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The Danish King and Queen Consort -

King Frederik of Denmark and Queen Consort Mary have been together for over 20 years. But their relationship began in the most unlikely of ways (for a royal couple, that is).

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2000 Summer Olympics - Sydney -

In 2000, the Summer Olympics took place in Sydney, Australia. The then-Prince Frederik was in the city to support the Danish Olympic sailing team.

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2000 Summer Olympics - Sydney -

Mary Donaldson, a 28-year-old advertising executive from Tasmania, was living in Sydney at the time. Little did she know what would happen next!

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First meeting - The Slip Inn -

The couple first set eyes on each other at the Slip Inn bar in Sydney's Darling Harbor. The 32-year-old prince struck up a conversation, introducing himself simply as "Fred."

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First meeting - The Slip Inn -

Australian-born Mary later said of the meeting, "Something clicked. It wasn’t the fireworks in the sky or anything like that, but there was a sense of excitement." Fred took Mary's number that evening.

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A secret romance -

The couple began a secret, long-distance romance. For two years, Fred made trips to Australia to see Mary. The couple successfully kept their relationship under wraps for a year before a Danish tabloid broke the news in 2001.

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Moving to Denmark -

In 2002, Mary moved from Sydney to Copenhagen to live with the prince. She began to learn Danish and converted to the Lutheran Church.

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Moving to Denmark -

All the signs were there that this would be for the long haul. A year later, Queen Margarethe gave her consent for the couple to become engaged.

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Engagement -

Three years after that fateful first meeting at the Slip Inn in Sydney, Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson announced their engagement in October 2003.

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Engagement -

The prince proposed to his Australian bride-to-be with an emerald-cut diamond. In an apparent nod to the colors of the Danish flag, the diamond was flanked by a pair of ruby baguettes.

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Wedding day -

The future King Frederik and Queen Mary married on May 14, 2004, at Copenhagen Cathedral, followed by a reception at Fredensborg Palace.

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Mary's dress -

Mary's long-sleeve ball gown was a piece by Danish designer Uffe Frank. Her tiara was gifted to her from her in-laws Queen Margarethe and Prince Henrik, while Mary gave a nod to her native Australia with a eucalyptus adorned bouquet.

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The happy couple -

In his wedding speech, Prince Frederik said of his new bride: "From today, Mary is mine and I am hers. I love her, and I will protect her with all my heart."

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A tarot reader predicted Mary's future -

Mary once visited a tarot reader at a Sydney flea market, years before she ever set eyes on the prince. She was told she would meet a man from abroad, become famous, and move to Europe.

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A tarot reader predicted Mary's future -

Mary has said, "I left there and thought, ‘Well yes, that was a lot of fun, but nothing more.' But I’ve always been interested in the spiritual. In mystery and fate."

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Return to the Olympic Games -

The Olympic Games brought the couple together in the first place, and they've been returning together ever since, traveling to Athens in 2004 (just a few months after their wedding), Turin in 2006, Beijing in 2008, Vancouver in 2010, London in 2012, Sochi in 2014, and Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

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First child -

The couple's first child, Prince Christian, was born October 15, 2005. Now that Frederik is king, Christian is first in line for the throne.

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Princess Isabella -

On April 21, 2007, the couple's second child, a daughter, was born. Princess Isabella is second in line to the throne following a change to the Act of Succession in Denmark in 2009, that was ratified by referendum. Since then, males are no longer given preference over females to ascend the throne.

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A different way to be together -

"Time becomes more precious when you have children," Mary told Berlingske Tiende in 2008. "It’s not like you lose each other because you are with the children. It’s just a different way to be together and that’s some of the best part of it all."

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Welcoming twins -

Twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine were born on January 8, 2011. A beaming Frederik declared, "It's a miracle!" as he stood on the hospital steps.

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Welcoming twins -

Vincent is older than his sister by just minutes. This makes him third in line to the throne, while Josephine is fourth in line.

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Family time -

The Danish royals are admired for their down-to-earth approach to royal life, and are quite open about how they spend their holidays as a family.

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A popular couple -

Mary seemed to have adapted to her role as Princess Consort with ease, attending countless state gala dinners with her husband.

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A popular couple -

As well as raising their children and appearing at diplomatic events, Mary has been committed to her charity work, becoming a patron of more than 25 international organizations since the couple's marriage.

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A real-life Cinderella story -

Adapting to Danish royal life, Mary's fluency in the language, which is notoriously difficult, has been lauded. She has even undertaken training in the Home Guard, achieving honorary major status in 2023. Undoubtedly, her life changed completely when she met Frederik.

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Return to Oz -

The pair have returned to the country they first met, Mary's homeland of Australia, on several occasions. While there, they've visited landmarks as a royal couple.

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Return to Oz -

They've traveled to Sydney, Canberra, and the Northern Territory, even spending Christmas 2015 with their family Down Under.

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2024 coronation -

At the end of 2023, Queen Margarethe announced she would be stepping down from her role, taking everyone by surprise. It meant there would be a new royal accession in Denmark, the first in 52 years. The royal couple arrived to the coronation in a horse-drawn carriage.

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2024 coronation -

Frederik and Mary were proclaimed King and Queen of Denmark on January 14, 2024. Mary became the first Australian-born Queen Consort, making history. Frederik became King Frederik X.

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The Danish royal family -

Tens of thousands of Danes gathered amid scenes of jubilation and national pride in Copenhagen, as the King and Queen were joined on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace by their four children, including the new Crown Prince and heir apparent, Christian.

Sources: (People) (Tatler) (Daily Mail)

See also: Is the Danish royal family descended from Vikings?

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