Princess Mary was shining as she took centre stage at the Danish Royal Family‘s annual New Year’s Day banquet hours after it was revealed she is set to become the first Australian-born queen.
The 51-year-old was beaming as she arrived at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen with her husband Crown Prince Frederik on Monday evening.
Looking radiant in a maroon velvet gown and elaborate tiara, the mother-of-four looked every bit a monarch in waiting after it was revealed her mother-in-law Queen Margrethe of Denmark will abdicate on January 14.
The decision by Her Majesty to step down took royal watchers around the world by surprise, but there were no signs of discontent among the royal family as they joined the 83-year-old monarch for the traditional dinner.
However, the timing of her decision has raised questions, as it comes months after her son Frederik hit the headlines after he was pictured on a night out with a Mexican socialite. She has since denied any suggestion of an ‘affair’ between the two.
NEW QUEEN: All eye were on the new Queen as she arrived at the annual New Year’s dinner at the Palace at Amalienborg, Copenhagen, tonight
HISTORIC REIGN: The former Queen, Margrethe, also appeared in good spirits as she arrive at the event after her shock abdication, after spending 52 years on the throne
The royal couple, Queen Mary of Denmark (pictured, left) and King Frederik (pictured, right) seem relaxed by the major decision
It was announced yesterday that the popular couple would be becoming the King and Queen, with the current monarch stepping down
CONFIDENT: Mary certainly didn’t seem shy as she waved at the assembled crowds who’d come to see their new King and Queen.
Queen Margrethe of Denmark announced her shock abdication in her New Year’s Eve address to the nation, marking the end of her era as Europe’s longest-serving monarch.
The Danish head of state shocked the nation and many royal watchers around the world when she used her annual New Year’s Eve speech to announce live on television that she was stepping down as Queen after 52 years.
In her address the 83-year-old said she had taken stock after undergoing back surgery last year and had decided it was it was time ‘to leave the responsibility to the next generation’ – namely her eldest son Crown Prince Frederik.
Speculation is mounting that the decision was made to keep Frederik’s wife of 19 years, Princess Mary, who is extremely popular with the public, on side.
Princess Mary has won over the Danish public with her dedication to royal duty and her fluency in the language, with a recent poll finding 85 per cent of Danes have a positive opinion of the 51-year-old.
Her husband is also similarly popular, having turned his public image around from being a rebel tearaway and party boy during his youth to becoming a ‘woke’ family man.
The abdication means Mary, who first met Frederik at a pub in Sydney, will soon become the world’s first Australian-born queen.
She was working as an advertising executive when she first met Frederik in a packed city pub 23 years ago and had no idea the handsome European tourist she had been chatting to for hours was actually the future king of Denmark.
Now, married for 19 years and proud parents to four children, Mary has won her adopted country over by her dedication to royal duty and her fluency in the language.
And despite speculation about the state of the royal couple’s marriage over the years, there is nothing concrete to suggest they are anything but happily married.
The pair was most recently rocked by rumours after photographs emerged of Frederik, 55, enjoying a night out with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova in Madrid in October.
Native Australian Mary has won over Denmark, learning the native language and becoming popular with the people
Princess Benedikte of Denmark arrives at the Amalienborg Palace for the annual New Year’s dinner
Dressed in a lavish red gown, one day after announcing she would be abdicating, Margrethe appeared to be all smiles as she made her way into the venue
But despite allegations of an ‘affair’, Frederik and Mary made a show of unity as they headed into Aarhus cathedral on Christmas Eve.
The abdication may not come as a total shock to all: according to one source from 2021, stepping down has been on Margrethe’s mind for quite some time now.
Speaking to Woman’s Day, the insider explained that the royal had been slowly but surely guiding her daughter-in-law for the duties over the years.
And for several reasons, the timing for stepping down seemed appropriate.
For example, in February, Margrethe underwent a successful back surgery. ‘The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future – whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation,’ she said in her speech.
