From my archive.
The meeting with the press at the end of the visit:
Billed Bladet #39, 2007-09-27.
Christian er sådan en glad lille tumling – Christian is such a happy little toddler. (*)
It was a high-spirited CP couple that met the press at restaurant Tavern on the Green in Central Park before the departure from New York. The couple has been spearheading the commercial offensive “Creative Nation” for the entire last week and did indeed to the very end advertise Danish design by sitting in the famous armchair of Arne Jacobsen, The Swan.
- “Mary and I are a bit sore (as in beat/tired) but very pleased with the fantastic experiences we have had in connection with creative Nation”, said Crown Prince Frederik, who among other things thought that it had been “a great pleasure” to experience how American actors worked with the people from Danish theatre.
- “A good Danish/American initiative”, said Frederik.
He admitted that there hadn’t been much spare time, but that the visit had been “very, very interesting”.
- “If one (**) is as curious as we are, then we learn something each time, we are out on official trips”, aid the Crown Prince.
In connection with “Creative Nation”, which is planned to spread to other countries, Mary said that with the good relations there already are between Australia and Denmark she will believe that the good initiative will also spread to her homeland.
- “But there will always be a private trip to Australia coming up”, she added with a smile.
The CP couple was asked how it was to work together. Not just as man and wife but as colleagues.
- “It’s very difficult to draw a boundary between the professional and the private part of what we are doing, but I think we are doing fine. We enjoy working together and we enjoy preparing for the jobs we are taking on. We often have different perceptions of things and that sometimes can lead to discussions. Long and short ones”. (***)
- “Colleagues may be a bit too professional”, said Frederik, “but of course we are. But we are also man and wife and lovers and we work well together. I must say it’s fantastic”.
- “It’s lovely to share the experience together. Frederik has such strength and a good ability to meet with others and create contacts. And that’s good when you (one) takes part in a campaign like the one we have taken part in, in the past week”, said Mary.
- “I have several years of experience from travels, which I made alone, so I know the drill. There is a lot of stress and sometimes you (one) don’t get so much sleep, but you are always ready to face a new day, when it comes. In that way I have been able to support Mary”, said the Crown Prince.
- “Yes, we supplement each other well”, smiled Mary and looked lovingly at her husband. (****)
Q: How is it to be in a shopping-Mecca like New York without having time to do some shopping?
- “I must admit that I’ve pressed my nose flat against the car-window many times, when the shops just flew by”, answered Mary, “but I did have the opportunity to stroll a little and look around in Soho, plus the trips in Central Park very early in the morning with a very awake little baby”.
The stay in New York lasted for five days and it was clear that Mary and Frederik missed their little boy, who on this occasion was not with them on the trip.
- We are very exited about going home and see Christian, but he has had a great time at home in his daily routines which is important in that age. He has had his grandparents, my father and Susan. They have both been there to look after him, but I look very much forward to seeing him, when we land tomorrow morning.
Q: Have you spoken to him on the phone?
- “Yes, as much as you can with a two year old”, said Mary.
- “It has been a bit difficult to communicate but we have gotten a lot of yes’s”, said Frederik.
- “And fine dad, fine mum”, added Mary.
The CP couple was also asked how it was to have two children and become a fairly sized family.
- “It’s lovely to have children and the first time is a huge challenge. On that occasion none of us knows what to expect”, said Frederik.
- “The second time too”, said Mary.
- “Yes, but there is after all more knowledge about how it probably is going to turn out”, believed the Crown Prince.
- “Perhaps you (one) are a little bit more relaxed, but you have to change things and be a little more structured and flexible. But that is simply so wonderful”, said Mary.
- Of course we would have liked to stay a little longer over here, but because we have a child in each country, we would like to go home to our little boy now”, said Frederik.
Q: Do you feel you have time enough for your two children?
- “Yes, I think so”, said Mary. But we are also enormously privileged, because we can shape our daily life as we want to”.
- “Now we brought the little one with us here, and it’s all about turning the challenge into your partner and not your opponent”, said Frederik.
When the CP couple was asked whether they could tell about what sort of little fellow Prince Christian is, Mary almost got tears in her eyes.
- “Oh, now I miss him”, she said with a little smile.
- “He is very much as he is seen. Curious and calm. A happy little toddler, you (one) may call him”, said Frederik.
- “He is really up on his toes”, said Mary.
To the question as to how Isabella has handled the days in New York, Mary replied that the travel had gone reasonably well but her sleep at night had certainly been a bit irregular.
- “That meant that I had to get up at 05.00 and walk in Central Park, but I don think she has handled it very well. She is happy and contended and has been somewhat of a tourist here, so she may have seen more here than we have”, said Mary, who was then asked whether she had worn Danish design herself during the visit.
- “Yes, mostly”, answered the Crown Princess, - “And in many different ways”.
Q: How do you view the future as ambassadors for Denmark?
- “That hasn’t changed because of this visit”, answered Frederik, “We have experience in our backpack from many other visits both here and in Australia. We have a good energy, curiosity and drive, and that is basically what we would like to pass on. We would like to spread the pride, we feel about everything Danish, and to assist Danish commerce”.
- “We make an effort in order to present Denmark in the best possible way”, added Mary.
- “Yes”, she said, “It was an entirely different way t experience the city”.
- I would have liked to see a Broadway show”, said Mary.
- “Yes, you didn’t get to experience that, and there is Abba’s Mamma Mia. That could have been fun”, said Frederik.
The CP couple did unfortunately not have time to play tourists.
- “No, unfortunately. We have neither sailed around Manhattan or been up the Empire State Building”, said Frederik.
- “But we’ve had a lovely view from our hotel room and we have enjoyed that together”, said Mary.
Q: How will you finally describe the visit to New York?
- “We believe ourselves that it has gone well, as you (one) say. It’s difficult to judge yourself, but there have been smiles and bright faces wherever we have come and gone”, said the Crown Prince.
- “But it doesn’t depend on us. It’s just like if you give a better at home. Then you don’t expect to deliver all the festivities yourself. Then your friends will come and fill out the party. With fun, joy and mischief. It’s a bit like that here”.
Q: Do you think there will be a Mary-effect here as there has been in Australia?
- “I cannot answer that”, she said. “Incidentally, I don’t know what a Mary-effect is”.
Written by Anna Johannesen.
(*) Tumling, actually meaning that he is an active child.
(**) Used all the time in DK.
(***) Long discussions = The married man caves in….I mean agree after a while. Short discussions = The married man agree at once.
(****) Actually stronger than that. She looked “forelsket” at him = The way people in love look at each other.
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