Whats with this???? Some things just amaze me.Cathy Freeman's...

Whats with this???? Some things just amaze me.

Cathy Freeman's been chosen to help Denmark mark its bicentennial ......... Freeman's fairytale
December 5, 2003

FIRST an Aussie infiltrated Denmark's royal family, now another has been chosen to help celebrate the country's bicentennial.

Hot on the heels of Mary Donaldson's engagement to Crown Prince Frederik, Cathy Freeman has been appointed an ambassador by the royal spunk for the 2005 celebrations.

Swapping her summer clothes for a suitcase of winter woollies, the Olympic champion will leave Sydney this weekend to be welcomed in Copenhagen by the Prince, The Daily Telegraph travel editor Mike Smith reports.

On Monday morning, she will be officially appointed a Hans Christian Andersen ambassador by the Prince in the lead up to the bicentennial celebrations to mark the birth of the famous writer of fairytales.

Freeman, who will travel to Denmark with her new flame, actor Joel Edgerton, is delighted by the honour.

"Story telling is a great art, and a fundamental part of my indigenous culture where stories are passed down from generation to generation, keeping them alive and in the hearts of both the story teller and listener," she said yesterday.

"I am really looking forward to sharing his stories with a wider audience in the lead up to 2005, and being part of the birthday celebrations in Denmark."

Freeman is one of nine personalities from around the world to be appointed an ambassador.

Others include rock musician Suzanne Vega, actors Harvey Keitel, Susan Sarandon, Boyd Gaines and Danish-American Connie Nielsen, jazz pianist McCoy Tyner and South American soccer legend Pele.

Denmark's Peter Martins, chief of ballet at the New York City Ballet is another of the world's ambassadors.

Freeman's arrival in Denmark comes two months after the Danish Prince announced his engagement to Donaldson, a former Sydney real estate agent.

Donaldson will become the Crown Princess when she marries Frederik, the heir to the throne of Europe's oldest continuous ruling monarchy, on May 14 next year.

Copenhagen is planning massive celebrations to mark Andersen's 200th birthday, with a new Fairy Tale Museum to open in April next year.