Royal Danes Skip Etiquette

American explorer Frederick A. Cook claimed he reached the North Pole on April 21, 1908, a year before the American explorer Robert Peary reached the pole. – A mere 3 months later, by December of 1909, a commission of the University of Copenhagen, ruled that Cook had not proven that he reached the pole. In 1911 Cook published a memoir of his expedition, continuing to assert their success. His 1906 claim and accounts of having reached the summit of Denali has also since been discredited.

  Explorer Dined by King and Queen    
Pole Finder Gives Proof of Statement 

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Royal Family Shows Faith in Arctic Conqueror 

Discoverer Awarded Unusual Honors by Royals

(Associated Press) Copenhagen, Sept. 5.— Frederick A. Cook dined tonight with King Frederick at the summer palace, a few miles outside of Copenhagen. The King summoned Dr. Cook to an audience yesterday as a formal courtesy. They had an hour's talk, and, while these Royal audiences, according to etiquette, can be minutely described by members of Court. Dr. Cook made such an impression on the King that the latter immediately instructed the Court Chamberlain to summon the explorer to dine with him tonight. 

The King invited Dr. Cook to meet him yesterday only after, having the government make the closest possible investigation into the merits of his story. All Danish explorers were asked to give their opinions of Dr. Cook's claims, before the audience was granted, and their verdict was unanimously in his favor. The honor is unusual. The dinner was entirely the result of the King's personal opinion regarding the explorer, who had the seat on the King's right – an honor which Danes cannot remember having been accorded another private person. 

The dinner passed off quietly, as is customary on Sunday in the Royal household, but after dinner there was a regular rush around Dr. Cook, who started a succinct recital of his adventures. One after another of the Royal personages plied him with questions and marked their intelligent appreciation of conditions in arctic seas and then waited eagerly while the explorer answered, always without hesitation. 

Prince Waldemar, brother of the King, who is a scientific sailor, was extremely interested in the currents about the pole and the condition of the sea. Prince and Princess George of Greece also made pertinent inquiries. The King and Queen and everybody were so greatly interested in the story, that they remained in the drawing room much longer than is their custom. As Dr. Cook retired with Minister Egan, he was the center of a congratulatory group. It was easy to he seen that the Royal family had implicit faith in him.– Los Angeles Herald, 1909

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