Frederik and Mary's Private Visit to Australia: November 2006

[Amelie]

Mary and Christian arrived this morning in Hobart on a commercial Qantas flight from Melbourne.

They are in Australia for a private visit to visit family and friends in Tasmania and Sydney.

I love that she was on a normal Qantas plane. Imagine seeing her on your flight!

Fred had arrived earlier (he and christian can't travel on the same plane) and met them on the tarmac. See the links below for articles and photos.

articles:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20801804-2702,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20801497-5005961,00.html

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=66134

photo gallery:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/slideshow/default.aspx?subsectionid=6297

video:

http://ninemsn.video.msn.com/v/en-au/v.htm?f=39&g=50b035be-85c5-4f9e-a60c-a77e0dbaf7fd&p=AUnews_AUnationalninenews&t=s29

 

[robbie27]

Mary is home!

She touched down about an hour or 2 ago.

Ill try and keep up with all the photos over the next couple of days.

 

[Madame Royale]

I for one hope there aren't too many photo's actually. This is a private holiday and that should be respected (although the media will have other ideas of course).

 

[Christo's Girl]

Isn't Denmark her home?

 

[Madame Royale]

Isn't Denmark her home?

Absolutely , her life is in Denmark and that is where she lives, works & breaths though Australia will always remain her homeland, Tasmania her home state and Hobart, her home town.

 

[BurberryBrit]

Fred had arrived earlier (he and christian can't travel on the same plane) and met them on the tarmac.

Why is that? Security purposes?

 

[crisscross1]

Why is that? Security purposes?

Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Christian never travel together for safety reasons. They are both in line to the throne and if anything happened to one the other would be safe. I believe it is the same with most Royal families around the world?

 

[LadyK]

it's probably like how one member of the president's cabinet is always absent from joint sessions of congress, like the State of the Union address. If, in the extremely rare chance that the plane goes down, only one of them would die, and the other would still be able to fulfill his duties (although for Christian, that might entail learning to talk....). It is just an extreme precaution, because the chances of a problem are so rare. What I would like to know is if this statute came into effect before or after Sept. 11, 2001, (yes, I know Christian wasn't born then, but still), and if it also applies to Frederik and Margrethe? And, if so, does it still apply to Joachim, even though he is no longer second in line?

 

[crisscross1]

it's probably like how one member of the president's cabinet is always absent from joint sessions of congress, like the State of the Union address. If, in the extremely rare chance that the plane goes down, only one of them would die, and the other would still be able to fulfill his duties (although for Christian, that might entail learning to talk....). It is just an extreme precaution, because the chances of a problem are so rare. What I would like to know is if this statute came into effect before or after Sept. 11, 2001, (yes, I know Christian wasn't born then, but still), and if it also applies to Frederik and Margrethe? And, if so, does it still apply to Joachim, even though he is no longer second in line?

I think it has been the case for many years that direct decendants didn't travel together, that being said I suppose that Kings and Queens wouldn't travel with their own children. Queen Margrethe and Frederik probably wouldn't travel together even though there is another little King in the making. I don't think that terrorism had anything to do with this rule, it is perhaps that air travel wasn't always considered the safest mode of transport. I seem to remember asking my dad why Queen Elizabeth and Charles always traveled on seperate planes when I was younger and that was years ago. So it's been around for a while.

 

[Empress]

Well, I think that this has been in effect for quite some time. The VP and President of America have NEVER travelled on the same transport, for the very reason that should something go wrong, there is someone in the know who can easily take over.

In fact, this is also in effect in some corporations. I know that in my company, 2 (high level) people from the same department can not travel together.

 

[robbie27]

Mary took a commercial flight to Hobart. Im guessing either from Sydney or Melbourne. -- ok, Amelie has posted that info!

It was reported on my local news Mary said "Its good to be home" on the flight to Hobart.

I guess she'll visit her family, her parents live about 5mins from me but i hope she gets left alone down here.


Heres our local papers report: http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,20801538-921,00.html

 

[JessRulz]

On the Channel Ten 5 o'clock news, they had a story on Mary and Christian arriving in Hobart, and they said that they have agreed to do a photo session on Friday! Hopefully in return for this, the media will leave them alone....

 

[Madame Royale]

her parents live about 5mins from me but i hope she gets left alone down here.

Her father you mean (Mary's mother died in 1997).

Are Prof. John Donaldson and his wife back home in Hobart, or are they still in Europe? Does anyone know?

 

[soCal girl]

I hope the photoshoot will satisfy the press's cravings. I think it's smart for Frederik and Mary to offer some family photos in exchange for privacy. It reminds me of the Dutch royals who offer photoshoots in some hope that the press will leave them alone, especially the young ones.

Hopefully Christian was a well-behaved baby on the plane ride. Taking a young child barely a year old on a very long plane ride across the world must be stressful no matter how much help you have. Does anybody know if Christian's nanny made the trip Down Under with them? I would think not since Christian would be surrounded by so many relatives in Australia but perhaps she did.

 

[JessRulz]

Police appeal for royal privacy

POLICE in Hobart have appealed to the media to leave the Danish royals alone after Crown Princess Mary arrived with her husband and young son for a private visit today.

