London Olympics: The Schackenborgs Are Allowed to Eat the Crumbs of MoreMore's Olympic Experience: Other Royals Flock to Their Company!

What an ADORABLE little munchkin sweet Athena is! And in a protective sunhat! Unlike Mary's gar-royals.

What a difference a day makes! Last Thursday, Yrma and Derf took Xian and Izzy to the Olympic Village to meet some of the Danish athletes and soak up the fun atmosphere. Yrma was stressed after days of being with her sugar-loaded children and leaning on buddy Caroline Heering (who is no longer Lady in Waiting nor Yrma's private secretary but - supposedly - working full-time for The Mary Foundation). Mares has a habit of clinging to friends in stressful times, the pinnacle event being when she dragged poor Christine Obel into the corner with her during one of Daisy and Henri's bridge parties - no mingling with the other guests, no making sure that everyone has a drink and the acknowledgment of their company, no charming people to make them feel welcome - just pouted in the corner with only one hostage guest. Talk about bogan behaviour!

Then on Friday, as MoreMore flies back to Denmark on her broom with her Australian lanyard pin and a breath of fresh air arrives in London in the form of the friendly, approachable Team Schackenborg. Nikolai and Felix were the only ones not to come; a new school year had started on Friday, after an extended holiday with mum Alexandra in Turkey (plus, how distracting would this all important first week have been after travelling to London and riding the adreneline high of two jam-packed days).

What a difference a younger branch in the royal family tree makes! Joachim and Marie were wonderful representatives for Denmark, along with a notably relaxed Derf. The couple took lille prins Henrik to the Danish exhibit "Imagination - Discover the Danish Spirit" at St. Katharine Docks that grandpère Henri opened two weeks prior. Since lille Athena is not being raised by nannies, she was in London as well and what a cute chubbie bub she is.

The real fun came when Marie and Joachim attended some of the sporting events of the last two days, and met up with Queen Sofia, Felipe and Letizia of Spain, Queen Anne-Marie and her daughter Theodora, and David Beckham. Dressed all weekend in Danish colours and/or official gear, Team Denmark was great company for all the royal cousins. Marie and Letizia had what seems to have been a nice chat while their husbands talked and Derf and Felipe seemed to show each other iPhone photies of their children. Nice easy conversations that one never manages to witness when Mary is around. Hm. Perhaps Mary isn't a fun and easy-going as we're told.

The family left London today on the Dannebrog, supposedly with Unca Derfie on board unless he managed to find sanctuary in Cousin Pavlos's townhouse until he can locate now London-based "family friend" Emilie Jerichau, the infamous blonde in the nightclub right before the christening. (See, it was all so innocent!) What a nice way to travel for a three year old boy! Wonder if the family will be dropped off on the west coast so they'll be just a short drive back home, or if they'll have to go all the way to Copenhagen with the ship? Either way, what a nice, slow way to travel and relive all of their new friendships with other royals. Don't you love the image of Marie at Daisy's writing desk, penning a note to Letizia for them to meet up again - maybe in Madrid next time, get the children together. Lille Henrik and Sofia would make a terrific future couple!

Arrival at the Dannebrog at West India Docks.

Showing lille Henrik a good time at the Danish "Imagination" exhibit for the Olympics.

 

Going out on the town with the children and little Athena in a very feminine dress - definitely not a hand-me-down from Yrma! Perhaps they were off to Cousin Pavlos's house to join Felipe and Letizia for the evening?

Having fun with Felipe, Letizia, David Beckham and Queen Anne-Marie. Look at how well Marie and Letizia get along (it probably helps that Marie is multi-lingual, including Spanish)! And look how sweet Letizia is, consoling Derf as if to say, 'we would support you going out on your own', then giving him a loving kiss. Derfie looks besotted! Like he's just a moment away from turning his neck to the left and "accidentally" hitting Letizia's lips with his own. Poor, dumb Derf, always misinterpreting affection for a sexual advance. No wonder he got saddled with his exposed-bra, lycra-clad, chubby Potts Point "destiny" in Sydney that fateful night in 2000. Poor Letizia has probably heard the whole sordid story from her husband, who was an eye-witness to this sad history. No wonder she feels sowwy for Fwed. He's pafetic! If Yrma sees these photies, the poor boy may be reduced to a scorched jellyfish and the same "blonde friend of the family in a discoteque" treatment he got right before the Miracle Twins were christened.

At the US-Spain gold medal game, Derf looked pitiful trying to learn the rules of basketball from La Encantadora Letizia with his hang dog/poor-me-I'm-married-to-a-walking-Onion-headline. Anything to score another Letizia cuddle and kiss. What else is he to do with no nannies still in London? How embarrassing for his cousins Felipe and Sofia. Even Albert can't look at this train wreck!

Derf: "Um, you want to step away? Go buy some beers at the concession. Shoo"

Felipe: "This isn't some Danish football arena, mate."

Letizia: "Cariño, sit tight. I told you I don't like being alone with him."

Derf: "Mm, gee, you smell so good."

Felipe: "Whaa?"

Letizia: "And her face turning into her sisters'. Que fea! Ay, it's not that we don't understand, but it's not our problem, Fred."

Derf: "Can I curl up in your lap and suckle at your breast?"

Felipe: "I'm sitting right here, man, do you not see me?"

Letizia: "Fred, it's the same answer I gave you yesterday. I realise you're in a bad place, but no. No way. Never."

Letizia: "Tell you what, if you want to come back to Madrid with us for a few days, no problema. But you have to behave. No drunken disco blonde incidents. We have to work for our livlihood in Spain."

Felipe: "I can't believe she's inviting him home."

Derf: "Awwwwwwww. Can't. Mary'll kill me."

Sofia: "Poor Daisy sure does have a problem here."

But! Not their problem! Off to the Closing Ceremonies in Danish red! Hopefully Marie and Kate and Harry all got acquainted at the after party!

Tally ho! Off to Denmark!