Posted on 10/15/2005 12:29:16 AM PDT by Huntress
SHE began life as Mary Donaldson of Tasmania. Now she is Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, the wife and mother of the future kings of Europe's oldest royal family.
Mary gave birth today to a baby boy, who weighed in at a healthy 3.5kg (7 pounds, 7 ounces) and is 51 centimetres (20 inches) long.
The boy, who is expected to be named Christian, is second in line to the throne after his father, Crown Prince Frederik, Queen Margrethe's eldest son.
The birth of Mary and Frederik's first child is the latest chapter of a fairytale that began five years ago with a drink at a Sydney pub during the heady days of the Sydney Olympics.
"It wasn't the fireworks in the sky or anything like that but there was a sense of excitement," Mary said of the initial meeting.
Her husband said: "There was definitely that sense that I've met somebody special that was definitely worth another call, at least one call."
Mary moved to London in January 2002 to be closer to Frederik, but soon moved into the Copenhagen apartment of the future king.
The love affair was real and culminated in a magical wedding on May 14 last year.
Royalty from every monarchy in Europe, prime ministers and presidents, nobles and diplomats witnessed the commoner from Tasmania exchange traditional vows in Copenhagen Cathedral with Frederik, the heir to Denmark's 1000-year-old throne.
But despite the grandeur and formality, it was a ceremony touched by real emotion.
Frederik wept with joy as Mary walked down the aisle to join him, and he was obviously delighted with his bride.
"There might as well have been no people in the church, for me it was just the two of us living that intense moment which was quite the most fantastic part in that day I think," Frederik said earlier this year.
After Bishop Svend Norman Svendsen declared them husband and wife, hundreds of thousands of Danes cheered the newlyweds as they rode a horse-drawn carriage through Copenhagen's cobbled streets.
When her father John Donaldson gave her away, he literally handed his youngest daughter over to Denmark.
The crown princess had to give up her Australian passport. She converted to Denmark's Protestant-Lutheran church and had 16 months of intense Danish language, culture and history lessons.
In the event of divorce, she will relinquish custody of any children to Frederik.
Already a country which loves its royal family, Denmark has showered its new princess with genuine adoration.
And Australians have delighted in having an Aussie royal princess.
Mary regularly graces the covers of Australian women's magazines and her first official visit to Australia earlier this year attracted more attention than the visit of Prince Charles around the same time.
The royals spent more than three weeks in Australia last February and March - very soon after Mary would have conceived.
Interviewed in late February by the ABC's Andrew Denton, Mary - who was then about four weeks' pregnant - said she felt no pressure to have a child.
"It's definitely not a sense of obligation because it's something that we very much want to do," the princess said at the time.
Mary remained busy during her pregnancy, earning her the nickname of "princess on the run", until she was admitted to hospital with contractions on September 13.
She kept a low profile in the final months under orders to rest until the baby is born.
The royal couple kept the baby's sex a secret, prompting the Danish government to propose a change to Denmark's royal succession laws allowing the royal child to eventually ascend the throne, regardless of gender.
A new law is expected to be passed and submitted to a referendum later this year.
Mary told reporters in Hobart during her royal tour in March that she wanted her "children" to be brought up with an appreciation of Australia.
"I think it's only natural that our children will have some Australian influence because a lot of me is influenced by my upbringing in Australia," she said at the time.
"I'm sure they will have desire to come and see where I have grown up as well."
And it's likely that they will be welcomed to Australia with open arms.
This story reminds me of why I learned to love the Danish people.
Very nice story. Thanks for posting it.
There is indeed some good news in the world. I'll bet she speaks Danish with an Australian accent, and that's just fine.
Oh, sweet story! Happy birthday, Christian!
BACK where it all began for Frederik and Mary, the punters will be celebrating tonight in the most Australian way possible - with free beer.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16929297%255E29277,00.html
Nice story. An Aussie Royal should make for some fun times in a Prince Harry kind of way. It is good to see a country that actually appreciates their royals.
Awwww,,what a sweet pic.
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