crown Princess' twins. "We will wait for the birth to begin in the natural way," she said. "It happens when it happens. It was also the case with Prince Christian and Princess Isabella", explains the Royal head of communications. But this statement follows a funny morning in the media...

Quote of the morning must go to Ulrik Ulriksen of Billed Bladet, via Politiken. The Billed Bladet journalist was on the spot outside the hospital after hearing the rumours about an imminent birth. At Rigshospitalet Ulrik Ulriksen wasn't confident that the birth would happen today, "I am 99 percent sure that it is not today. But because of the one percent, I am here," he explained.

So, there was a flurry of excitement in the past eight hours or so as B.T. published a story just after midnight saying that Crown Princess Mary was to be admitted to Rigshospitalet this morning Danish time to be induced. It is definitely not correct though, according to Court Communications Director Lene Balleby. TV2 followed with B.T.'s story but got the clarification from the Court early in the morning. B.T.'s and TV2's early reports were followed by The Copenhagen Post and TV2 in Norway. Extra Bladet published a story quoting B.T. at 1:36am. Later Extra Bladet was jubilant that B.T. was wrong and said so in its story at 8:31am, quoting Lene Balleby's statement to TV2. Confusing? It was just a lot of tail chasing which raised some expectation for a while until the story became clear.

Extra Bladet's later story (with three journalists on the job) published that : Mary's twins are coming, but exactly when is not yet known

Mary's twins come into the world on Monday morning - according to B.T. anyway.
B.T.'s story is based on 'independent sources'.
However, we show today that the Royal House is not one of those sources. The Royal House has rejected the story categorically.
Ekstra Bladet asked the Royal Family's press coordinator Lene Balleby for information about the artificially induced birth story.
When asked directly whether Mary's birth will be induced today - which B.T. claimed - there came a short but precise answer: 'No'.
The Crown Prince Couple have done everything they could to keep the timing of the twins' arrival secret, and Mary has previously expressed a wish that she will give birth naturally.
When Mary and Frederik announced on August 6 that they were expecting two babies it was with a very wide margin that the time of the birth was set.
'The birth is expected to take place at Rigshospitalet during the month of January 2011', it said.

Eventually the statement to TV2 went like this: "It is not correct. The Crown Princess is at home and not hospitalised," says Lene Balleby. "The Crown Princess has given birth naturally the last two times and that is the plan this time." She added however that time will tell, and the doctors must assess whether it will be necessary to induce the birth.

The stories saying yay:
B.T. 12:06
TV2
Extra Bladet 1:36am
The Copenhagen Post
TV2 No
Information.dk (Ritzau)

In the middle, neither yay nor nay:
TV2 7:34am (later updated) - originaly said the Court was silent about the birth and would neither confirm or deny the B.T. report. Now says Crown Princess Mary is at home.
TV2 No first published at 3:01am and later updated at 8:24am and 8:45am

The stories saying nay:
Extra Bladet 8:31
TV2 10:16
Politiken 10:25

Trying to extricate itself:
B.T. 12:56pm
Court will not deny that it is today

Mary's birth: it can be at any time

The Court will say neither one way or another whether Mary will give birth or, for that matter, not give birth. In other words: it can happen at any time.

Two independent sources told B.T. on Monday that Crown Princess Mary will probably be hospitalised and have an induced birth today at Rigshospitalet. One of the sources considered that it would be done in the morning.

Although B.T. had referred to the information as a rumour, both Danish and foreign newspapers reproduced the story that Mary is already hospitalised. It is not the case however, and the Court says cryptically "it happens, when it happens".

"I'm not talking about admission at a pre-determined time. This happens when it happens, as it was in the case with Prince Christian and Princess Isabella, both of whom were born by natural birth," says communications manager, Lene Balleby, to B.T.

The Court has previously stated terms such as 'in the middle of January' (not true B.T.! - just 'in January') and since twin births are normally two weeks before time, today not a impossible.

However, today and tomorrow Crown Prince Frederik participates in the Tuesday and Wednesday New Year Courts at Christiansborg Palace.

The Australian media believes, on the other hand, to know that it will be immediately after New Year, that is, Thursday January 6.

(Oh B.T. - that last bit is a shameless and very funny excuse - the Australian media knows even less than you do!)

