Copenhagen, 8 October 2003
Engagement program
- 9:45 – 10:00 am: Members of the Cabinet arrive at Christian IX’ s Palace, Amalienborg.
- 10:00 am: Ordinary Meeting of the Council of State in Christian IX’ s Palace. Her Majesty The Queen presides over the Council of State which is composed of the members of the Cabinet. His Royal Highness The Crown Prince also has a seat on the Council of State. At meetings of the Council, parliamentary bills to be introduced by the Cabinet in Parliament (Folketinget) are presented. On 8 October 2003, Her Majesty The Queen will upon the Prime Minister’s submission and according to the Act of Succession (section 5 subsection 3) give her consent to the marriage of His Royal Highness The Crown Prince to Miss Mary Elizabeth Donaldson.
- 11:00 am: After the meeting of Council of State, the ministers gather in the Banqueting Hall to greet the engaged couple, HM The Queen and HRH The Prince Consort, Professor John Donaldson and Mrs Susan Moody. Official photographs will be taken.
- 12:00 am: The engaged couple, HM The Queen and HRH The Prince Consort, Professor John Donaldson and Mrs Susan Moody appear on the balcony of Christian IX’ s Palace.
- 1:15 pm: Family lunch at Fredensborg Palace.
- 3:30 pm: Photo opportunities and press meeting in the Garden Hall at Fredensborg Palace for accredited journalists and photographers only.
- 8:00 pm: Dinner at Fredensborg Palace. The engaged couple, the Royal Family, Professor John Donaldson, Mrs Susan Moody, members of the Cabinet, the Speaker of Parliament, party leaders, Representatives of the Home Rules of Greenland and the Faeroe Islands, the President of The Supreme Court and the Royal Household will attend the dinner.
The date of the wedding between His Royal Highness The Crown Prince and Miss Mary Elizabeth Donaldson is expected to be announced 8 October 2003.
Balcony scene
Almost unnoticed, while thousands of people cheered the engaged couple on the balcony of Queen Margrethe’s palace at Amalienborg, Princess Benedikte of Denmark watched the balcony scene from a window at the palace of the late Queen Ingrid. From a window of Crown Prince Frederik’s palace Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix and their grandfather Richard Manley were spotted.
Photos: Copyright: Bernard Rübsamen/Royal Portraits (with permission)
Press conference at the Garden Room, Fredensborg
The just engaged couple arrives at the Garden Room at Fredensborg. About 200 journalists and photographers from all over the world are waiting for them. The couple takes its place on the sofa in front of the press. The couple sat on the same sofa as Prince Henrik and Queen Margrethe in 1967 and Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra in 1995.
Mary Donaldson: Goddag, jeg vil gerne sige et par ord, før vi begynder. Jeg er meget glad for at være i Danmark, og i dag er en meget spændende dag. Jeg er sikker på, at De kan forstå, at jeg er en lille smule nervøs. Jeg har læst, at jeg taler flydende dansk. Tak for det, men desværre passer det ikke helt. Det er vigtigt for mig, at jeg bliver god til dansk, og jeg glæder mig meget, til jeg kan tale flydende. Hvis De stiller spørgsmål på dansk, vil det være en stor hjælp, at De taler langsomt. (Hun slår over i engelsk). However there will be some questions that I will feel much happier expressing myself in English. So therefore I will do so.
Good day, I want to say some words, before we begin. I am very glad for being in Denmark, and today has been a very exciting day. I am sure that you understand that I am a little bit nervous. I have read that I speak Danish fluently. Thank you for that, but sadly it is not true. It is important for me to become good in Danish, and I am looking very much forward to it to be able to speak it fluently. If you ask questions in Danish it would be of great help if you speak slowly. (She passes on to English). However there will be some questions that I will feel much happier expressing myself in English. So therefore I will do so.
Question: Ja, allerførst, hjertelig tilllykke med forlovelsen. Jeg tror, de fleste, der er samlet, og de fleste, der sidder og kigger på, har et spørgsmål, der trænger sig på. Hvordan er det endelig at kunne træde frem og vise verden, at det skal værer Dem?
