The time has almost come: Frederik and Mary will become king and queen of Denmark. How nice that Queen Margrethe can experience this herself. In the near future we will pay more attention to the Danish royals. Today we show Frederik and Mary’s most beautiful moments.
1. Marriage
The first moment is of course the wedding of Crown Prince Frederik to Mary Elizabeth Donaldson on May 14, 2004. Mary is already Protestant, and switches from the Presbyterian church to the Lutheran church. She has her wedding gown designed by Uffe Frank. The lace used is no less than 100 years old. The artistic queen Margrethe designs the wedding monogram. Mary keeps her bridal bouquet and later places it at her deceased mother’s grave.
In a few months they will have been married for 20 years!
2. Prince Christian
Christian Valdemar Henri John, the eldest child of Frederik and Mary, was born on October 15, 2005 at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. In addition to being Prince of Denmark, he is also Count of Monpezat, a title he inherits from his grandfather Prince Henrik. Prince Christian is baptized on January 21, 2006 in the palace chapel of Christiansborg Palace. Only at that time will his names be announced, as is customary with the Danish Royals. However, the name Christian is already expected, because the names Frederik and Christian are always used alternately for heirs to the throne. Prince Christian’s godparents are Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, his uncle Prince Joachim of Denmark and Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece (Frederick’s cousin).
3. Princess Isabella
Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe was born on April 21, 2007 at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. She is Princess of Denmark and Countess of Monpezat. The name Isabella is Italian for Elizabeth, Mary’s own middle name. The newborn’s second name – Henrietta – is a name after Mary’s mother Henrietta Clark Horne. Ingrid is named after her great-grandmother (Margrethe’s mother) and Margrethe after her grandmother, Queen Margrethe. Princess Isabella was baptized on July 1, 2007. Until her baptism she was called Lille Pige, because according to tradition her name is only revealed at her baptism. Her godparents are: Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Princess Alexia of Greece (niece Frederik), Dr. Nadine Johnston, Christian Buchwald, Peter Heering and Marie Louise Skeel.
4. Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine
Vincent and Josephine, the twins of Frederik and Mary, were born on January 8, 2011 at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. Prince Vincent’s full name is: Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander. Vincent is a popular name in France, and rumors suggest it could be a tribute to French roots through Prince Henrik. Frederik is a name after his father. The name Minik is a Greenlandic name. Alexander is a popular name in Denmark, but Mary’s great-grandfather was also called that: Alexander Donaldson (her father’s grandfather).
Josephine’s full name is Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda. The name Josephine is a popular Danish name but also a name after her godmother Josephine Rechner and is also a name after Josephine van Leuchtenberg, a former queen from the Swedish family tree (family through Queen Ingrid). Sophia means wisdom. Ivalo is a Greenlandic name. Mathilda is an old German name, revived in Australia.
The twins were baptized on April 14, 2011. Prince Vincent’s godparents are: Grandfather John Donaldson, King Felipe of Spain, Prince Gustav v zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille, Baroness Helle Reedtz-Thott and Caroline Heering. Princess Josephine has the following godparents: Princess Marie of Denmark, Prince Carlo (Duke of Castro), her maternal aunt, Patricia Bailey, Count Bendt Wedell, Birgitte Handwerk and Crown Princess Mary’s Australian friend, Josephine Rechner.
5. First days of school
Important moments are of course also the children’s first days at school. Could Mary have secretly shed a tear, as many mothers secretly do?
Christian goes to daycare for the first time in March 2007. His father and mother take him away together. The other children also went to daycare.
Prince Christian’s first day of school is on August 12, 2011. He starts in class 0 at Tranegårdskolen. Ten years later he continued his education at high school in Herlufsholm in Næstved. However, in August 2022, the switch was made to the Ordrup Gymnasium in Gentofte, because the school in Herlufsholm was controversial after a documentary about violence and abuse.
On August 13, 2013, it is time for Princess Isabella to go to school for the first time. Isabella also starts in class 0 at Tranegårdskolen. In August 2022, Isabella will go to another school. So she starts the 9th grade at Ingrid Jespersen’s high school in Copenhagen. A year later she moves on to the first grade at the Øregård Gymnasium in Hellerup.
Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine started in class 0 at Tranegårdskolen on August 15, 2017. They deliberately do not sit together in class. Josephine goes to group A and Vincent to group B. The reason? They are each other’s best friends, and Frederik and Mary thought it was time for them to make other friends as well.
6. Verbier
Frederik and Mary regularly go on winter sports trips to Verbier. That produces beautiful winter pictures.
In 2020 they will go to Verbier with their children for no less than 12 weeks. The children go to the international Lemania Verbier school there for 12 weeks. Unfortunately, Covid throws a spanner in the works and they have to return to Denmark earlier.
7. Frederik 40 years old
May 26, 2008. Crown Prince Frederik may blow out 40 candles. Of course, this also includes a balcony moment, as happens regularly in Denmark.
8. Mary’s loving speech
During a gala dinner for Frederik’s 50th birthday, Mary gives a loving speech for Crown Prince Frederik.
You can read the speech here (just use translate).
9. Kids talk about Mary
For Mary’s 50th birthday, the children tell a few things about her.
10. Summer holidays at Grasten castle
In the summer the royal family usually goes to their summer residence, Grasten Castle. They have undoubtedly spent many wonderful moments together here. Margrethe’s sisters also come here often and their children still know their way around.
11. France
The family also regularly visits Chateau de Cayx in Cahors. The 15th-century castle overlooking the banks of the Lot near Luzech has been owned by the Danish royal family since 1974. Since the death of Prince Henrik in 2018, Queen Margrethe has been the sole owner. About 140 bottles of wine (red, rosé, white) are produced per year, which are exported internationally. When Prince Henrik was still alive, the family came there regularly. I don’t know how often Queen Margrethe and her children go there these days. The photos below show the family celebrating Prince Henrik’s 80th birthday at the Chateau.
12. Australia
The visits to Australia, Mary’s home country, are valuable to Mary and her family.
13. Greenland
Greenland is an island that belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark. That is why it is important that Frederik and Mary’s children also get to know Greenland. In 2014, the whole family, using the Dannebrog as transportation, took a trip to Greenland.
14. Confirmation Prince Christian
In May 2021, Prince Christian made his confirmation in the chapel of Fredensborg Slot. His grandmother Margrethe and father Frederik also made their confirmation here at the time. Christian’s confirmation has already been postponed several times due to corona.
15. Confirmation Princess Isabella
Princess Isabella made her confirmation in April 2022. That makes her an official member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Isabella made her confirmation in the chapel of Fredensborg Slot. She was baptized in the same chapel in 2007.
16. Prince Christian 18 years old
On October 16, 2023, Prince Christian turned 18 years old.