Frederik & Mary in US PARADE Magazine

Last Sunday (we have it on good authority from some of our readers) some U.S. followers of Danish royalty were astonished to find Frederik and Mary on the cover of PARADE Magazine,which is a light-Sunday-style insert with a circulation of 33 million and a distribution in more than 470 newspapers across the U.S. The main article is by Simon Winchester who visited Amalienborg. The editor Janice Kaplin also wrote something/an editorial, but we are not sure what she was smoking at the time. Maybe it was just a bad day. Perhaps she is accustomed to dealing with celebrities and doesn't realise that a royal court is more like dealing with, say, the White House, in terms of protocol. We're not sure Simon Winchester had his sense of humour with him when he was writing up the interview either. Hopefully he got Frederik's joke when he was with Frederik and Mary at Amalienborg!

So, here is the interview:

What Is Royalty In The 21st Century?
by Simon Winchester
published: 19 April 2009

As I entered the courtyard of Copenhagen's Amalienborg Palace, soldiers in tall, black bearskin hats stood guard. Outside one of the buildings, the Palace of Christian VIII, I pressed a tiny brass button next to a plaque that read "Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess."

I was buzzed in. The palace entrance was gilt, scarlet, and robin's-egg blue. A lady-in-waiting, the light- blue badge of royal office on her left shoulder, stood beside an oil painting at the top of a curving staircase. She showed me into an immense, high-ceilinged receiving room where I would wait to meet Frederik Andre Henrik Christian. Or, as he is officially known, His Royal Highness Prince of Denmark, the Crown Prince, Count of Monpezat--and heir to one of Europe's oldest royal families.

As I sat, soft-footed servants came and went. I heard an occasional cough, the distant clink of bone china. A functionary came in and whispered that there would be a brief delay. It gave me a chance to ponder the question that had brought me here and that had long been troubling me: What is the point of royalty today?

It's not a new question. Sixty years ago, King Farouk of Egypt said that soon there would be only five of his kind left--the King of England and the four kings in a deck of cards. For a time, he was almost right. After a coup saw him fall from grace in 1952, he joined the kings and queens who had toppled like bowling pins since the end of World War I.

However, the thinning has slowed. Royalty remains in places as varied as Japan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and Tonga, but the greatest concentration is in Europe. While the grandest-seeming family is in the United Kingdom, even Queen Elizabeth does not preside over as lengthy and uninterrupted a monarchy as Denmark's, which began in 936 A.D. with the colorfully named Gorm the Old.

Denmark is a nation doubly blessed by circumstance and history. By one recent reckoning, the 5.5 million Danes are the world's happiest people. They also have the good fortune to reside under the genial supervision of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe, the mother of Crown Prince Frederik.

As the prince entered the room with his wife, the tousle-haired 40-year-old looked more like one of the Backstreet Boys than the scion of the venerable family of Gluecksborg. Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary comes from humbler origins. She was born Mary Elizabeth Donaldson in Australia in 1972. They met in a pub in Sydney during the 2000 Olympic Games. She worked in advertising, and although educated and well-groomed, she was not an aristocrat. What ensued was the dream of royal watchers the world over: The handsome prince fell for the beautiful commoner from the back office.

The couple sought and won the approval of the queen and married in Copenhagen Cathedral in 2004. They have two children: one prince (Christian, 3) and one princess (Isabella, almost 2), both adorable. To join the Danish royals, Princess Mary gave up her Australian citizenship, family name, and religion. She became a Lutheran and learned to speak Danish--which she does almost flawlessly. During our talk, she sometimes struggled for words in English, which she now seldom uses. At the breakfast table, she said, the couple speak Danish.

"Honestly?" I asked.

"Honestly," said the prince, with a wink.

The pair had arrived that morning from their current home, the 18th-century Chancellery House at the Fredensborg Palace. They had driven themselves, leaving the children with a nurse. They have a staff of about 25 who, among other tasks, make sure the car's gas tank is full. Not that the prince or princess couldn't stop for fuel--both possess credit cards, which bear their titles rather than family names.

Having a staff and a generous income--the state gives Prince Frederik about $2.5 million annually to cover his duties, employees, and personal expenses--means that "I don't have to make my own bed," as he put it, and that everyday stresses are kept at a distance. "But only somewhat," he added. "We try as hard as we can to be at one with ordinary Danish citizens. We try not to be too elevated. We represent them. We are part of Denmark, and it is important to us that we display that all the time."

The pair said they'll raise their children in a manner different from the prince's own upbringing. "My mum"--what he calls the much-loved queen, who has reigned for 37 years--"had me brought up by nannies and governesses. I didn't have much to do with my parents until I was 21. When I was small, I was presented to them, washed and brushed, before I was put to bed. I still see Nanny--she came to our wedding--but there is no way our two will be brought up like that."

