After nearly two decades as the officially designated Crown Princess, Australian-born Mary Donaldson has now ascended to the position of Queen of Denmark.
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Standing on the balcony of Copenhagen’s Christiansborg Castle, Queen Mary waved to a massive crowd alongside her husband, King Frederik X, just minutes after the ceremonial abdication of the former queen, Margrethe II.
This historic moment comes only a fortnight after the announcement of Margrethe II, 83, stepping down from the throne, ending a reign that spanned over half a century.
Both Frederik and his mother signed the official documents, and then the outgoing queen gracefully rose, relinquishing her seat to her son, and uttered the words, “God Save the King”.
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Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen symbolically turned her body to indicate the country’s new direction before a rousing rendition of the Danish equivalent of three cheers.
“My hope is to become a unifying king of tomorrow,” King Frederik X said.
“It is a task I have approached all my life. I want to return the trust I meet. I need trust from my beloved wife, you, and that which is greater than us.”
The much-anticipated moment for Australian royal watchers came as Queen Mary, the first Australian-born queen, emerged in all white.
She waved to the crowd with one hand while clasping her husband’s waist with the other.
The royal children, including the new heir, Prince Christian, joined the couple on the balcony before Queen Mary and King Frederik X shared a kiss.
Although the ceremony was less extravagant compared to other royal ascensions, it captured the attention and support of both Danes and Australians alike.
Queen Mary, born in Hobart, Tasmania, to Scottish academics, met King Frederik X in a Sydney pub without initially realising his royal status.
“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?'”
The couple’s journey from that chance meeting to the Danish throne resonates with many Australians, who appreciate Queen Mary’s non-royal background.
As the royal couple embarks on their new role, the people of Denmark and Australia celebrate this historic moment, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the Danish monarchy.
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