Well, first congratulations with your engagement. I think, most of us gathered here and most of those who’s whatching, have a question that suggests itself. How is it to finally be able to step forward and show the world that it will be you?
Crown Prince Frederik: Jeg vil godt starte med at svare på det. Det er en fantastisk stor glæde, en kæmpe glæde, det overstiger faktisk, hvordan jeg selv havde regnet med, at jeg ville reagere. Og det … Man prøver selvfølgelig at foregribe lidt begivenhedernes gang og sige, at det her, det bliver virkelig noget. Men jeg må tilstå, at den kæmpe oprindelse i dag har været noget virkelig særligt, noget meget, meget stort og noget der ikke kan, noget der er svært at udtrykke i ord, det er ligesom noget, der bliver løftet til noget meget, meget stort og højt.
I would like to start to answer that. It’s a fantastic great happiness, a huge happiness, that actually beats everything I had reckoned with how I would react. And it… you of course try to look forward to events and say that this will really be something. But I have to admit that the huge happening today has really been special, something very, very big and something that can not, something that is hard to express in words, it is like something, that is lifted to something very, very big and high.
Mary Donaldson: Det er helt overvældende.
It is very overwhelming.
Crown Prince Frederik: Det er også overvældende for mig.
It is also overwhelming for me.
Question: Hvordan er det så at kunne vise verden, at det nu skal være dem?
How is it to be able to show the world that it is now going to be you?
Mary Donaldson: (In English) Jamen, det er fantastisk at kunne være åben om det, det er spændende. Det er rigtig mange ting.
Well, it is fantastic to be able to be open about it, it is exciting. It is really many things.
Question: Det er vel også alvorligt, et ansvar?
But is the responsibility also serious?
Crown Prince Frederik: Jo, det er klart. Det vil jeg sige. Det kommer, det vil komme naturligt. Denne her dag, det er simpelt hen, ja, hvad skal man sige, det er D-dag eller dag-0, eller hvad det er. Der starter noget fantastisk i dag. Og det er allerede begyndt. Det er noget næsten uvirkeligt.
Yes, that is obvious. I want to say that. When it comes, it will come naturally. Today, it is simply, well, what shall I say, this is D-day or if you like day-0. The start of something truly fantastic. And it has already begun. It is something almost unrealistic.
Question: Tillykke. Jeg vil gerne rette et spørgsmål til begge halvdele af kronprinseparret. På en dag som i dag vil man jo virkelig gerne vide, hvordan Deres forhold har udviklet sig, lige siden De mødtes. Så hvis vi starter fra en ende af. Hvad skete der?
Congratulations. I want to address this question to both parts of the Crown Princely couple. At a day like this you really want to know how this relationship has developed, right from the day you met. So if we start from one end, What happened there?
Mary Donaldson: Vi mødtes gennem fælles venner i Sidney i Australien.
We met through mutual friends in Sydney in Australia.
Crown Prince Frederik: Og det er jo efterhånden bekendt, at det var i forbindelse med olympiaden i år 2000. Og deeet, der er efterhånden gået tre år. Og den forbindelse har jo så heldigvis udviklet sig til noget siden, som vi kan stå frem med og være super glade ved og lykkelige over i dag. Og nærmest fortælle alle, hvor glade vi er.
And it is gradually known that it was during the Olympic Games in the year 2000. And thát is now gradually 3 years ago. And that relationship also has fortunately developed into something since, now we can come out with which we are super happy today. And now tell everybody, how happy we are.
Question: Hvornår stod det klart for Dem begge to, at De havde fundet den rette?
When were you sure for both of you, that you had found the right one?
Crown Prince Frederik: Jeg tror, det er sådan noget, der udvikler sig på den fantastiske vis, at det er noget, der starter op som et møde og med mere og mere og bedre og bedre kommunikation, og det blev lidt langstrakt en gang imellem qua vores geografiske placeringer. Men det var i høj grad med til at vise, hvad det var, som vi står frem og viser i dag.
