He appeared in public for the second time on Wednesday, January 3. The New Year’s Eve announcement stated that Queen Margaret of Denmark would sign the abdication of her heir on January 14. Frederick, aged 55, and his wife Princess Mary of Denmark, aged 51, posed for cameras with smiles, yet their expressions betrayed the pressure of a looming succession. They needed to project strength at all costs, and their jaws remained rigid, a visible sign of the tension behind royal composure. As one observer quipped, “Teeth, teeth.”
In a moment when all eyes and media outlets fixate on every move, the couple recognized each other amid the glare and the frenzy of coverage. A media storm swirled around the latest controversy involving the heir, whose private photographs had spread through international outlets. In Madrid, Genoveva Kazanova, once a socialite connected to Cayetano Martínez de Irujo, was seen moving through the city as part of a separate media narrative.
The scandal threatened to accelerate Margarita’s retirement at eighty-three, according to Luis Pliego, director of the magazine Lecturas. He suggested the pressure could become decisive for the injured spouse: either the crown would pass cleanly now, or the relationship would crumble under duress.
Kings don’t divorce
This is not the first time rumors of infidelity have surfaced in royal circles. Mary Elizabeth Donaldson’s long relationship with the Danish heiress began almost twenty-four years earlier, during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It is noted that a high-profile social event had briefly linked their worlds. In 2017, reports surfaced about a private arrangement, but the couple stood firm, underscoring the ancient notion that kings do not divorce.
First Australian crowned
Mary, once a middle-class girl from the suburb of Taroona near the River Derwent, grew up with three older siblings in a modest household. Her sister Jane Alison, now fifty-eight, became a pharmacist; Patricia Anne, fifty-six, a nurse; and John Stuart, fifty-three, a geologist. The idea of becoming Australia’s first queen belonged to a distant future, a dream tied to a land that once welcomed British convicts two centuries earlier.
Mary was the youngest child in a family where both parents were born in Scotland. Her mother emigrated to Australia after marriage in the 1960s and passed away in 1997; her father later remarried a British novelist in 2001. Mary attended local schools and went on to graduate in commerce and law at the University of Tasmania in 1994, where she captained the hockey team. Her early career included marketing roles in Melbourne and Sydney, while personal life included a long friendship with a young man named Brent Annells until 1998, after which he attended the royal wedding with his brother when invited.
Her path intersected with the crown prince on September 16, 2000, while publicizing an event in Sydney. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the future queen attended the ceremony with friends, and a lively discussion at a popular bar that night helped seal a surprising connection. The prince’s presence during that Australian visit sparked ongoing conversations that would unfold over the ensuing years.
Long distance romance
What followed was a discreet, long-distance romance. The prince traveled to Australia repeatedly in 2001, and Danish royal press chronicled the budding relationship with Mary, described as beautiful, outgoing, and talented—perhaps the future crown princess. Given the seriousness of the union, Mary eventually left her job, changed citizenship, and moved to Paris to navigate media intensity from Denmark. She studied Danish and balanced life between Copenhagen and Paris as the couple prepared for the future.
Her language skills and readiness became part of a larger royal process. The announcement of their wedding was made for May 2004, close to similar royal timelines elsewhere, signaling a new era. Mary would go on to become a mother to four children—Christian, Isabel, Vicente, and Josefina—each born in the years that followed, securing a lineage for the next generation. The royal family also announced new marriage arrangements two years into the marriage in order to maintain financial stability and prevent upheaval in royal finances.
Passion for shoes
In the realm of modern monarchy, fashion remains a potent symbol. Mary, much like other prominent queens, has become a magnet for fashion brands. Her style is often described as classic, with midi dresses, neutral colors, and subtle patterns that suit daily life. Yet her most memorable accessories are the shoes—sleek, elegant, and frequently from prestigious houses. For gala events she favors long gowns adorned with rhinestones, with sleeves that exude understated glamour.
Depression
Public figures sharing intimate details about mental health have historical precedent among royal families. The crown princess spoke candidly about personal struggles with depression on a Danish television program last November. She described her long commitment to mental health, the healing power of nature, and the importance of caring for the planet. This admission followed a tense period for the royal couple, with media speculation surrounding Federico and Genoveva that intensified scrutiny in the weeks before the disclosure.
He appeared in public for the second time on Wednesday, January 3. The New Year’s Eve announcement that Queen Margaret of Denmark would sign the abdication of her heir on January 14 remained a focal point. Frederick and Mary presented a united front, smiling for the cameras, yet tension lingered beneath their composed exterior. The moment underscored the delicate balance between public duties and private pressures that define contemporary monarchy.
In the midst of a media storm, observers noted how the couple navigated the spotlight and the expectations of a nation watching closely. The broader royal narrative, including connections to other European monarchies, continued to unfold as the crown faced a transition that would redefine its future path.