Crown Prince Frederik made one amusing mistake during our chat. When explaining his constitutional role as head of state, he said, "You have to realize that I am the son of the Queen of England." His wife gently chided, "No, you're the son of the Queen of Denmark." He replied, "Oh, yes, so I am" and winked at me. The prince is actually not far removed from Buckingham Palace--because of the web of intermarriage that links much of European royalty, he is distantly related to Queen Victoria.

The role of the crown prince is, putting it bluntly, to wait. "I am just an apprentice," he said. "You can say I am learning the ropes. My mum sees the prime minister once a week to find out what is going on in government. I attend a bigger meeting once a month. I sit on her right-hand side at a table with the ministers, and I watch as she signs bills and so forth. All the time I am learning, watching. And, yes, waiting." There is much for him to do while he waits. He promotes trade, opens hospitals, dedicates parks, and shakes his subjects' hands.

His wife has thrown herself into Danish life with great energy. People I spoke with in Copenhagen were full of praise for her. "She has set up a foundation," a man said, "for victims of the darker side of Danish life. Perhaps it took an Australian to see a dark side to Denmark. We all think it is a wonderfully content place. She reminded us that some of our people need help."

The two-year-old Mary Foundation was started with money collected as wedding gifts. Its goal is to prevent and help social isolation resulting from problems such as domestic violence and bullying. "Nearly 22,000 children and 28,000 women are victims of domestic violence in this country," Princess Mary said. "People don't think of that in Denmark. We are trying to remind people and to help."

The couple are known for their humble ways and good manners. "You see them in the street, walking without security--or at least not visible security," said my Danish friend Naja. "Once in a while someone will go up to them, and they are very nice.

"I sometimes think they are what all Danes would like to be. They are ideal versions of us," Naja continued. "And they remind us of our history, which is very long and something we should be proud of. They go around the world and give a good impression of our country. Those are some of the reasons why they are loved, even though the idea of kings and queens seems to younger people like me to be out-of-date and wrong."

Prince Frederik and Princess Mary are acutely sensitive to this perspective. So I asked him the question that had occupied me: What is the point of monarchy in the 21st century? He answered, "However much society may change in the future--and our family will be bound to change to reflect it--there will surely be a need for strands of continuity. I hope we will provide that."

He added: "My mum speaks to the Danish people every New Year's Eve. Almost everyone sits down with a glass of champagne to listen to her, and she gives reassurance and comfort and hope for the year ahead. My role as king will be much like my mum's as queen, so long as I remain in tune with the people."

With our conversation at a close, we stood and shook hands, and the pair vanished into the ancient palace. The lady-in-waiting escorted me out.

It was time for the changing of the guard. The courtyard, so silent before, was filled with soldiers marching to barked orders. I glanced up at the palace window, and the lady-in-waiting was there, watching me. She smiled and waved. I waved in return, then walked across the cobblestoned courtyard and back into the bustle and noise of the modern world.

Europe's Royals

The United Kingdom is home to the continent's best-known monarchy, and Queen Elizabeth's clan has a budget estimated at $80 million a year. But Europe has nine other reigning royal families--in Belgium, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden. While these rulers all hold symbolic importance for their citizens, some, like Prince Hans-Adams II of Liechtenstein and Prince Albert of Monaco, also possess official political responsibility. Both these princes are their lands' highest authorities and possess final approval over legislation.

PARADE Contributing Editor Simon Winchester is the author of 20 books, including "The Professor and the Madman." His most recent is "The Man Who Loved China."

Added: Meant to include this FYI - Frederik is not a "distant relation" of Queen Victoria. Descendancy from Queen Victoria is taken rather seriously and is meticulously recorded. He is a direct descendant of Queen Victoria through his mother the Queen, his grandmother Queen Ingrid, his great grandmother Crown Princess Margarita of Sweden (born Princess Margaret of Connaught) who was a daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, third son and seventh child of Queen Victoria. Therefore Frederik is the great, great, great grandson of Victoria, which also makes Christian and Isabella direct descendants. This is the first time we have heard Frederik referring to the Queen as "mum" in an interview. He normally says "the Queen" or "my mother". We wonder if Simon Winchester used some license in how he recounted the interview in this respect. In finishing his interview with this:

"While these rulers all hold symbolic importance for their citizens, some, like Prince Hans-Adams II of Liechtenstein and Prince Albert of Monaco, also possess official political responsibility. Both these princes are their lands' highest authorities and possess final approval over legislation."

Winchester demonstrates he doesn't realise some of the constitutional differences between the monarchies he mentions. In the Danish case the regent is the constitutional head of state and has more than just symbolic importance.