I think that is something that develops in a fantastic way, that there is something that starts as a meeting and with more and more and better and better communication, and it became longer at one point regarding our geographical places. But that very much showed what it was, we are come out with today.
Question: Hvordan friede han?
How did he propose?
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Nej, det tror jeg, vi holder for os selv.
No, I think, we want to keep that for ourselves.
Crown Prince Frederik: Men det afviger ikke særlig meget fra normalen.
But it doesn’t differ much from what’s normal.
Mary Donaldson: Ja, det var da meget normalt.
Yes, it was very normal.
Question: Kan De sige noget om hvornår?
Could you tell something about when?
Crown Prince Frederik: Det er noget, som vi egentlig ikke vil sige. Det har været et debatteret spørgsmål i mediet og pressen, så det vil vi lade stå og hænge lidt til …
That is something we actually don’t want to tell. It has been a debated question in the media and the press, so that we will let keep going on until …
Question: Kunne I med et par få ord prøve at beskrive hinanden?
Could you in a few words try to describe each other?
Crown Prince Frederik: (in English) En beskrivelse. Det er næsten, som når man kommer til en jobsamtale, ikke? Det kan jo været et godt personligt spørgsmål, men altså Mary, som vi alle sammen har set hende, jamen, hun er den person, der sidder ved siden af mig. Det er simpelthen svært at sætte ord på noget, der er så dejligt og …
A description. It is almost like when applying for a job, isn’t it? It could have been a good personal question, but also Mary as we all have seen her, well, she is the person sitting next to me. It is simply difficult to put it in words, she is just lovely and …
Question: Kronprins Frederik, De er jo kendt som overraskelsernes mand. Så derfor vil jeg godt vide, hvordan De havde det med, at det blev Billed-Bladet og ikke Dem selv, der præsenterede Mary Donaldson for danskerne?
Crown Prince Frederik, you are known to be a man of surprises. Because of that I would like to know, how you felt when it was Billed-Bladet and not you yourself, that presented Mary Donaldson to the Danes?
Crown Prince Frederik: Jeg behøver ikke at kommentere, hvem der har taget æren for at overraske mest i dette forum. Men det ville jo ske på et eller andet tidspunkt, må jeg tilstå, og det er jo blandt andet også med til, at vi sidder her i dag og glæder os. Og forhåbentlig glæder mange ude i den ganske verden. Så på den måde … Min glæde, den overskygger heldigvis alt, hvad der overhovedet kommer den i forkøbet.
I don’t have to comment who has taken the honor to surprise most in this forum. But it had to happen sooner or later, I have to admit, and it is of course also one reason why we are sitting here today and enjoy ourselves. And hopefully many people out in the whole world are happy. So this way …my happiness fortunately overshadows everything that has happened before.
Question: Mary Donaldson, først og fremmest tillykke, selvfølgelig. Den rolle, som De går ind i nu, hvad synes De, hvad har De, som De kan tilføre den meget vigtige rolle som kronprinsesse i fremtiden?
Mary Donaldson, firstly congratulations of course. The role you now are taking up, what do you think you can contribute to this very important role as Crown Princess in the future.
Mary Donaldson: Det er et svært spørgsmål for mig at besvare i dag. (Hun slår over i engelsk): Det er jo min første dag i rollen, i dag, kan man sige. Så det er noget, der vil udvikle sig hen over tiden. Der er meget, jeg skal lære, meget at erfare. Men det er noget, jeg helt sikkert ser meget frem til at finde ud af helt præcis, hvad det er.
That is a difficult question for me to answer today (she passes on to English) It is only my first day in that role today, you could say. So that is something that will develop in the future. It is a lot I have to learn, a lot to experience. But it is something, I surely look forward to to find out precisely what it is.
Question: Som udlænding, og når De ser på Danmark, hvad er det for positive og negativer sider, der er ved landet – bortset fra vejret som det negative og kronprinsen måske som det positive?
