Excitement is in the air as Australia revs up for the return of beloved Danish royals Queen Mary and King Frederik X as part of their official state visit across the country.
The pair will begin their six day tour on Saturday, March 14, starting in Uluru before they are expected to head to Canberra, Melbourne and end their visit in Tasmania, where Queen Mary is originally from, likely to spend time with relatives.
Last week, it appeared that the royals may not make it down under after all, as major flight disruptions unfolded amid the escalating war in the Middle East.
The Danish Royal House confirmed to Danish publication B.T. that the couple were forced to make “a few adjustments” to the travel plans.
“The royal couple’s visit to Australia will be carried out with a few adjustments that will be announced later,” the spokesperson told the publication.
“The dates of the visit will not be changed.”
This particular visit is a historic one, marking the first time in 40 years that a Danish monarch has come to Australia, as well as the first time an Australian-born queen has visited in an official capacity.
While you may envision a pair as important as the Danish King Frederick, 57, and Queen Mary, 54, travelling down under in some sort of official private plane or on board military aircraft, think again.
According to one of King Frederik’s former royal bodyguards, Jeseper Lunddorf, the Danish Royal Family have always actually been more inclined to take commercial flights for long-haul trips, and that private or military aircraft are reserved for “special occasions” due to not being able to “fly long distances”.
This means that any ordinary traveller may end up on the same plane as the royals, but likely would not even know it.
“I’ve flown business and first class with them myself, but you try to blend in as much as possible, and they also have their close entourage around them,” Mr Lundorf explained to B.T.
“Typically, you will be one of the last to board, and then you drive up to the plane, get in, and sit down.
“Then you will also be one of the first to get off when the plane lands.”
The former bodyguard explained that the safety of the royals is of upmost importance and is always assessed prior to the flight taking off.
“You consider that every time, and you never want the entire royal family on the same plane,” he said.
“The Crown Prince doesn’t want to be on the same plane as his parents. It is about securing the future of the Royal House, if, in the extreme, something were to happen to a member of the Royal Family during a flight.”
This rule also applies to holidays, they all fly in separately, which was the case with a recent vacation to Chateau de Cayx in France.
“If I look back, it has always been the case that the Queen was present, the Crown Prince came later and the princes dropped in, it seems natural and you don’t think about it, but then we all end up in Cayx,” he revealed.
“Not everyone flew to the location at the same time.”
In a statement from the Kongehuset (Danish Royal Family), the intention of the trip is to “further develop the already strong relations between Australia and Denmark, both culturally, economically, and in terms of foreign policy”.
“A strengthened partnership with Australia is particularly important at a time when geopolitical shifts have economic and security implications that link developments in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region,” the statement released on January 30 read.
“Building on the strategic partnership between Australia and Denmark signed in 2023, the state visit aims to enhance co-operation across a broad range of areas, including the green transition and economic security.”
The tour announcement also highlighted that the trip would have a “green focus” with the royals travelling to Australia accompanied by the Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, along with a large business delegation.
“Green transition will be a key focus of the visit,” the announcement continued.
“Fifty-five accompanying Danish companies will participate in the official business promotion initiative ‘Partnering for a Green, Secure and Sustainable Tomorrow.’”
The tour is the Danish King and Queen’s first to Australia since Frederik became monarch two years ago following his mother’s abdication.
Queen Mary was last in Australia, on official business, for a one-day solo visit on April 28, 2023, when she was still Crown Princess.
Other official visits were with King Frederik in 2013, 2011, 2008 and in 2005.
Mary and her family have quietly travelled down under for private family holidays on at least seven other occasions.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.news.com.au ’
