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Mary's Friend Says She Tries Not To Embarrass the Princess

AAP
Jul 09, 2006

TV Personality Amber Petty attends Fashions on the Field at The Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse November 1, 2005 in Melbourne, Australia. Ms Petty says she desperately hopes she's not an embarrassment to her best friend, Princess Mary of Denmark. (Patrick Riviere/Getty Images)

Princess Mary's bridesmaid, Amber Petty, has spoken out about being labelled a "bad girl" and how she desperately hopes she's not an embarrassment to her best friend.

Ms Petty, who was a bridesmaid at Australian-born Princess Mary's lavish 2004 wedding, she was overlooked as a godparent at Prince Christian's christening in January.

She said her image in Denmark had been hurt when her love life became a hot topic.

"I went over for the christening and felt everyone was talking about me," Ms Petty told New Idea in an interview published today.

"The press had really painted me as Mary's bad best friend, which was hurtful.

"I don't want any controversy around my love life. I don't want to be an embarrassment to Mary."

The press first turned on Ms Petty following reports she was seeing millionaire businessman Mark Alexander-Erber, who has links to Sydney's Bandidos bikie gang.

He was also a married with two children.

Princess Mary Elisabeth Donaldson of Denmark and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark wave while bridesmaids from right to left Amber Petty, Jane Stephens and Patricia Bailey lift the dress as they leave the Cathedral in Copenhagen, 14 May 2004, after their wedding. (Sven Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images)
"The Danish press used to be really nice with me but because of Mark's links with the Bandidos they made me out to be a bad girl," she said.

"I'm from a divorced family. There's no way I'd take a father from his children if I thought the relationship wasn't over," she said.

"But there were a lot of things I didn't know."

A picture of Ms Petty with Mr Alexander-Erber and former Bandidos' leader Rodney Monk, who was murdered earlier this year, became front page news in Denmark.

Now the relationship is over, Ms Petty says she is focusing on other things, having recently nabbed a spot on the Seven Network's Celebrity Survivor.

And despite the fact it features shots of her slogging it out in a bikini in Vanuatu, Ms Petty said Princess Mary had given the venture the royal seal of approval.

"Mary's aware of the show and she's supportive of whatever I do," she said.

"It's a really tough game, but it was an incredible experience."


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