As a foreigner, and when looking at Denmark, what are the positive and negative sides about this country – regardless the weather as negative and the Crown Prince maybe as the positive?
Mary Donaldson: Can you please rephrase the question?
Question repeated in English: Føler De Dem, som mange udlændinge, måske ikke så velkommen? Eller hvad er Deres fornemmelse?
Do you feel, like many other foreigners, maybe not really welcome? Or what are your feelings?
Mary Donaldson: Ja, jeg må jo sige, at det er et meget varmt sted. Den velkomst, jeg har fået, har i hvert fald været meget varm. Det er et smukt land, der er meget af det hele. For mig er det det at have vandet over det hele, der er fantastisk. Folk har været fantastiske, jeg har fået nogle dejlige venner her, som har støttet mig meget også. Så jeg har ikke noget negativt. Ja, måske er vinteren lidt lang, det kan godt være, men det er vist det hele.
Yes, I have to say, it is a really warm place. The welcome I have had has indeed been very warm. It is a beautyful country, there is plenty of everything. For me it is fantastic to have water everywhere. People have been fantastic, I have made some lovely friends here who also have supported me very much. So I don’t have anything negative. Yes, maybe the winter is a little bit long, it could very well be, but that is probably all.
Question: (in English) På vegne af Tasmanien, tillykke fra os. Jeg vil godt lige spørge lidt til Deres søstre og deres søskende. Har De talt med dem?
Congratulations on behalf of the Tasmanians. I want to ask about your sisters and your siblings. Have you spoken to them?
Mary Donaldson: Jojo, jeg har talt med dem, med mine søstre og min bror. De har jo også været med på denne rejse, siden jeg mødte Frederik. Så de ved udmærket, hvad der foregår. De er meget optagede af det, de er glade på mine vegne, på vores vegne. Men det er da klart, de er daogså lidt bekymrede over, hvad det er, jeg nu skal ind i. Det er jo en stor ting. Først og fremmest er de meget glade.
Yes yes, I have spoken to them, with my sisters and my brother. They have made the same journey as me since I met Frederik. So they know what I am going through. They are very busy with it, they are happy for me, for us. But for sure they are also a bit worried about what it is I am going into now. It is a big thing. First and foremost they are very happy.
Question: (in English) Et spørgsmål til Frederik. Tror De, at de som par måske vil besøge Australien?
One question for Frederik. Do you think, that you as a couple maybe will visit Australia?
Crown Prince Frederik: (in English) Det var et godt spørgsmål. Vi har jo allerede været der som par – mere eller mindre incognito. Men altså, australierne har jo fint accepteret vores møde og folk som os, så der bliver regelmæssige ture, skal vi sige det på den måde. Det kan også være en formel velkomst en dag, det kan da godt være. Men jeg føler mig i hvert fald altid meget velkommen og har det godt, når vi kommer til Australien – og også Tasmanien, helt sikkert.
That is a good question. We have already been there as a couple – more or less incognito. But well, the Australians have accepted our meeting and people like us, so there will be regular trips, shall we say it that way. It can also be a formal welcome one day, it could very well be. But I do certainly always feel very welcome in Australia – and also at Tasmania, for sure.
Question: Mary Donaldson, jeg vil gerne spørge Dem, nu har De været så heldig at vinde kronprinsen og kongeriget og efterladt mange andre unge kvinder med blødende hjerter. Men kan De fortælle mig, hvad er kronprinsens bedste egenskaber?
Mary Donaldson, I want to ask you, you have been so lucky winning the Crown Prince and the Kingdom and left behind many other young women with bleeding hearts. But could you tell me, what are the best qualities of the Crown Prince?
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Det er et svært spørgsmål, for der er mange. Han er en af dem, som man simpelthen bliver glad af at være sammen med. Han er intelligent, han er meget venlig, og han er også ganske sjov, faktisk.
