Denmark, March 13: Crown Princess Mary has reportedly been given a dressing down by her mother-in-law, Queen Margrethe, after dining with a socialite convicted of possessing cocaine.
Crown Princess Mary has rarely put a foot wrong since joining the Danish royal family but pictures of her with the tainted figure have created a storm in Denmark.
A key member of her charity has also resigned after an alleged assault on an escort worker.
Crown Princess Mary was pictured at a dinner party with socialite Rigmor Zobel, known locally as the “Jetset Queen”, who was convicted last month of possessing six grams of cocaine.
Media outlets, including those normally loyal to the royals, condemned her lapse in judgment and prompted an unprecedented official statement about royal behaviour.
“Generally the royals of course must be aware of who they deal with,” royal spokeswoman Lene Balleby said.
Queen Margrethe issued a stern warning to the Crown Princess over the affair, the magazine Se Og Hoer reported.
“As the future Queen of Denmark, she’s not allowed to have any contact with a person convicted for possession of drugs,” its editor, Kim Henningsen, said yesterday.
“Queen Margrethe has in clear words told Mary never to do it again. This is the first time in over 30 years that the royal family has commented on behaviour of members of the family.”
The get-together at the Ristorante La Vela in the town of Vedbaek, north of Copenhagen, included other high-profile guests and was a farewell for friends moving to the US.
Mr Zobel is a childhood friend of Mary’s husband, Crown Prince Frederik, who was overseas at the time of the party.
In a further blow, a central member of Mary’s charity was charged with a string of offences relating to the imprisonment and assault of an escort worker at his luxury villa.
The financier allegedly held the woman against her will for up to six hours last weekend after she saw child pornography on his computer.
The man, a member of the royal family’s inner-circle, cannot be named for legal reasons.
The Crown Princess has increasingly focused on her charity, the Mary Foundation, which focuses on domestic violence and bullying.
“This is all highly unusual. Normally Mary is completely clean, without any scandals,” a Danish royal watcher said.
—Agencies