A communications expert has analysed Queen Mary of Denmark’s comment on daughter Princess Isabella’s X-rated t-shirt scandal – and the noticeable silence of King Frederik on the issue.
The verdict? The royal’s response was ‘brilliant – but not at all coincidental’.
Royal scandal erupted on August 7 when Princess Isabella, the 18-year-old daughter of Queen Mary and King Frederik, stepped out at Danish music festival Smukfest wearing hip hop group Suspekt’s merchandise top, which was emblazoned with a slogan in Danish that translates as ‘f****d him yesterday’.
While visiting Samsø on August 28, the couple was finally directly asked about their eldest daughter’s t-shirt scandal during a television interview with channel TV 2.
The unflappable Queen Mary, 53, piped up and answered, with her translated response being: ‘My first thought was – is she completely gone? But let’s put it this way… some decisions are better than others.’
Meanwhile, King Frederik, 57, watched on in smiling silence.
According to communications expert Anna Thygesen, Mary’s answer was ‘brilliant’ because it was ‘fun, and it completely takes the sting out of the criticism’ while also acknowledging that ‘young people make mistakes every now and then’.
‘She simply gets it over with a cheeky remark, while at the same time radiating authority,’ Anna told Danish publication B.T.
King Frederik and Queen Mary’s eldest daughter Princess Isabella partied it up at Smukfest on August 7 wearing a band merchandise shirt with the translated message: ‘f***** him yesterday’
Queen Mary and husband King Frederik were visiting Samsø on August 28 when they were finally asked directly about their daughter’s t-shirt scandal – but only Queen Mary offered a response
But royal pundits were surprised that only Queen Mary commented on the scandal – despite King Frederik standing right beside her when she was asked the question by the media.
The communications expert theorised that this would have been a highly deliberate strategy.
‘Queen Mary is just good at it. She’s the kind of person who keeps to her form, and that’s why it works better when she gives it the gas in a situation like this,’ Anna explained.
‘I honestly think she could deliver it better than the King.’
Anna also noted that inclusion of the clever ‘are you completely gone’ comment also made more sense to come from the Queen, because originally she had been on the receiving end of this infamous remark from her daughter.
This very comment was first heard during a 2021 hot mic incident between Mary and Isabella. During a royal family photo call, the then 14-year-old princess was caught audibly sniping at her mother in frustration: ‘Are you completely gone?’ (The translated Danish word for ‘gone’ is interchangeable with ‘confused’.)
The communications expert pointed out that Queen Mary’s response re-hashing her daughter’s own words was a masterclass in parenting teenagers – and something other parents would undoubtedly relate to.
‘Using humour is a crisis tool,’ Anna explained. ‘But she tops it off by using the princess’s own words, and that’s fun.’
A Danish communications expert theorised that it would have been a deliberate strategy by the royal couple to have Queen Mary be the only one to provide a witty but succinct comment on Princess Isabella’s rude t-shirt scandal
The expert also praised the exceptional delivery of Mary’s succinct two-line response.
‘She has complete control over what she says,’ Anna observed. ‘She pauses deliberately, and she makes sure it doesn’t go on too long.
‘First comes the funny, and then the serious, and it appeals to everyone with teenagers or young people who think it’s funny.’
The expert explained that Mary’s short but composed answer would also appeal to other factions of the community, including people who found the t-shirt funny, and those who thought the “scandal” was a storm in a teacup.
Although the royal mum’s response to her daughter’s scandal felt off-the-cuff during the televised interview, the expert believed the royal couple would have strategised how they would eventually address the scandal when asked, and that fobbing it off with a “no-comment” response was never an option.
‘If you want a modern, royal identity, not answering something is not a viable option,’ Anna said.
The communications expert wasn’t the only one to heap praise on Queen Mary’s response to the controversy.
Royal fans chimed in on social media, heralding Mary’s answer as a ‘perfect’ and ‘diplomatic response’ to her teenage daughter’s rebellious act, not denying it was a breach of royal standards but subtly downplaying it with humour.
Queen Mary’s translated reply to Princess Isabella’s rude t-shirt scandal was: ‘My first thought was – is she completely gone? But let’s put it this way, some decisions are better than others’. The mother and daughter are pictured here in April 2025
Princess Isabella was last seen in public with members of the royal family at a series of royal engagements just weeks before the naughty t-shirt scandal erupted. She is pictured here on July 28 in Graasten with younger brother Prince Vincent, mother Queen Mary and father King Frederik
‘I love how calm she is and that she remains so easy-minded. Best mommy!!’ read the caption of an Instagram post that shared the televised interview.
‘Love how she is basically saying she didn’t agree with her daughter’s decision, but doesn’t put her down for it,’ read part of one reply.
‘Smart response from Queen Mary, with a pointed reminder about the consequences of decisions,’ another wrote.
‘She indirectly said it was wrong and inappropriate, but in a discreet and respectful way,’ one person noted.
‘Very cleverly answered. Supportive mother,’ another said.
‘Mother goals!’ simply stated another response.
One cheeky reply added that Mary’s latest unswerving response to the swear-laden t-shirt was perhaps a result of her Aussie upbringing.
‘Isabella’s mum is Australian. We can cope with a bit of swearing,’ read one reply.
