Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, RE, LT.[1] (Mary Elizabeth; née Donaldson; born 5 February 1972 in Hobart, Australia) is the wife of Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark. Frederik is the heir apparent to the throne of Denmark, which means that at the time Frederik inherits the throne, Mary will automatically become Queen consort of Denmark. The couple met at the Slip Inn, a pub in Sydney, when the prince was visiting Australia during the 2000 Summer Olympics. Their official engagement in 2003 and their marriage the following year were the subject of extensive attention from Australian and European news media, which portrayed the marriage as a modern fairytale romance between a prince and a commoner Mary Elizabeth Donaldson was born the youngest of the four children of mathematician and professor John Dalgleish Donaldson and his first wife, Henrietta (née Horne), both Scottish.[3] She was named after her grandmothers, Mary Dalgleish and Elizabeth Gibson Melrose. Henrietta Donaldson was executive assistant to the vice-chancellor of the University of Tasmania. In 2001, four years after her death, John Donaldson married the British author and novelist Susan Moody. Mary Donaldson was born and raised in Hobart. In childhood, she was heavily involved in sports and other extracurricular activities both at school and elsewhere. She studied piano, flute and clarinet, and played basketball and hockey. Mary Donaldson met Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark at the Slip Inn during the 2000 Summer Olympics on 16 September in Sydney. He was previously identified by her friends as the Crown Prince of Denmark. They conducted a long-distance relationship by phone, email and letter and Frederik made a number of discreet visits to Australia. On 15 November 2001 the Danish weekly magazine Billed Bladet named Mary as Frederiks girlfriend. Mary moved to Europe in December 2001, while she was working as an English tutor in Paris. On 24 September 2003 the Danish court announced that Queen Margrethe II intended to give her consent to the marriage at the State Council meeting scheduled for 8 October 2003. Frederik presented Mary with an engagement ring featuring an emerald-cut diamond and two emerald-cut ruby baguettes. The couple became officially engaged on 8 October 2003. Following the wedding, the couple embarked upon a summer working tour of mainland Denmark aboard the royal yacht Dannebrog, and then to Greenland and later the 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2005, during the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen, the royal family was involved in related events throughout the year. Frederik and Mary marked the anniversary in London, New York and in Australia, where Mary was made Honorary Hans Christian Andersen Ambassador to Australia in the Utzon Room of the Sydney Opera House. In 2005 the royal family visited Faroe Islands. Since becoming Crown Princess of Denmark, Mary has made a number of international visits and Frederik and Mary participated in the reburial ceremonies for Empress Maria Feodorovna in Denmark and Saint Petersburg. In November 2009, Mary made a surprise visit to Danish soldiers in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. One of the Crown Princesss stops was FOB Armadillo. In the context of immigrant issues in Denmark, Mary has visited the disadvantaged migrant areas of Vollsmose (2006), Gellerup (2007), and Viborg (2010), and has participated in integration projects and to teach the Danish language to refugees. As patron of the Danish Refugee Council, Mary visited Uganda (2008) and East Africa (2011) and supports fundraising for the region. Mary has played an active role in promoting an anti-bullying program based on an Australian model through the auspices of Denmarks Save the Children. Mary is also involved in a new campaign to raise awareness and safe practices among Danes about skin cancer through The Danish Cancer Society. In September 2007 Mary formally established the Mary Foundation, with capital from public and private donations, to advance cultural diversity and encourage a sense of the right to belong and contribute to society for those who are socially isolated or excluded. Mary was voted Woman of the Year 2008 by a Danish magazine, Alt for damerne. The Princess donated her cash reward to charity. She was interviewed by Parade Magazine (US) and television programs of Andrew Denton (Australia) and USA Today (USA). As a native English-speaker, Marys main priority from the time of her engagement was to master the Danish language. Mary has acknowledged that this was a challenge for her in several interviews at the time of her engagement and marriage. If Frederik ascends the throne, Mary will be the first Australian-born woman to be a queen consort. Mary Donaldson and Crown Prince Frederik married on 14 May 2004 in Copenhagen Cathedral, in Copenhagen. Mary wore a wedding gown designed by Danish designer Uffe Frank and had a small bridal party which included her two sisters and her friend Amber Petty, a radio announcer on commercial radio in Australia. Frederik was supported by his brother Prince Joachim. Three of Marys nieces, Erin and Kate Stephens and Madisson Woods, were flower girls; Frederiks nephew Prince Nikolai of Denmark and first cousin once removed, Count Richard von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth were pageboys. The wedding was celebrated in Copenhagen and at Fredensborg Palace. The couple reportedly spent their honeymoon in Africa. The couple has four children: Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John, born 15 October 2005 Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe, born 21 April 2007 Prince Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander, born 8 January 2011（twin） Princess Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda, born 8 January 2011（twin） The Danish Folketing (parliament) passed a special law (Marys Law) giving Mary Donaldson Danish citizenship upon her marriage, a standard procedure for new foreign members of the royal family; she was previously a dual citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom. Formerly a Presbyterian, Mary converted to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark upon marriage. Shortly before entering the royal family, Mary signed a marriage agreement similar to those of her father-in-law and her former sister-in-law. The agreement was subsequently updated in late 2006. The details of these have never been made public, but it can be assumed that they concern financial matters, royal status and custodial rights to the children in the event of a divorce. The Crown Princess and her family currently reside at Frederik VIIIs Palace, one of the four palaces that make up the Amalienborg Palace complex. From May 2004 they have also resided at The Chancellery House, a building in the park at Fredensborg Palace. **Matilda of Flanders** Owner
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 10:49:55 +0000