Mary Donaldson met her future husband, Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, on 16 September 2000 during the 2000 Summer Olympics. He travelled back and forth between Denmark, and they conducted a long-distance relationship. Mary briefly worked in Paris before making the final move to Denmark. On 24 September 2003, it was announced that Frederik’s mother, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, intended to give her consent to their marriage. They were officially engaged on 8 October 2003.
On 14 May 2004, Mary and Frederik married in Copenhagen Cathedral. Mary wore a wedding dress designed by Uffe Frank, a Danish designer. Her bridal party included her two sisters and her friend Amber.
Mary’s veil had a rich royal history and was first worn by Princess Margaret of Connaught, later Crown Princess of Sweden. Her daughter Ingrid became Queen of Denmark and was the mother of Queen Margrethe II. Both wore the veil as well. Mary’s wedding tiara was a gift from Queen Margrethe and her husband, Prince Henrik. Mary also converted from Presbyterianism to the Lutheran Church of Denmark.
Upon marriage, she became Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth of Denmark. She was also granted the Danish nationality.
After the wedding, the newlyweds spent the summer on a working tour of Denmark before travelling to Greenland and attending the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Their first child, Prince Christian, was born the following year on 15 October. He was followed by Princess Isabella on 21 April 2007 and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine on 8 January 2011.
On 14 January 2024, Queen Margrethe II abdicated in favour of her son, making Mary the first Australian-born Queen consort in a reigning European dynasty.1
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