That is a difficult question, because there are many. He is one of those, you simply are happy being together with. He is intelligent, kind and has a good sense of humor.
Question: (in Swedish) Ms Mary, forstår du også svensk?
Ms Mary, do you also understand Swedish?
Mary Donaldson: Lidt svensk med dansk accent!
Some Swedish with a Danish accent!
Question: (in English) Har I planer om også at tage til Sverige?
Do you have any plans to go to Sweden?
The question remains unanswered.
Question: (in English) Det ser ud til, at folk i Danmark beundrer Dem, fordi De har været så diskret. Med al den interesse; hvordan har De så kunnet være så diskret i så lang tid?
It looks like the people in Denmark admire you for having been so discrete. With all the interest, how did you manage to be so discrete all the time?
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Jeg tror, det er min natur. Jeg har nok altid været den form for person. De venner, jeg har, den familie, jeg har, har vist mig en loyalitet, som simpelt hen er enestående.
I think it is my nature. I have probably always been that kind of a person. The friends I have, the family I have, have showed me loyalty, that has simply been outstanding.
Question: (in English) Jamen, hvad med denne her gode fangst, det nu er blevet til, altså?
Yes, but what about this good catch that has turned out well?
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Jamen, det er jo en lang rejse, kan man sige. Man skal jo først være helt sikker på, hvor tingene bevæger sig hen, så jeg er ikke sådan den, der farer ud og siger, der sker det og det. Det er sådan noget, der har udviklet sig over tid og har haft sit naturlige forløb, og det er den måde, jeg har håndteret det på.
Yes it has been a long journey, you could say. First you have to be completely sure, how things are going, so I am not someone who comes out and says that and that will happen. That is something that have developed over the time and has had it’s natural course, and that is the way, I have handled it.
Crown Prince Frederik: (in English) Og så vil jeg sige, det der med at fange den gode fangst. Vi har også gode fisk her i landet. Så der er mange gode ting at fortælle.
And I also want to say something about making the good catch. We also have good fish here in this country. So there are lots of good things to tell.
Question: Mary Donaldson, hvad ser De som deres største opgave som kommende kronprinsesse i den kommende tid?
Mary Donaldson, what do you see as your biggest task as Crown Princess-to-be in the future?
Mary Donaldson: Det er svært at svare på på dansk, så jeg vil gerne svare på engelsk. (passes on to English): Der er meget, jeg har været meget optaget af hele mit liv. Men det er noget, der kræver mange drøftelser, man skal tænke ordentligt over, hvordan man skal gå til det, tackle det strategisk. Jeg synes sådan set ikke, det er noget, jeg egentlig bør sige så meget om i det her forum i dag, fordi det er også noget, der vil udvikle sig hen ad vejen, efterhånden som jeg finder ind i min rolle.
It is hard to answer in Danish, so I want to answer in English. I have always been very busy doing things all my life. But this is something, that demands a lot of thinking, you have to think properly about, how you will do it, handle it strategically. I don’t really think it is something I should tell a lot about in this forum today, because it is also something, that will develop on its way after I have found the way into my role.
Question: Jeg vil spørge først til Mary Donaldson. Da De første gang mødte kronprins Frederik, vidste De, at de skulle blive kronprinsesse i Danmark, eller troede De bare, at det skulle være en kort fornøjelse?
I first want to ask Mary Donaldson. When you first met Crown Prince Frederik, did you know that you would be the Crown Princess of Denmark, or did you just think that it would be a short pleasure?
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Første gang, vi mødte hinanden eller gav hinanden hånden, da vidste jeg jo altså ikke, at han var kronprins i Danmark. Det var først en halv time senere, da der var en, der sagde til mig, hey, ved du, hvem de her er, de her folk. Næ, det vidste jeg ikke, men så fandt jeg så ud af det.
The first time we met each other and shook hands I didn’t know that he was the Crown Prince of Denmark. Only half an hour later someone told me, hey, do you know who these people are. No, I didn’t know, but so I found out.