Mary, Crown Prince Frederik and their year-old son Prince Christian were today relaxing at her sister's West Hobart home today and are expected to remain there until Friday.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20802090-29277,00.html

 

[Charlotte1]

Hopefully Christian was a well-behaved baby on the plane ride. Taking a young child barely a year old on a very long plane ride across the world must be stressful no matter how much help you have. Does anybody know if Christian's nanny made the trip Down Under with them? I would think not since Christian would be surrounded by so many relatives in Australia but perhaps she did.

Christian's nanny made the trip with Mary as well as some protection officers. They were in the news footage of the arrival in Hobart.

 

[Madame Royale]

And that's just it. It won't be the public who heckle the family, but the media.

I am glade to hear the Tasmanian State Police have appealed to the media to respect the family's privacy. I assume this also applies to the Danish media who would have no doubt sent 'some' jurno's.

 

[amina1]

I doubt it!!
I don't think the word 'private' or 'privacy' make much sense for the media, and besides I don't think it's wise to reveal the place where they're staying

 

[ricarda]

I don't think they "revealed" where they are staying.
If you probably have a group of journalists following you from the airport
you don't have to reveal anything.
Perhaps they shouldn't have confirmed their trip to Australia.
This way the media is prepared now.
But perhaps this way is still less stressing than playing hide and seek in your holidays.

 

[amina1]

Hum..It is mentioned in the article that they're staying at her sister's home

 

[ricarda]

Yes, I know.
But I don't think the couple "revealed" that,
the journalists were probably following them and found it out.

So that newspaper article which claimed that they are staying in the Government house was wrong.

 

[Madame Royale]

The media most likely followed them from the airport, or at best, had people ready to front up at Jane's home.

And whether or not the family is staying at Janes home is pure speculation on the media's behalf. There's a possibility they shall and there is also a possibility they shall not

 

[Lisanne]

here at her sisters home
http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/9329/4046983wn7.jpg

 

[Australian]

Mary had a little lunch- this is what her neighbours had to say:

Neighbours were stunned.

One, Romilda Amorosa, said she was so excited when Princess Mary arrived she forgot to put bicarb soda in her banana cake.
"She's beautiful,'' she said. "She looks kind and gentle and beautiful.''

Ms Amorosa watched in bemusement as the media contingent grew in front of her home.
"She deserves every bit of it (attention),'' she said. "We're proud of her because she's Tasmanian.''
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20801844-5001021,00.html

 

[Tricota]

Yes, I know.
But I don't think the couple "revealed" that,
the journalists were probably following them and found it out.

So that newspaper article which claimed that they are staying in the Government house was wrong.

Well, if they are only staying at the house untill Friday, I guess it is possible. They are expected to stay in the area, atleast untill the galathea expedition arives in Hobart on December 7th. Atleast acording to the Danish media reports...

 

[susiewong]

Mary's Family

I think the media should leave Mary & Frederick alone. Why not check out the airport as I think Mary's father & stepmother will fly in by Friday so that all the family can be together. They have scheduled a photosession and then please let them get on with their family holiday.
With only a week together surely they can be left in peace to enjoy Christian who could well be another 2 years older before her family will get to see him again.

 

[UserDane]

​

I think the media should leave Mary & Frederick alone. Why not check out the airport as I think Mary's father & stepmother will fly in by Friday so that all the family can be together. They have scheduled a photosession and then please let them get on with their family holiday.

With only a week together surely they can be left in peace to enjoy Christian who could well be another 2 years older before her family will get to see him again.

I agree; it's a pity if their time with Mary's family is more or less spoilt by intrusive media.
QMII and prince Henrik schedules a photo session each year when they holiday in France - in exchange for having some undisturbed time. It seems to work and have done so for many many years - would be nice if the same would work for F&M and not least Christian.

​

 

[grevinnan]

Why didn't Fred open the door? He is still the royal that gave Mary her status. No journalist would have knocked on the door if it was not for Mary's marriage to Frederick. He should have been the one stating to anyone bothering them that this is a private holiday and thanks for your interest but we will not answer any questions.

 

[sm1939]

Why didn't Fred open the door? He is still the royal that gave Mary her status. No journalist would have knocked on the door if it was not for Mary's marriage to Frederick. He should have been the one stating to anyone bothering them that this is a private holiday and thanks for your interest but we will not answer any questions.

I think its because its mary home town , so that's why she is doing it , to give a feeling of being chilled out . if fred came to the door it might be more formal ????

 

[Harmony]

Why didn't Fred open the door? He is still the royal that gave Mary her status. No journalist would have knocked on the door if it was not for Mary's marriage to Frederick. He should have been the one stating to anyone bothering them that this is a private holiday and thanks for your interest but we will not answer any questions.

Probably Fred is at the grocery shop buying some groceries.

Part of article in The Age Australia

After his wife's arrival, the dashing prince surprised shoppers at a West Hobart delicatessen before returning to Ms Stephens' home with bags of groceries.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Mary-Frederik-bring-home-their-Kingaroo/2006/11/22/1163871450425.html