Hello. I've been looking in on the forum from time to time, but never posted. So here goes - a little piece of my mind after lookíng through this thread.
I am danish, live in Denmark, and read at least 5-6 different danish news sources everyday. While I am totally aware that you can find danes who don't like Mary, danes who aren't all that impressed with her, and danes who coulden't care less about her - the big majority seems to think she's cool, and that Denmark certainly got the "best of the basket" both with Alexandra and with her. Now, if You catch a dane that really doesn't like her, they might say that they know tons of people feeling the same way - but surveys show that people think she is doing great. That is also the impression that I get from my own suroundings - at work, university and with friends - i still haven't met anyone who doesn't like her (honestly!) - though obviously they exist. So the strong polarisation she creates on this board, I would claim is non-existing in Denmark. At the same time, while it is true that fashion-show photos look more glamourous and are taken in much greater number than photos from other events - and are more often published in the glamour/gossip magazines - the regular media always report the princesses other engagements. Many times only with a little photo - BUT with text, telling about the cause/organisation, and often with interviews with people from the organisation in question. People know that she is patron of the copenhagen fashion fair - everytime the fair comes around there are all the pictures - and almost as many interviews with designers and organisers of the fair, telling about how much her patronage means for the industry, in terms of mediacoverage. But people also know about her engagement with heart decease organisations (yes - the mother story. but it works.) and with mental health issues - both of wich she has spoken about in interviews.
The fashion-image portrayed in this thread, is not - not - not - the image she has in Denmark. Despite the here so criticised photo-shootes, wich were'nt critisized at all in Denmark. Nor have i EVER heard - or read - anyone in Denmark refer to her as cold, aloof, snobish, stand-offish or anything of the kind. Sometimes it has been mentioned - with kindness - that she looked a bit nervous, especially in the beginning. But here her image is of a down to earth, friendly and interested person. Whatever event she attends gets coverage - in DENMARK!! - Which IS the point.
What surprises me so much in this thread, is that many people seem not to understand the difference between the "Royal Forum - world" - and the danish world. Even the most fanatic gossip magazines don't publish a tenth of the photos posted or linked to here. They chose some good ones and thats it. Here people post from the photo agencies, where you get a zillion photos, including some where she is looking weard or aloof or what ever. Not so in the real (danish) world. And here she is picked to pieces and critizised - which can't help but affect manys oppinion - which she isn't in Denmark. On the contrary, the reporters always interview people who got to talk to her after events, and they always sing her praises. Much of this is NOT published in english speaking medias - the australian (the australian!) seem to pick out non-sense little storys from the gossip magazines, and report it as being said in "danish medias" - and often half of the details are totally wrong.
My goodnes. I can almost understand some peoples dislike of her, when I see all the sugar they poor over her, (even more then we do in Denmark - and yes, we like to praise our own ones, despite our reputation for the jante-law).
I am SURE she is not perfect. I am SURE she makes mistakes. And I think it is totally ok that people dislike her, with or without reason - and that they tell about it, which this thread is obviously for. But it really irritates me when people say she should change - change her doings, change her media image - when her doings and image is great in Denmark. She should not change to meat aproval on the royal forum. And she has great aproval in Denmark - which even danish forum-members who dislike her must admit.
Cheers, Scout.