Crown Prince Frederik: (in English) Jeg var faktisk ikke den eneste kronprins, der var der den aften.
I was acctually not the only Crown Prince, who was there that night.
Question: (in English) Hvordan var det at komme ud på balkonen her til frokost. Det må have været utroligt?
How was it to enter the balcony today at noon. It must have been unbelievable?
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Wauww. Synet, når man kiggede ud over balkonen, det var fantastisk smukt. En blanding af de danske og australske flag. En rigtig dejlig følelse. Det var svært at forstå, at det havde noget at gøre med mig, så stort var det. Men det var fantastisk smukt, en fantastisk smuk oplevelse.
Wow. The view when you look down from the balcony was fantastically beautiful. A mixture of Danish and Australian flags. A very lovely feeling. It is hard to understand that it had something to do with me, it was so big. But it was fantastically beautiful, a fantastically beautiful experience.
Question: Hvordan var det første møde mellem Deres forældre?
How was the first meeting between your parents?
Crown Prince Frederik: Jamen, det var meget høfligt, og der var fin respekt fra begge sider. Vi vil nok sige, at vi vil håbe, at vi afspejler vores forældre. Så dermed har vi også sagt, at det var et fint møde. Så altså … Men det er jo selvfølgelig op til forældrene at svare på det.
Well, it was very polite there was respect from both sides. We would like to say that we hope that we are a mirror of our parents. With that we have also said that it was a nice meeting. So well … But it is of course up to the parents to answer that.
Question: Der har været en del opmærksomhed om Deres forhold til kronprins Frederik. Har det været svært, og hvem har De støttet Dem til i de tre år, der er gået nu?
There has been some publicity around your relationship with Crown Prince Frederik. Has it been difficult and who has supported you in those 3 years that have passed now?
Mary Donaldson: Det sværeste er at lære dansk. Det er langt, langt væk fra Australien, så jeg savner meget min familie og mine venner. (passes on to English): Og jeg vil da også sige, ud at surfe og svømme i bølgerne, det kan man også godt … Nogle af de små ting, ikke sandt?
The most difficult is to learn Danish. It is far, far away from Australia, so I miss my family and my friends a lot. And I also want to say surfing and swimming in the waves you could also … Such small things, aren’t they?
Question: (in English) De får jo ikke kun en mand og en fremtidig konge, men også en livslang arbejdsopgave. I gamle dage, der var det jo sådan som “Prinsessen på ærten”, ikke sandt? Det var sådan prøven, man skulle igennem? Har De været igennem sådan en prøve?
You will not only have a husband and a future king, but to a lifelong working task. In old days it was like the Princess on the pea, wasn’t it? There was a test you had to pass? Did you have to pass such a test?
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Jeg tror, der har været mange prøver hen ad vejen, måske har jeg ikke engang opdaget, at jeg har deltaget i dem. Og det er nok derfor, jeg er her i dag. Så det er bestået, ja.
I think there have been a lot of tests on the way, maybe I havn’t even noticed that I participated in them. And that is probably why I am here today. So they are passed, yes.
Question: (in English) Tillykke, Mary. Nu er det jo et eventyr, som De gennemlever lige nu. Den eneste sammenligning, kan man jo sige, det har jo været prinsesse Diana fra Wales. Kan De huske noget fra hendes bryllup? Hvor De var henne, om de sad foran fjernsynet og tænkte , “Bare det var mig, der var en prinsesse en dag”?
Congratulations, Mary. Now that is an adventure you are living in right now. The only comparison, you could say, would be that of Diana Princess of Wales. Do you remember anything from her marriage? Where you were, if you were sitting in front of the televion and thinking, “I wished I would be a princess one day?”
