Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth of Denmark will become the country's Queen Consort later this month, finally capping off the fairytale ascent of an Australian sales professional to the highest levels of European royalty.
According to CNN, the last hurdle on Crown Princess Mary's journey from Tasmania to the Danish throne came about on New Year's Eve with the unexpected resignation of Queen Margrethe II, who declared her intention to stand aside on January 14.
Rare as it may seem, the abdication of a monarch has not occurred in Denmark since King Eric III abdicated in 1146 to enter a monastery, as reported by the Royal House.
The queen's admirers in her native country are ecstatic that her oldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, will succeed to the throne as king and that her wife, Crown Princess Mary, will make history as the first Australian to serve as queen.
From Hobart to Copenhagen
For many Australian fans of Crown Princess Mary, it is the perfect conclusion to a relationship that famously started in a loud Sydney bar during the 2000 Olympics.
In a report by Prestige, Crown Princess Mary met Crown Prince Frederik in the Slip Inn pub in Sydney in 2000 when she was 28 years old, during the city's hosting of the Summer Olympics. She was working in the advertising and real estate industries at that point.
Unbeknownst to her, the man she locked eyes with was a prince. "The first time we met, we shook hands and I didn't know he was the crown prince of Denmark. An hour or so later someone came up to me and said, 'Do you know who these people are?'" she told the reporters in 2003.
On October 8, 2003, they announced their engagement.
With millions tuning in, the couple's wedding on May 14, 2004, was a public spectacle. Since then, they have given birth to four children: Princess Isabella, Prince Christian, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine.
From Hobart, the city of Tasmania, where the crown princess was born, to Copenhagen, audiences throughout the globe are prepared to be enthralled by their accession to the throne 20 years later.
Great Delight in Crown Princess
Because of her humanitarian efforts, Crown Princess Mary has great esteem both in Denmark and across the world. Her advocacy for social justice concerns, such as LGBTQ+ and women's rights, has earned her a lot of praise.
The Mary Foundation was founded in 2007 by her. The foundation's mission is to alleviate the suffering of children, adults, and families who are socially isolated or excluded from society due to environmental factors, genetics, sickness, or other life situations. It focuses on domestic violence, loneliness, bullying, and overall well-being.
