Mary of Denmark
Her humble first birthday as queen
Mary of Denmark celebrates her first birthday as queen.
© imago/PPE
Mary of Denmark’s first birthday as queen is coming up. The Australian-Danish fairy tale began Down Under on February 5, 1972.
Queen Mary of Denmark (52) will celebrate her first birthday as Danish queen on February 5, 2024. Since her husband, King Frederik X (55), ascended the throne on January 14th of this year, the Australian-Scandinavian fairy tale has been perfect.
Once Upon a time…
The fairy tale began 52 years ago Down Under, when Mary Donaldson on February 5, 1972 in Hobart, Tasmania. Australia, the youngest of John and Henrietta Donaldson’s four children. Back then, no one would have suspected that the middle-class girl would one day be a queen in distant Europe.
A chance meeting between Australian advertising executive Mary Donaldson in September 2000 got the ball rolling. At the time, she was chatting to Prince Frederik, who simply introduced himself as “Fred,” at the Slip Inn on Darling Harbor in Sydney. The pub was full of people from all over the world who were in town for the Olympics. “Something clicked,” said Crown Princess Mary in a 2005 interview. “It wasn’t fireworks in the sky or anything like that, but it was exciting.”
Shortly after their conversation, Mary learned that she had spoken to the Crown Prince of Denmark. “The first time we met, we shook hands,” she said of how they met. “I didn’t know he was the Prince of Denmark. Half an hour later someone came up to me and asked, ‘Do you know who these people are?'” Over time she found out, because Mary and Frederik got to know each other We’ve been in a long-distance relationship for a year that stayed under the media radar.
In 2002, Mary moved to Copenhagen and demonstrated great adaptability by converting to the Lutheran Church and learning Danish – a not-so-easy language. The couple announced their engagement in 2003 and then married the following year on May 14, 2004 in Copenhagen Cathedral. At the wedding, Mary’s father walked his daughter down the aisle in a Scottish kilt. Mary’s parents were Scottish but moved to Australia before Mary was born.
Mary and Frederik had four children, Crown Prince Christian (18), Princess Isabella (16) and the twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine (both 13).
Plans for that special birthday?
February 5, 2024 marks not only Queen Mary of Denmark’s birthday, but also a milestone in her life. From her beginnings in Australia to her current role as a popular, elegant and exemplary queen, she has had an amazing journey. This should and should be celebrated.
Last week King Frederik was still in Poland for official reasons, but from February 2nd he was back in Denmark so that he could prepare for the Queen’s private celebration. As “Billed Bladet” further reports, in addition to the family celebration at Brockdorff’s Palace at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, there will also be an official birthday party. However, not many details are known.
Fans can certainly look forward to an official birthday portrait of the new queen. Happy Birthday, Queen Mary!