Crown Princess Mary’s four children appeared in a rare TV interview filmed around the time of her 50th birthday to poke fun at their mother’s Australian accent.
Her Royal Highness was working as a marketing manager for an advertising company when she met Crown Prince Frederick in a pub in Sydney during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
She moved to Europe in 2001 and married three years later, eager to learn fluent Danish to prepare for her new life helping run the country.
But according to her eldest daughter, 14-year-old Princess Isabella, her efforts are not entirely accurate compared to native Danish speakers.
Her Royal Highness was working as a marketing manager for an advertising company when she met Crown Prince Frederik in a pub in Sydney during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
“She has an Australian accent, so some of the words she says are a little funny,” she said, according to Now To Love.
Prince Christian, 16, added: “Sometimes when she wants to say ‘put the dog in the basket’ it always turns into ‘the dog is on the hook.’
“She’s trying to pronounce right at home,” said 11-year-old Vincent, while his twin sister Josephine jokingly mimicked Mary’s accent.
Despite the fun, her family honored their mother by calling her an extremely hard worker who constantly reminds them how lucky they are to live in Denmark.
“She has an Australian accent, so some of the words she says are a little funny,” she said, according to Now To Love.
On February 5, the mother-of-four announced a new decade by taking the time to visit the zoo and release official family portraits as part of her 50th birthday celebration.
Despite living and celebrating in Denmark, on the other side of the world, Princess Mary paid tribute to her Australian roots by sending a special gift of $50,000 to the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, which inspired the royal to start an anti-bullying program in Europe. .
She founded The Mary Foundation in 2007 using the money she gave to her and Prince Frederick at their 2004 wedding using the Alannah & Madeline Foundation’s Better Buddies program to start her Free of Bullying initiative.
Despite living – and celebrating – in Denmark, on the other side of the world, Princess Mary paid tribute to her Australian roots by sending a special gift to the Alannah & Madeline Foundation.
She founded The Mary Foundation in 2007 using money she gave to her and Prince Frederick at their 2004 wedding, drawing on the Alanne and Madeleine Foundation’s Better Buddies program to start her Free of Bullying initiative.
“From my very first experience with Better Buddies, I realized that this approach could be something special in terms of building communities and connecting children,” Princess Mary said at the time.
“It seemed obvious to me that Denmark could draw inspiration from Better Buddies. It has been very helpful and we are grateful for the starting point it has given us in the work of the Mary Anti-Bullying Foundation.”
As she grew up, Crown Princess Mary’s mother Henrietta “Etta” Donaldson regularly reminded her that “you can only be yourself.”
And despite their simplicity, these five words have been remembered by the Danish princess since the tragic death of her mother from a heart attack, when she was only 25 years old – three years before she met Prince Frederik.
Speaking to Eurowoman Magazine before she turned 50, the Australian native said the advice was with her in her most difficult moments.
As she grew up, Crown Princess Mary’s mother Henrietta “Etta” Donaldson regularly reminded her that “you can only be yourself” (Mary pictured with twins Josephine and Vincent)
Speaking to Eurowoman Magazine on February 5 ahead of her 50th birthday, the Australian mother-of-four said advice was there for her in her toughest moments.
She was absolutely right. I reminded myself of these words when sometimes [felt like I was going to] lose yourself,” she said.
“There have been great changes in my life, joys and sorrows.
“There are several significant events: The grief of losing a mother. The joy of becoming a mother later. My time at the university. To meet with Frederick. To marry the Crown Prince and become the Crown Princess of Denmark and the Danish people that I love so much. Or maybe 50 – who knows?
The inspiring royal has no doubts about turning 50 and says age has made her feel like she’s more of a “whole person.”
Princess Mary was only 25 when her mother died of a heart attack (pictured right with her girlfriends in her mid-twenties)
Her mother died three years before she met Prince Frederik (center), whom she married in 2004.
She said that age has given her a new perspective on things and that she can now “rest more” in herself and “decide more” (pictured Princess Mary with four children on August 28, 2017).
She said that age has given her a new perspective on things and that now she can “rest more” in herself and “decide more”.
She also plans to continue her work in underrepresented and vulnerable communities this year and speak even louder about topics such as violence, loneliness and grief.
“Everyone has the right to belong,” she said.
Princess Marie’s mother Henrietta died in late 1997 from a heart attack.
Mary spoke only a few times publicly about the death of her mother and how the tragedy had a huge impact on her.
She also plans to continue her work in underrepresented and vulnerable communities this year and speak even louder about topics such as violence, loneliness and grief.
During a visit to a support group for young survivors of grief, “Children, Youth and Mourning,” Mary spoke of the pain of losing her mother in her twenties.
“It happened too soon,” said Mary.
“It’s so hard to understand when it’s so close and so personal, but as you get older you learn to appreciate the time you spent together as a gift. And loss offers something you wouldn’t otherwise have. It makes a person strong.”
“I would like to spend more time with my mom. She is a part of me.”