Almost 20 years after officially being named Crown Princess, Mary Donaldson will shortly become the Queen of Denmark.
It’s been only a fortnight since her mother-in-law, Queen Margrethe II, 83, announced her decision to abdicate after more than half a century, paving the way for Princess Mary’s husband, Crown Prince Frederik X, to succeed her.
In comparison to the lavish, full-scale royal spectacle for King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation last year, the formalisation of Frederik and Mary’s ascension to the throne tonight (into early tomorrow morning) will be a remarkably scaled-down affair, as the Danish monarchy scrapped such ceremonies in the 1800s.
Here’s how it’s all expected to unfold:
The formalities will begin at 1.35pm local time (11.35pm AEDT), when Frederik, 55, and Mary, 51, begin their journey by car from Frederik VIII’s Palace to Christianborg Castle.
Just minutes later, at 1.37pm (11.37pm AEDT), Queen Margrethe II is due to travel along the same route from Amalienborg’s Christian IX’s Palace to join them at the Castle. The outgoing monarch will be in a carriage, escorted by the Horse Squadron of the Guard Hussar Regiment.
Once they are all gathered, around 2pm (midnight AEDT), the council of state for the change of throne will join Margrethe as she signs the declaration of her abdication.
The historic moment will be witnessed by Frederik and his eldest son, Prince Christian, 18 – who will be from that moment onward known as the Crown Prince and heir to the throne.
It’s a relatively brief affair, lasting approximately 15 minutes, and Margrethe will then depart Christianborg Castle, bound for Christian IX’s Palace.
At 2.30pm (12.30am AEDT), Frederik and Mary will hold an intimate reception for special guests, before emerging half an hour later on the castle balcony.
This is the big moment for the incoming heads of state: at 3pm local time (1am AEDT for the Aussie night owls), Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will officially proclaim the change of throne.
The announcement will be followed by a salute of honour, delivered from cannons at the entrance to Copenhagen Harbour, while the royal flag is take down from Margrethe’s residence, and raised up at the home of the new King and Queen’s.
As things wrap up, around 3.30pm (1.30am AEDT), Frederik and Mary will travel by carriage from Christianborg Castle, escorted by the same Horse Squadron, back to Frederik VIII’s Palace in Amelienborg.
The ascension of Queen Mary is an incredible milestone in the “fairytale” story that’s captivated millions all over the world for more than two decades.
Mary – who grew up in Tasmania, the daughter of an executive assistant and maths professor – famously met Frederik during a night out at Sydney’s Slip Inn during the 2000 Olympics.
Sparks flew immediately between the advertising executive and handsome European stranger, there to support the Danish sailing team – but Mary later admitted she’d had absolutely no idea she was chatting with the heir to his country’s throne.
“The first time we met, we shook hands,” she recalled during a 2005 interview.
“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?’”
After dating long-distance and in secret for more than a year, Danish local media finally got wind of the popular prince’s new relationship and published the story in November 2001.
But by then, the couple had already fallen in love.
“She got to know and love Frederik as the man he is, not as the Crown Prince,” Mary’s friend Chris Meehan later told the authors of Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark.
She moved to Copenhagen in 2002, where she converted to the Lutheran Church and dedicated herself to learning the notoriously tricky Danish language – an act which quickly endeared her to the nation.
Millions tuned in from all over the world on May 14, 2004, when Mary, an elegant and classic bride in a wedding gown by local designer, Uffe Frank, walked down the aisle to marry her prince in a lavish royal ceremony.
Since then, the down-to-earth Aussie has rapidly increased and maintained her popularity in her adopted home, working with various charities and remaining outspoken about helping migrants and combating bullying.
Mary and Frederik are also parents to four teenage children: Crown Prince Christian, 18, Princess Isabella, 16, and 13-year-old twins, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
Thousands are currently gathering in her country’s capital to celebrate Mary and Frederik’s ascension to the throne.
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It’s undoubtedly a significant day for the 1,000-year-old Danish monarchy – but for Australia, it’s truly historic.
“I don’t recall wishing that one day I would be a princess,” as Mary, now our first-ever Australian-born Queen of a European monarchy once famously said.
“I wanted to be a veterinarian.”
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2024-01-14 07:27:37Z
CBMipwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9lbnRlcnRhaW5tZW50L2NlbGVicml0eS1saWZlL3JveWFscy9wcmluY2UtZnJlZGVyaWsteC1wcmluY2Vzcy1tYXJ5LXRvLWJlLXByb2NsYWltZWQta2luZy1hbmQtcXVlZW4vbmV3cy1zdG9yeS8xMDhiZTVkNGRhYWVhM2ZlZGU0ZWY1NmVhMmM5MDMzM9IBAA
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