In addition, the timing of the move has raised questions, as it comes just weeks after Frederik hit the headlines when he was pictured on a night out in Madrid with a Mexican socialite, sparking rumours of an alleged ‘affair’.
Speculation is mounting that the decision was made to keep Frederik’s wife of 19 years Princess Mary, who is extremely popular with the public, on side.
Princess Mary, who is set to become the nation’s first Australian-born queen in a number of weeks, has won over the Danish public with her dedication to royal duty and her fluency in the language.
A new King and Queen of Denmark
In a nod to her heritage, during her wedding Mary carried a bouquet of Australian snow gum eucalyptus interspersed with blooms from the Palace garden
Frederik and Mary married on May 14, 2004 at Copenhagen Cathedral, with the newly minted Crown Princess opting for a beautiful gown by Danish designer Uffer Frank and a veil first used by Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden in 1905.
In a nod to her heritage, Mary carried a bouquet of Australian snow gum eucalyptus interspersed with blooms from the Palace garden.
The family has returned to Mary’s native Australia on many occasions, visiting famous landmarks in Sydney, Canberra and the Northern Territory and even spending Christmas Down Under.
Her husband is also similarly popular, having turned his public image around from being a rebel tearaway and party boy during his youth to becoming a family man.
However, their relationship came under scrutiny last year when Frederik was spotted on a night out with Mexican reality star Genoveva Casanova in October.
While the Royal Household refused to comment on photos of the pair together, Genoveva issued a public statement denying any kind of romantic relationship and called the rumours ‘malicious’.
Thanks to Mary’s reported closeness to her mother-in-law, and her taking on advice and guidance, according to royal reporter Kenth G. Madsen, Mary will ‘play a very prominent role’ and ‘will not be an invisible queen’.
However, he also explained she may, to avoiding straying into political territory, need to be careful with initiatives around women’s and children’s rights abroad.
She and Frederik may also need to encompass causes Margrethe was passionate about, to expand their repertoire – ‘so that it is not just the more modern topics’.
One of the trickier aspects Mary may find about being Queen is living so far from her native Australia.
While she has spent more than two decades in Denmark, her new responsibilities may mean she has less opportunity to visit home.
It is possible that Mary’s new duties will affect how often she is able to visit her home in Australia.
And the royal appeared very emotional as she wrapped up her pre-Christmas break Down Under earlier this month.
Departing from Queenstown Airport in New Zealand after a four-day trip amid a visit to her native Australia, the future Queen appeared to wipe away a tear as she said goodbye to friends and prepared to make the journey back to Denmark.
It’s not only her homeland, but is also where the royal’s love story with her husband began.
Mary was 28 years old when she met Frederik in the Slip Inn in Sydney 23 years ago.
After the pub encounter, then 32-year-old Fred – who was in Australia to support Denmark’s sailing team at the 2000 Olympics – asked Mary for her phone number and a romance blossomed.
‘The first time we met we shook hands. I didn’t know he was the prince of Denmark. Half an hour later someone came up to me and said, “Do you know who these people are”?’ Mary revealed in an interview about meeting the heir to the Danish throne.
They maintained a long-distance relationship for a year, with Frederik making secret trips Down Under before Mary moved to Denmark to study Danish language at Copenhagen’s Studieskolen in 2001.
In early 2003, Frederik’s mother Queen Margrethe publicly acknowledged the relationship and the couple announced their engagement at Amalienborg Castle later that year on October 8.
On New Year’s Eve, Queen Margrethe revealed that she would be stepping down as monarch after 52 years
However, at least for now it looks like they are planning to continue living in their current residence.
Currently, Mary and her family reside in Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg.
She and Frederik took over the property from the State in 2010 – when a full refurbishment and restoration was completed after six years.
Today, it is their private residence with administrative and ceremonial functions.
They also reside at the Chancellery House at Fredensborg Palace. According to royal reporter Kenth G. Madsen, the couple will live in their current accommodation and have no plans to relocate.
