Denmark's newborn prince sleeps through first appearance

Denmark’s newborn prince made his first public appearance today, sleeping soundly on the arm of his mother, Australian-born Crown Princess Mary, as the royals left a Copenhagen hospital.

Mary and her husband, Crown Prince Frederik, waved and smiled to the scores of journalists waiting at the hospital, but the three-day-old baby prince appeared oblivious to the commotion.

The palace had banned the use of flashes for the royal family’s departure from the Copenhagen University Hospital, which was broadcast live on Danish television.

“It truly has been a life experience,” said Mary, 33. “It has been fantastic.”

Walking down a hall decorated with red and white balloons – the colours of the Danish flag – Frederik and Mary declined to say what the boy would be named. “We use a lot of different pet names,” a smiling Mary said.