Frederik and Mary’s accession to throne powerful for simplicity
King Frederik X and Queen Mary’s smooth accession to the Danish throne has been all the more powerful for its simplicity.
King Frederik X and Queen Mary’s smooth accession to the Danish throne has been all the more powerful for its simplicity.
Frederik has had a lifetime, and Mary has had 20 years, to prepare for this momentous occasion, yet Queen Margrethe’s abdication was a shock and they had just a little over two weeks’ notice.
The outpouring of Danish love for their royal family, and a Danish capital filled wall-to-wall with wellwishers, cleared the path for their majesties to take over Denmark’s constitutional monarchy with no obvious dissent.
The act itself occurred with a single signature on a piece of paper, a proclamation to the people and a picturesque carriage ride through the cobbled streets.
Yet this seemingly effortless and well-ordered crowning moment has come at a time of turmoil within the walls of their Amalienborg Palace home.
Frederik’s ill-timed and ill-considered assignation in October with a Mexican socialite in Spain, splashed not only across Danish tabloids, but also in more sombre media outlets, has caused much heartache. The Danish royal family has not commented on the matter and the woman involved, Genoveve Casanova, has denied that any impropriety took place.
On Saturday the Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet ran a full-page invitation to Ms Casanova inviting her to the changing of the throne, noting that Frederik may not have invited her, or offered her suitable accommodation for the weekend, but cheekily insisting that they would pick up the tab.
Mary, of course, has maintained her dignity throughout the saga and her big concern has been about the impact of such headlines and public discourse on her four children.
Their son Christian, 18, and now the Crown Prince, is old enough to deal with the matter, but Isabella, 16, and the twins, Vincent and Josephine, who celebrated their 13th birthdays last week, have been teased about their father at school. Unlike most Danish families, what goes on behind closed royal doors is magnified to the masses.
“This affects more than the marriage, there is a whole family who has been thrown by Frederik’s decision to go to Spain,’’ said royal commentator Trine Larsen.
“The young princesses and prince have been teased at school, and that is something Mary has been very strict about, the issue of bullying, and so it will have been very hurtful for her to have to confront.’’
The Danes have a refrain, “All Hail King Mary”, in an acknowledgment that it is Mary, 51, who is the sensible one in the marriage, and is the dutiful monarch while her husband, at 55, is having to be reminded of his royal and marital responsibilities. No one has any doubt that Mary will be up for the task of being Queen. But as for Frederik, is he ready to be King?
There are jokes doing the rounds that now the royal couple have control of more than half a dozen castles, a train carriage and a yacht there are plenty of “doghouses” for Frederik to be sent to.
“Will Frederik as King shake off this man-child image?” asks another royal analyst, Kim Bach.
Ms Larsen notes: “As a Prince he had a penchant for beautiful women before he met Mary, and now as King, he has to step up.’’
If only this moment of succession can be the template for this love story of a commoner meeting a prince, to have the happiest of fairytale endings.
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