Last weekend, Queen Margrethe announced she would step down as Denmark’s monarch. The news surprised many. The Danish royal family has not abdicated the throne since 1146, and like her next female ruler, Queen Elizabeth, many expected Margrethe to remain on the throne for the rest of her life. However, she made her intentions clear. “On January 14, 2024, 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father, I will step down as Queen of Denmark. I hand over the throne to my son, Crown Prince Frederik,” she told the nation. He said this in his annual New Year’s address.
He will be succeeded by his eldest son Frederick, 55, and his Australian wife Mary, 51. The Crown Princess in particular received considerable media coverage. At the time of her 2004 marriage, much was written about the love story of the Crown Princess and Frederick, but a whole new generation is beginning to discover the origins of Denmark’s future queen.
Here’s everything you need to know about Princess Mary ahead of her appointment as Queen of Denmark.
she grew up in australia
Born Mary Donaldson in Hobart, Australia, the future royal spent almost all of her childhood in Tasmania, except for a brief year when the family moved to Houston, Texas, after her father took a job at the Johnson Space Center. Ta. She attended the University of Tasmania and graduated with her Bachelor of Business Law.
Just like Kate Middleton, she comes from an ordinary background
Mary, like the other beloved queen-in-waiting, Princess of Wales, did not come from a formal nobility. Instead, her parents worked in academia. Her mother Henrietta was an administrative assistant to the vice-chancellor at the University of Tasmania, and her father was a professor of mathematics.
She met Prince Frederick at a bar
Mary and Frederick met at the Slip Inn bar in Sydney during the 2000 Olympics. He was with the current King of Spain, Felipe VI (then Prince of Asturias), who knew Mary’s roommate. The prince and Mary, an advertising executive, hit it off. A long-distance relationship soon began.
Prince Frederick and Mary Donaldson at their wedding on May 14, 2004.Photo: Getty Images
Two Wednesdays in May 2004
For the royal wedding in Copenhagen Cathedral in May 2004, Mary wore a long-sleeved ivory silk wedding dress and an Irish lace veil. At the time, the press painted the incident like a modern-day fairy tale, citing Mary’s “commoner” status and their position. A chance first encounter. A reception for 400 people was then held at Fredensborg Palace on the island of Zealand.
Mary and Frederick have four children
The Crown Princess and Prince’s four children are Christian, Isabella, and the royal twins Vincent and Josephine. Their son Christian eventually succeeds his father as King of Denmark.
she is a champion of women’s rights
In her official biography, the royal family highlights Mary’s commitment to advancing and improving the lives of women. What is her biggest accomplishment so far? The Mary Foundation focuses on combating bullying, domestic violence and loneliness. She is also the patron of the Maternity Foundation, which focuses on women’s reproductive and sexual health.