Full translation of article in Billed Bladet #15, 2011.
Festlige Frederik i London – Cheerful Frederik in London.
Interviewer: Trine Larsen.
- I’ve decided to translate this article in full because it provides us with an interesting glimpse into how Frederik is on a one to one basis. Trine Larsen usually cover Joachim and Alexandra and that makes it more interesting.
Only ten days prior to the christening of the twins Frederik has popped over to London for a couple of days. Away from children and christening-preparations, but not, as you might think, for a couple of days of peace and quiet.
Nope, the busy father of four may get a full nights sleep for the first time since long ago but on the other hand he has a tight schedule where he is on from early morning to late in the evening.
Despite that Crown Prince Frederik has agreed to an interview with Billed Bladet in London, where the Crown Prince is attending Sports Accord, a kind of summit of the sporting world.
When we meet him in the foyer of the hotel where the conference takes place, and where he incidentally walks around completely unnoticed, he is really feeling at home. And as such it’s a relaxed and cheerful Crown Prince we meet. He immediately agrees to a few pictures taken outside so that you can tell that he is in London. That despite that it is raining and that the Crown Prince is only wearing a suit. “A bit of water, that’ll be alright”. Says the Crown Prince obligingly and indeed he didn’t get more wet than what his twins will when they get water in the head during the baptism.
Right outside the revolving door to the conference center are seven or eight English police officers standing, the so called Bobbies. (*) “Really, you won’t get me to pose with them”, says the Crown Prince and indicates with his head towards the police constables. “That sure could be funny pictures. – Then we’ll have to get them to come over here”, says yours truly from Billed Bladet and raises the voice towards the officers, while I in English say: “He did it” and points at the Crown Prince. That results in the Crown Prince laughing heartily and while we goof around an continue to build on the story he says with a smile: “Yeah, and what a headline and story you could write/make/brew”.
You bet. But instead we move a bit father away and get the crown Prince positioned so that the landmark of London, Big Ben, can be seen in the background.
When we enter the hotel again, the foyer is full of people attending the conference and there is neither space nor peace enough to have a conversation anywhere. We walk around and look and suddenly the Crown Prince notice that there is room and calm in the press center.
“Let’s go in there he suggests”, while I teasingly say: “Are you sure you’ll voluntarily enter a press center”?
The interview has been underway for a few minutes when a beautiful woman apologetically interrupts us in English. Enthusiastically about seeing the Crown Prince she asks whether her assistant can take a picture of them together. The Crown Prince laughingly obliges and after a couple of trials the picture is nailed.
“Do you (**) know who it was”, asks the Crown Prince. And as we are clueless he apparently fel like teasing (us) and while we asks whether is was someone we should know, he replies with a secretive look in his face: “Yeah, guess”. And while bewilderment spreads and the brain is worling on overdrive with suggestions for who the beautiful woman can be, Frederik looks very amused indeed.
After a couple of questions in order to narrow it down the Crown Prince jokingly asks his private secretary, Morten Roland: “Shall we give that story to Billed Bladet”? We get it. After a little pressure the Crown Prince reveals that it is Katarina Witt, former ice skating princess and present chairman of the delegation: Winter Olympics for München (Munic) 2018.
- There isn’t much substance in the interview itself, so I’ve omitted that. And as Viv translated the other day, Frederik stated clearly that he and Mary had not been invited to the British wedding. As he understood it, only heads of states had been invited.
(*) Or is it Bobbyer, when it’s plural?
(**) Formal you.
For those in the know: BB is up and running again. Just do what you usually do.