This morning we walked the kilometer or so from our hotel to the Citadel. This was the Royal Palace until the monarchy was abolished in 1945. Apparently it once rivaled the Forbidden City in Beijing, but there was a fire in the 40s which destroyed many buildings, and the Americans bombed many more.
Today there are a few buildings left standing but the whole place has a feeling of decay. It wasn’t really the Royal extravaganza I’d been hoping for. ..Until an unlikely turn of events occurred!
Who would have thought it, but after we’d been there for about an hour the Royal Family of Denmark turned up! I’d heard that the Danish Queen was on a visit to Vietnam, but had no idea she was in Hue.
It wasn’t just Queen Margrethe, but also her husband Prince Henrik plus the rather dashing Crown Prince Frederik…and my favourite European Princess EVER Crown Princess Mary! Anyone who knows me knows that I do love a good princess and after Diana, Princess Mary is it! She’s only a couple of years older than me, and is Australian. She married Crown Prince Frederick in 2004 and has since become a fashion icon, often compared in the Danish and Australian press to Princess Di and Jackie O.
I couldn’t bloomin’ believe it! Not only did we see them but they walked REALLY close to me – I’m talking 2 foot away! The Danish and Australian press were swarming around, as were loads of other dignitaries and I just stood in the middle of it all taking my own photos, Paul the pap! Several times I caught Princess Mary’s eye and she kept smiling at me! Yay! It made my day! :o)
.JPG)
No comments:
Post a Comment