King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark are on a state visit to Australia, a six-day tour that started on Sunday, 15 March, according to multiple reports. This is Queen Mary's first return to Australia since becoming Queen in January 2024, and it represents the first visit to the country by a Danish monarch in 40 years. At a state banquet in Canberra on 15 March, King Frederik delivered a speech, as reported by multiple sources. Queen Mary attended the dinner in a teal gown by designer Jesper Høvring, which she has re-worn and updated multiple times since 2010, as reported by major media.
The royal couple's itinerary includes stops in Canberra, Melbourne, and Tasmania, according to multiple reports. They visited Uluru on Saturday, where they met with Indigenous elders, as reported by multiple sources. In Tasmania, Queen Mary will visit her old school and hometown sites, though the exact dates for each location have not been disclosed.
For me, Australia has held a very special place in my heart ever since I slipped into that bar and lost it in a conversation that has never ended.
Trade and business form a core component of the visit, with the Danish royals promoting industry and trade ties, focusing on clean energy and urban development, according to multiple reports. More than 50 Danish business leaders are accompanying the royal couple on the tour, and they will inspect shipbuilder Incat in Tasmania, which is building battery-electric ferries for Denmark.
The visit occurs amid personal context, as Queen Mary's father, Professor John Donaldson, passed away on Sunday aged 84, according to Aftonbladet. Queen Mary stepped out publicly for the first time since her father's death at Queen Margrethe's 86th birthday celebrations at Fredensborg Palace on Wednesday, Aftonbladet reports.
Once upon a time, Denmark perhaps did not resonate widely in Australia. Then something changed.
Historically, King Frederik and Queen Mary met during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, according to multiple reports.
In 2004, your Mary and I were married, and with that, Denmark once again had a Crown Princess.
From that moment on, everyone 'down under' knew of the Nordic country 'up over'.
Mary, you had the courage to leave your beloved home and build a new one with me as far away as one can possibly go.
For that, I will be forever grateful.
Australia is our second home.
Whether we come here for a family visit or a State Visit, we feel both excited and entirely at ease.
The first time as King and Queen.
Does add somewhat to the planning.
When I first set foot on Australian soil, I was someone who came from somewhere very far away.