Mary's Home Guard promotion to lieutenant after more training

Crown Princess Mary participated in Danish Home Guard officer training from January 19 to 21, on January 28 and then from February 17 to 19, 2009. Mary's further training was at the Home Guard's education centre in Christiansminde, near Jægerspris, in North Zealand. The course Crown Princess Mary has done, together with her her friend and private secretary Caroline Heering, was an officer training course, according to the royal court's statement.

It is the second time within a year that the Crown Princess has completed courses in the Home Guard. Last spring Mary finished the last part of her basic studies, where she learned to put out fires, handle a weapon and surveillance techniques, among other things. Mary and Caroline were also on an overnight bivouac with her group of fellow trainees. Mary belongs to the Total Defence Region of Copenhagen. With the completion of her officer training course, Mary was promoted to her new rank of lieutenant (løjtnant). Danish newspaper B.T. proclaimed: ‘The Crown Princes is ready to defend God, King and Country’. Head of the Home Guard, Major General Jan S. Norgaard, said it was an "honour and a pleasure" to have Crown Prince Mary as member of the Home Guard. "Her membership is of great importance for the Home Guard and can help create more interest among prospective members," Major General Norgaard said. Crown Princess Mary follows in the tradition of other female members of the royal family who also took military training courses. The orientation of the Home Guard has changed from a Cold War territorial home defence organisation to include personnel who do basic military training as well as conduct rescues, environmental disaster duties and fire-fighting, not unlike any civilian volunteer service. Queen Margrethe was also educated in the Home Guard, although it was a little differently organised in her time, when she became a major in the then Women's Air Corps (Lotte's).



Photos courtesy Crown Prince Couple's website photo bank / ©2009 Ole Bo Jensen

JV.dk 'Mary deltager i officerkursus i Hjemmeværnet'
Billed Bladet 'Mary hjemme igen efter tre dage som soldat'

And, a bit of retrospective from Queen Margrethe's training days, from the Billed Bladet archive:



Crown Prince Couple's press release:
The Crown Princess appointed a lieutenant in the Home Guard
Published Friday February 20th 2009
Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess has, after having gone through the Home Guard's officer course, been appointed a lieutenant in the Home Guard.
The Crown Princess is now connected with the staff in Total Force Region Copenhagen, which includes the capital, North Zealand and Bornholm.
The Crown Princess' education in the Home Guard has included first aid, arms service and shooting, fire fighting, rescue, environmental response as well as field and guard duty.
At officer courses the Crown Princess has, among other things, been educated in management and company leadership as a group leader at platoon commander level, mainly in safeguarding and surveillance roles.
In connection with the conclusion of the education on February 19th, 2009, the Crown Princess was appointed as a lieutenant by the Chief of the Home Guard, Major General Jan S. Norgaard.
"It is a great pleasure and an honour for the Home Guard to have the Crown Princess as a member. The Crown Princess has engaged keenly in the training and education. Her membership is of great importance for the Home Guard and can assist in creating further interest with potential members. We also take the Crown Princess' engagement as an acknowledgement of the 50,000 volunteers who work in the Home defence. We are happy about this cooperation," says the Chief of the Home Guard.
With her education in the Home Guard, which was began in the spring of 2008, the Crown Princess continues a tradition in the royal family to participate in a course in the Army.
Both Her Majesty The Queen and Princess Benedikte have studied in and had affiliation with the Home Guard, respectively the Air Home Guard and the Naval Home Guard.
The Crown Princess has been educated in the Army Home Guard.
P. Thornit, Chief of Court.

On a completely different note, there were various reports recently (EB, B.T., Newswire.ca and elsewhere) about Hello! magazine's annual list of the Global Personalities of the Year. Crown Princess Mary is no. 16 on the list:
1. Barack Obama
2. Angelina Jolie
3. Brad Pitt
4. Madonna
5. Prince Harry
6. Michelle Obama
7. Queen Rania of Jordan
8. David Beckham
9. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
10. Prince William
11. Rafael Nadal
12. Kate Winslet
13. Michael Phelps
14. Britney Spears, George Clooney, Hillary Clinton (joint)
15. Tom Cruise
16. Mary of Denmark
17. Letizia of Spain, Penelope Cruz (joint)
18. Nicole Kidman
19. Nicolas Sarkozy
20. Hugh Jackman, Kylie Minogue, Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole (joint)

Mary & Frederik in Sydney with Christian & Isabella

Today Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary, Prince Christian and Princess Isabella were at Government House located in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens for a press call during their current Australian visit. The visit has been mostly private for the family to visit Mary's side of the family and their Australian friends. It has included several official events (more coming soon!) and this press call, which is said to have been arranged in exchange for peace from photographers for the remainder of their visit. The media in Australia has reported they are thought to be returning to Denmark in a few days. Christian wondered if there were sharks in the Government House pond, perhaps inspired by his visit to Oceanworld yesterday. And so, Christian constantly escaped to do his own thing, while Isabella, still limited to a crawl, was easier to catch! Isabella charmed the Danish press in particular when she responded to a farewell "Hej" (see you) by speaking unprompted to the media for the first time. "Hej, hej" she said, with lots of farewell waving. The Danish media understood the significance of the moment!