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Jamen, jeg kan faktisk godt huske det bryllup. Mit største minde var faktisk et. Det var det her billede, hvor hun havde det her meget lange slæb, og hun gik op ad den røde løber. Men jeg kan nu ikke huske, at jeg sad og tænkte over, at jeg skulle blive prinsesse. Jeg drømte om at blive dyrelæge. Jamen, der er jo en hund udenfor, kan vi høre …
Well, yes, I actually remember that wedding very well. This is what I remember most. It is the picture of her with this very long train and she was walking on the red carpet. But I don’t remember that I was sitting and thinking about becoming a princess. I was dreaming of becoming a vet. And, well, there is a dog outside we can hear…
One of the dogs of Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark has entered the room and starts barking, much to the joy of everybody present in the room.
Question: (in English) Er der noget, som De vil savne, noget, De kunne gøre før som et almindeligt menneske, som måske ikke er så let at gøre fremover som prinsesse?
Is there something you will miss, something you could do before as a commoner, which maybe will not so easy to do in the future as a princess?
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Der bliver nok ting, jeg finder ud af hen ad vejen. Som jeg finder ud af, nåååå, det skulle jeg måske ikke gøre. Men jeg tror, man finder måder at gøre de samme ting på, men måske på en lidt anden måde, der så passer til situationen. Men nu har jeg jo været sammen med Frederik i den her tid, og vi gør såmænd ganske normale ting her i Danmark. Og vi kan jo da godt bevæge os rimeligt fornuftigt rundt, så det er ikke noget, jeg tænker så meget over. Det bliver ikke så meget.
There probably will be things I will find out about on the way. Which I will find out about, wéll I shouldn’t know. But I think there will be ways to do the same thing, but maybe in a slightly different way so it fits into the situation. But now I have been together with Frederik for some time and we actually do quite normal things here in Denmark. And we can move around very well and in a rather reasonable way, so that it not something I think about a lot. There will not be very much.
Question: De kommer selv fra en stor søskendeflok, har mange søskende, og kronprinsen er glad for børn. Drømmer de om at få mange børn?
You have many siblings, and the Crown Prince likes children very much. Are you dreaming of having many children?
Crown Prince Frederik: Selvfølgelig tænker man på den …
Of course you think about it…
Mary Donaldson: Det er jo helt normalt.
That’s very normal. Crown Prince Frederik: Men det er igen noget, som fremtiden vil vise. Og på forhåbentlig bedste vis.
But that is too something the future will show. And hopefully in the best way. Question: (in English) Frk. Donaldson, hvad vidste De om Danmark, før De mødte kronprins Frederik?
Miss Donaldson, what did you know about Denmark before you met Crown Prince Frederik?
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Faktisk ikke så meget. Jeg vidste, det var et vikingeland, vikingernes land. Jeg havde også hørt om H.C. Andersen, jo, og at operahuset i Sidney skyldtes en dansk arkitekt, men bortset fra det ikke så meget.
Actually not very much. I knew it was a land of Vikings, the land of Vikings. I had also heard about Hans Christian Andersen, yes, and that the opera house in Sydney had a Danish architect, but next to that not very much.
Question: Mary Donaldson, nu har De været i Danmark i et godt stykke tid. Har De fået danske vaner? For eksempel spiser De dansk morgenmad. Hvor dansk er De blevet?
Mary Donaldson, now you have been here for quite a long time. Have you taken up Danish habits? For instance, do you eat Danish breakfast? How Danish have you become?
Mary Donaldson: (in English) Det er et godt spørgsmål. Der er egentlig mange ligheder imellem danskere og australiere. Så jeg synes ikke, det er så mange konkrete danske vaner, jeg har taget til mig – undtagen det med at tage noget varmt tøj på.
That’s a good question. There are actually many similarities between Danes and Australians. So I don’t think there are so many concrete Danish habits I have taken over – except for putting on some warm clothes.
Crown Prince Frederik and Mary show the ring, and the journalists want them to kiss. Mary Donaldson’s engagement ring exists of a diamond cut in 58 facets and two red rubies. It is an old Danish royal tradition to create royal jewelry in the colours of the Danish flag, red and white.
Crown Prince Frederik: Vi starter med hånden
We start with the hand (and he kisses Mary’s hand)
A person from the royal court: Så siger vi tak for i dag.
