THE TIMES ONLINE SPECIAL: ROYAL WEBSITES

A Pin-Up Among Digital Princes

May 31, 2000

By Guy Walters

There is a new star on the international Hello! circuit and his name is Frederik. Aged 32, Frederik André Henrik Christian, Prince of Denmark, is consistently voted Denmark's man of the year.

He seems to have it all: good looks, an all action lifestyle, a former career as a soldier, brains, a caring nature, mean dancing skills and an adoring (unofficial) website which has turned him into the pin-up prince.

At the moment the site is awash with snow and huskies as it eagerly follows Frederik's latest adventure, husky sledding through the north of Greenland for a few months. Expedition Sirius 2000 will last until June and gives Frederik plenty of opportunities to pose in furs, smoking cigars.

Partly because of this adventure, Frederik is picking up a bit of a following on the web. The unofficial homepage is the work of a loyal (female) subject who has dedicated it to the dashing prince. There are plenty of photographs, obviously, and a full biography.

For those who wish to follow Frederik's progress across the frozen wastes, there is a diary on the expedition's website, which reports that the Crown Prince has mucked in with his commoner colleagues - eating hot dogs and auks, watching out for violent polar bears and wolves and repairing sledges. Diehard Frederik fans are also promised an online chat with him, although this does not appear to have happened yet.

When Frederik returns it seems likely that even more women will throw themselves at him. Until 1998, he was linked with the attractive pop star Maria Montell. Unsuprisingly, 71 per cent of men thought she would have made a good queen although only 45 per cent of women thought so. He now goes out with Bettina Odum, who he met while trying to get into a bar. Apparently, he was dressed so scruffily that he was refused entrance - until Miss Odum said that he was with her. Denmark now expects them to get married, much to the chagrin of the female population.