Notice Bella's Kate Winslet/Titanic moment above! Photos © Daylife/AFP/GettyImages, Gaye Gerard/Getty Images, Sydney Morning Herald/Bob Pearce

An interesting editorial this week from Billed Bladet's Editor-in-Chief Annemette Krakau: Sandheden om Marys ”skideballe” 3 september 2008. It is in response to some earlier inaccurate reports in the Australian and Danish press (links later in catch up posts).

Annemette Krakau: The truth about Mary's ”dressing down”

The headlines have thundered about Mary’s rage towards the press – Read the complete and true story here.

Last week the headlines thundered about how an angry Crown Princess Mary had shown the Danish press the door in Tasmania in connection with the Crown Prince Couple’s visit to zoo/wildlife park. Mary was called “furious”, “snobbish” and a lot more from the bag of words that triggers frowns and lots of letters to the editor.

The true story from Tasmania is very different.

The truth is that Mary is both professional and cooperative and that the tone/mood between her and us is really good. When the Crown Prince Couple and their children were to visit the animal park, the journalist and photographer from Billed Bladet lined up outside the gate. When Mary passed we asked whether we could take some pictures inside the park. And Mary answered quite calmly that she dearly wished for a private moment with her Australian family and she asked whether we would please respect that. Which we did. The message was only delivered in Danish, because we were the only ones who asked for permission. The [non-Danish] foreign press was already inside the park and were photographing away. In order to calm the situation down the Crown Prince Couple agreed – under heavy pressure – to line up for some pictures.

After the visit the journalist and photographer from Billed Bladet were of course disappointed about missing a good shot inside the park, but we had kept our agreement, our promise, which Mary knew. She went into action and arranged for her private pictures from the visit to be at the disposal of Billed Bladet (these pictures are published in Billed Bladet this week) and a team of Danish colleagues.

Mary could have been indifferent. She could have shrugged her shoulders and acted “furious” or “snobbish”, as it was written that she did. But the future queen of Denmark was anything but that. We are fond of having Mary’s pictures, but we are even fonder of the truth.

Yours sincerely
Annemette Krakau, Editor-in-chief.

Professor Marie Bashir - Governor of New South Wales, who phoned Mary when on a visit to Copenhagen last year and she was promptly invited to lunch at Fredensborg. The Governor has a wonderful record on a wide range of children's issues.
Government House, Sydney


The Sydney Morning Herald 'Quite contrary is Mary's Christian'
The Australian 'Danish Royals visit Sydney's Government House'
The Age (Melbourne) 'Princess Mary shows off family in Sydney'
The Daily Telegraph 'Princess Mary tells all about her Australian trip'

The Daily Telegraph 'Princess fantasy is much better than a Paris Hilton fallacy'
(This is an opinion piece by Naomi Toy on the Opinion page in today's Telegraph)

The Sydney Morning Herald photo gallery
The Manly Daily photo gallery - these photos were taken yesterday afternoon between two events during the day and the evening. The man and little girl with them is Chris Meehan and his daughter. He is married to a Dane and fellow sailor, Michaela, both friends of Mary and Frederik. Chris is Mary's former boss at Belle Property where Mary was part of the management team and the sales director (as in she was not a real estate agent!). The nanny also took Christian and Isabella to Oceanworld
ABC.es photo gallery 'Mary Donaldson: Vacaciones ne familia en su Australia natal'
National Nine News gallery
The Daily Telegraph photo gallery



Nine.msn video clip (02:06)
DR.dk video clip
Seven News clip (01:08)
Nine News clip (02:06) - includes an interview with Billed Bladet's Anna Johannesen
Seven News clip (01:27)

Thanks Muhler!
* Just a note for royalty watchers: The Australian media tends not make the distinction between 'crown princess' and 'princess'. No doubt they are accustomed to the British royals who of course don't use the crown prince title for the Prince of Wales (who is the crown prince neverthless) ...