Thank you, that’s all for today
End of press conference
Translation of the Danish parts of the interview: BIS
Corrections: Netty Leistra
Government dinner at Fredensborg
Menu
Græskarsuppe (pumpkin soup)
Med ristet bacon (with roasted bacon)
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Jordskokmousse (Jerusalem Artichoke mousse)
Med jomfruhummer (with long-legged lobster)
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Spydstegt vildsvineryg og kølle (roast boar back)
Kartoffelkage (potato cake)
Carottes Vichy (Vichy carrots)
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Succes kage (success cake)
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La cigaralle du Prince 1999
Cuvee du jubilee 1990
Cahors
Champagne Moët & Chandon
Cuvee special M&H
Music
Den Kongelige Livgardes Musikkorps K. Nielsen Den kgl. Marines Honnørmarch J. Offenbach Ouverture til “Orpheus i Underverdenen” A. Lloyd Webber “All I ask of you” fra “Phantom of the Opera” J. Strauss Kys Vals (Kiss waltz) P. Grainger The Lost Lady found I.P.E. Hartmann Troldenes Fest fra “Et Folkesagn” trad. Waltzing Matilda H.C. Lumbye Champagneskum Galop Fuzzy Kronprins Frederiks Honnørmarch
Guestlist
- HM Queen Margrethe II and HRH Prince Henrik HRH
- Crown Prince Frederik and Ms Mary Donaldson
- HM Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
- HRH Prince Joachim and HRH Princess Alexandra
- HRH Princess Benedikte
- Professor John Donaldson and Mrs Susan Moody
- Count Etienne de Monpezat
- Statsminister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
- Økonomi- og erhvervsminister Bendt Bendtsen
- Udenrigsminister Per Stig Møller
- Finansminister Thor Pedersen
- Beskæftigelsesminister Claus Hjort Frederiksen
- Kulturminister Brian Mikkelsen
- Minister for flygtninge, indvandrere og integration Bertel Haarder
- Skatteminister Svend Erik Hovmand
- Trafikminister samt minister for nordisk samarbejde Flemming Hansen
- Minister for videnskab, teknologi og udvikling Helge Sander
- Fødevareminister Mariann Fischer Boel
- Forsvarsminister Svend Aage Jensby
- Miljøminister Hans Christian Schmidt
- Indenrigs- og sundhedsminister Lars Løkke Rasmussen
- Kirkeminister Tove Fergo
- Undervisningsminister Ulla Tørnæs
- Socialminister og minister for ligestilling Henriette Kjær
- Departementschef i Statsministeriet, Statsrådssekretær Nils Bernstein
- Folketingets formand Christian Mejdahl
- Venstre: Repræsenteret ved Statsminister Anders Fogh Rasmussen
- Socialdemokratiet: Fru Pernille Blach Hansen
- Dansk Folkeparti: Fru Pia Kjærsgaard
- Konservative Folkeparti: Repræsenteret ved Økonomi- og erhvervsminister Bendt Bendtsen
- Socialistisk Folkeparti: Hr. Holger K. Nielsen
- Radikale Venstre: Fhv. minister Marianne Jelved
- Kristelig Folkeparti: Hr. Mogens Nørgård Pedersen
- Landstingsformand Jonathan Motzfeldt
- Landsstyreformand Hans Enoksen
- Lagtingsformand Edmund Joensen
- H.E. højesteretspræsident Jacques Hermann
- Lady’s in waiting
- Court marshalls
- Cabinets secretaries
- Master of the Ceremonies
- Castle administrator, chamberlain, lieutenant-colonel Niels Chr. Eigved
- Jourhavende adjudant, war captain P.S. Stamp
- HRH Prince Henrik’s adjudant, major Michael de Voss
- Detachements commander, major Søren Boye
- court chef, chamberlain Per Thornit
- Lady in waiting, Mrs Christine Lyng
- Lady in waiting, Countess Karin af Rosenborg