On January 14, 2024, Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, Crown Princess Mary, became King Frederik X and Queen Mary as Frederik's mother, Queen Margrethe, stepped down as monarch. The royals will become king and queen amidst a swirl of drama in Denmark's royal family.
The spotlight won't be anything new for this royal couple, though, who have been headline darlings since the start of their storybook romance. Here, we're taking a look back at the real life fairy tale love story of King Frederik and Queen Mary.
1968
The eldest son of Queen Margrethe II and her husband, Prince Henrik, Frederik (who was christened Frederik André Henrik Christian) was born on May 26, 1968, just four years before his mother would become queen. Following Margrethe's coronation, Frederik took on the title Crown Prince.
1972
Though she would go on to become a member of the Danish royal family, Crown Princess Mary is actually Australian by birth—she was born Mary Elizabeth Donaldson in Hobart, Tazmania on February 5, 1972. The daughter of a Scottish mathematics professor father and a British mother, Mary had dual Australian and British citizenship before becoming a Danish citizen by marriage.
1994
Mary received a Bachelor's degree in Commerce and Law from the University of Tasmania. She would go on to hold a career as an advertising executive at agencies including DDB Needham and MOJO Partners. She also worked in real estate.
1995
Sporty and adventurous Frederik (he once participated in a four-month, 1,700 mile dog-sled expedition in Greenland) became the first Danish royal to complete a university education, graduating from Aarhus University with a masters in political science.
Frederik also underwent military training in the army, navy, and air force, completing trining with the Royal Danish Navy Frogman Corps in 1995. He would go on to hold the rank of commander in the navy and colonel in the army and the air force.
2000
During the Olympics in Sydney, Australia, the future couple met at a local pub called the Slip Inn, though Mary was unaware of Frederik's royal identity—the prince reportedly introduced himself simply as Fred. "The first time we met, we shook hands and I didn’t know he was the crown prince of Denmark," Mary told 60 Minutes Australia in 2003. "An hour or so later someone came up to me and said, 'Do you know who these people are?'"
They quietly began dating long-distance, before their relationship became public in 2001.
2002
Mary moved to Denmark and, in an apparent nod to the couple's eye toward the future, converted to the Lutheran Church and began learning Danish.
2003
On October 8, 2003, the couple announced at Fredensborg Palace that they would wed the following year.
2004
On May 14, 2004, Frederik and Mary wed at in Copenhagen Cathedral. Mary wore a boatneck ivory gown by Danish designer, Uffe Frank, which reportedly had her mother's wedding ring sewn into the lining—an homage to her late mother, who passed away in 1997. She also carried a bouquet with eucalyptus in a nod to her Australian roots, but also embraced her new nationality with a diamond tiara that was gifted to her by her new in-laws along with an Irish lace veil that had served as a royal heirloom since it was first donned by Princess Margaret of Connaught on her wedding day in 1905.
2005
Just over two years after they announced their engagement, Mary and Frederik welcomed their first child, Prince Christian, on October 15, 2005. After Frederik ascends the throne in 2024, Christian will become the heir apparent and is expected to receive the title Crown Prince.
2007
On April 21, 2007, the couple had their second child, Princess Isabella.
2011
The royals started the new year by doubling the size of their family with the birth of twins—Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
2022
Queen Margrethe announced that she would be discontinue the titles of the four children of her second son Prince Joachim, evidently in an effort to modernize and streamline the royal house. While Mary and Frederik's children, as the closest in the line of succession, were not impacted by the controversial decision, the couple did speak out in support of the queen.
Crown Princess Mary, told the press, "I can understand that it is a difficult decision to make and a very difficult decision to receive. Change can be difficult and can really hurt. But this does not mean that the decision is not the right one. We will also look at our children’s titles when the time comes. Today we do not know what the royal house will look like in Christian’s time, or when Christian’s time begins to approach."
Frederik later agreed, stating, "I myself am interested in the Danish monarchy staying slim over time, so I therefore support my mother's decision."
2023
In late 2023, rumors circulated that Frederik was involved in an extramarital affair with socialite Geneveva Casanova. Casanova roundly denied the claims, saying per Hola, "I flatly deny the statements that suggest a romantic relationship between Prince Frederick [sic] and me. Any statement of this type is not only completely untrue but also distorts the facts in a malicious manner. This is already in the hands of my lawyers, who will take care of the pertinent steps to protect my right to honor, truth and privacy."
The royal couple did not comment publicly on the claims, however it was later suggested that Margrethe's decision to abdicate may have been motivated by a desire to save Frederik and Mary's marriage.
2024
During her New Year's speech, Queen Margrethe announced that she would be stepping down from the throne, becoming the first Danish monarch in more than 500 years to abdicate. "I have decided that now is the right time. On 14 January 2024, 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father, I will step down as Queen of Denmark. I leave the throne to my son Crown Prince Frederik," the queen stated.
Upon her official abdication, Frederik became king and Mary became queen following a proclamation by the prime minister at the Christiansborg Palace. Unlike Britian's King Charles, who was crowned in May 2023, there will not be a large coronation ceremony. Instead, the two greeted crowds from the balcony—and even shared a kiss for the crowds!
Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails.
