Last week’s state visit from King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark to Australia was a roaring success – but there was one titbit from their stop in Melbourne that nearly slipped past royal fans.
The six-day trip saw the royal couple make stops in Uluru, Canberra, Melbourne, and Hobart – attending an array of engagements and events along the way.
In the Victorian capital, Frederik, 57, and Mary, 54, hosted an Evening in the Garden reception at Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, giving the royals a chance to thank Australia’s Governor-General, government, partners, and meet invited guests.
That night, both King Frederik and Queen Mary took to the podium individually to deliver speeches to the prestigious guests gathered.
And while Mary’s speech drew the most attention thanks to her pinpoint-accurate observation about Aussie culture, what royal fans may have overlooked was an anecdote Frederik shared about his earlier experiences in Oz.
Frederik regaled the crowd with a story recalling their very first royal tour to Australia in 2005 – and a comment he once overheard from a little boy.
King Frederik recounted that the memorable moment happened when he and Mary were attending the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition in Sydney and his wife began chatting to members of the public.
‘Mary was chatting to some of the people who had shown up to say hello, and I stood next to Mary,’ Frederik reminisced.
Queen Mary and King Frederik hosted an Evening in the Garden reception at Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens on March 18
‘And I overheard a young boy standing next to his mother asking her, “Mummy, Mummy, who’s that boy next to Mary?” Frederik said, prompting the Melbourne crowd to erupt with laughter at the unexpected truth bomb.
But the good-natured Danish King took the dig in his stride, saying: ‘That’s how it is occasionally, [and] in the eyes of Australia, I suspect I shall always be the one standing next to Mary.
‘And this is perfectly OK… I take that very much as a compliment.’
The Tasmanian-born Queen also took to the stage after her husband that evening – and part of her speech reflected on the innately Australian habit of ‘claiming’ our homegrown heroes who shine brightly on the world stage.
Mary told guests: ‘It touches me deeply that my family and I are always welcomed with such warmth and interest, and that we continue to have a place in the hearts and minds of Australians.
‘Being remembered is nothing ever to be taken for granted… and it is an endearing Australian trait that when an Australian is considered to do well abroad, you take pride in the fact that they are one of your own.’
‘And forever on, they will be known as “Our, [insert name here]”,’ Mary added, prompting the crowd to break out in laughter.
Mary’s observation was spot on. It’s a classic Aussie trait for famous Australians considered national treasures to be referred to with the affectionate prefix ‘Our’.
Queen Mary also spoke at the garden reception, with her address observing how Aussies affectionately claim their stars by referring to them by the prefix ‘Our’
The event gave the royals a chance to thank Australia’s Governor-General, government, partners as well as meet invited guests
Their Majesties hosted an Evening in the Garden reception in Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens
This status can come from any field – the only requisite being that they are Australian, widely adored, and a shining representation of our cultural identity.
Mary’s clever comment subtly referenced how, ever since she met and married Frederik and became a member of the Danish royal family in the early 2000s, she too has been among a select group to receive the term – and is affectionately referred to as ‘Our Mary’.
Meanwhile, King Frederik also delivered an unexpectedly personal speech earlier in the tour, during the official state banquet dinner.
Held in Canberra on March 15, the King reflected on that fateful fairy-tale evening during the Sydney 2000 Olympics, when he walked into the Slip Inn pub and locked eyes with his Aussie-born future wife.
‘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,’ King Frederik recounted.
He also told how that meet-cute moment not only changed the course of his life, but also intertwined the fates of two countries that, until then, were entirely disparate.
‘Once upon a time, Denmark perhaps did not resonate widely in Australia. Then something changed,’ the King explained.
‘In 2004, your Mary and I were married, and with that, Denmark once again had a Crown Princess.
King Frederik and Queen Mary were a vision at the official state banquet dinner held in Canberra on March 15
At the state banquet, the King delivered an unexpectedly personal speech about his meet-cute moment with Mary durign the Sydney 2000 Olympics
‘From that moment on, everyone “down under” knew of the Nordic country “up over”.’
When Frederik and Mary tied the knot 22 years ago in Denmark, he noted that Aussies and Danes alike suddenly ‘shared’ a real Princess.
Frederik’s heartfelt address also paid special tribute to the sacrifice Mary made in following her heart – leaving her beloved home country behind and taking on the responsibilities of being a Danish royal.
‘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,’ Frederik touchingly shared with his wife and guests.
‘For that, I will be forever grateful,’ he added.
