My shallow post....
I've never found Mary very attractive. Not unattractive or anything, but never striking. A bit bland. Yes, looks aren't everything, but there needs to be an initial attraction unless you've been friends for years and it turned into something more. I can understand what drew Joachim to Alexandra and then Marie. All the married in wives (and husband in Edo's case) are very striking. Jack is also a good looking man. The York ladies are very pretty. Maddie is stunning. Carl Philip is attractive, but he seems oily...literally. Edward out kicked his coverage with Sophie in so many ways, but I'm a Sophie sugar.
I'll see myself out.

Visiting London right now after a bit in Ireland.
I think Fred’s initial attraction to Mary makes sense when you look at pictures of his beloved grandmother Ingrid. There is a fairly strong resemblance. Often men end up marrying their mothers, Fred was far more attached to his Mormor so he ended up marrying her.
https://royalwatcherblog....ingrids-diamond-earrings/Have a lovely time in London!
Oh, wow, I don't see any resemblance with QI and Yrma at all, not even when QI was young. Different face shape, eyes, and nose.

The problem is, Fred never wanted to marry Mary. It was an Olympic fling in OZ.
Mary then chased and tracked him down in CPH via Paris and even moved in with him while QM was on travels. After QM came home, she kicked Mary out of the palace, but Mary still kept chasing. And when the media kept picking up on them, QM said to either end the relationship or marry her.
Not that much to do with resembling Mormor.