Denmark toasts the marriage of a prince

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - In a lavish spectacle witnessed by members of every European royal house and hundreds of thousands of Danes, Crown Prince Frederik married Australian commoner Mary Donaldson on Friday.

The wedding, a sumptuous affair that saw unprecedented security throughout the capital, gave Europe's oldest monarchy a crown princess adopted by the Scandinavian country as its own. Donaldson became the first Australian woman to stand in line to become queen.

"It was so beautiful, like a fairy tale," said Kirsten Persson, 60. "When she walked down the aisle, I cried."

So did the visibly nervous Frederik when he saw his 32-year-old bride walking down the red-carpeted aisle in her long-sleeved white dress made from duchess satin and wearing a veil of Irish lace that was a gift to Denmark's late Queen Ingrid's mother, Crown Princess Margret of Sweden.

Margret used the veil and the lace for her wedding in 1905, her daughter used them at her wedding in 1935 and so did Ingrid's three daughters - exiled Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Danish Queen Margrethe and Princess Benedikte - for their weddings in 1964, 1967 and 1968.

As the couple left the church, Frederik, 35, kissed his wife for the first time in public. Outside, a roar of approval erupted from the packed crowd that jammed the streets, Danish and Australian flags in hand, to watch the ceremony on dozens of outdoor video screens.

Police said an estimated 250,000 people flooded Copenhagen to be part of the celebration. Thousands more watched it live on television throughout Europe, Australia and even in Egypt.

After a 45-minute ride in an open carriage through the capital's winding streets to the palace, the couple appeared on the balcony of the Amalienborg Palace. Frederik, his arm around Mary's waist, kissed his wife, causing the jubilant crowd below them to erupt in applause.

All day Friday, most of Copenhagen was closed to cars - except for the fleet of nearly 100 limousines and dark buses that ferried the guests to the church and to Fredensborg Palace for the evening wedding dinner and traditional wedding waltz.

As Frederik and Mary arrived in Fredensborg, they switched the Rolls-Royce with an open carriage and rode the last section to the cheers of thousands.

During dinner, Frederik pledged his love for Mary, telling her father, John Donaldson, "I will love her and I will protect her with all my heart."

Then he told Mary: "I love you Mary. Come, let us go, come let us see. Throughout a thousand worlds, weightless love awaits."

Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.

Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito.

Spanish Crown Prince Felipe.

Britain's Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie.

Australian Gov. General Michael Jeffrey.

Tasmanian Gov. Richard Butler.

France's first lady, Bernadette Chirac.

World and national headlines

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times 490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 Contact the Times | Privacy Policy Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright