Queen Mary of Denmark has been criticized for accepting free tickets to the Olympics in Paris for herself and her close friends. Queen Mary and King Frederik were given four passes, courtesy of the International Olympic Committee. This gesture has caused some controversy, though, as some contend that royalty shouldn’t be accepting such benefits.
With Transparency International’s objective to fight bribery and corruption, Jesper Olsen, the chairman of the group, expressed concerns in an interview with Mail Online over Mary’s acceptance of a gift, saying that it goes too far.
Olsen told Mail Online that first, it seemed entirely reasonable to accept the tickets for her and her spouse. But when she chose to share two more passes with her friends Helle Trolle and Malou Skeel, things took a different turn. Olsen claimed that this choice changed the dynamics of what at first glance seemed to be a straightforward gesture.
The royals stated that they”cannot accept gifts from private companies”. The royal statement added, “When they (the spare tickets) are given to friends, Queen Mary stops being at work. The tickets turn into gifts.”
The royal calendar did not include Mary’s presence at the Games, despite the palace’s earlier insistence that it was a “private” event. Still, she made an unforgettable visit to congratulate and celebrate the Danish dressage team on their success in earning the silver medal in the team competition.
Australian swimmers are cheered on by Queen Mary throughout the Games.
The Queen, who was born in Tasmania, congratulated the Australian relay swimmers on their outstanding accomplishment of winning the gold medal and offered her entire support. Her joy at their triumph demonstrated how proud she was of their outstanding effort and commitment.
In a thrilling triumph in the 4x200m freestyle relay, Mollie O’Callaghan, Ariarne Titmus, Lani Pallister, and Brianna Throssell emerged victorious.
Queen Mary gave the winning squad a “royal hug” and participated in the celebration by taking photographs with them, adding even more personal touches to their victory.
The Australian TV presenter Karl Stefanovic stated; “A gold medal in Paris and a royal hug. Does it get any better!”
Queen Mary made her mark at the Games even though it wasn’t an “official” royal visit. She even paid the Australian Olympic team a visit before the opening ceremony.