It has been a turbulent start to the year for Queen Mary of Denmark, whose father, Professor John Dalgleish Donaldson, passed away aged 84 in April. However, the royal and her husband, King Frederik, will be looking forward to a fresh start as they relocate from their main residence, Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg, to their summer home, Fredensborg Palace.
It is a move that the Danish royals make each spring, and it is where they spend the summer season. Upon their arrival, King Frederik and Queen Mary were met with a special ceremony. Their four children, Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine, were absent from the official welcome but Frederik did explain: "The children also come by from time to time. I don’t know exactly when, but this is also their home, and that brings us great joy."
© Getty ImagesFredensborg Palace's history and renovations
So, what do we know about the out-of-town home with 100 rooms that's cherished within the family?
Chancellery House at Fredensborg Palace is where the royals stay and it was erected in 1731 during the reign of Christian VI for the king's ministers and government officials.It was also the home of Queen Margrethe's late mother, Queen Ingrid, until her death in 2000.
The Baroque-style property functioned as their main residence until 2010, after the renovation of Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg was completed.
© Alamy
© Pool DE MONPEZAT/TRAVERSSince taking over Fredensborg Palace, the royal couple has made sustainable updates to the place, and Mary told Vogue Living Australia that she got "involved" where possible. She said: "My husband and I followed the project from start to finish, getting involved in what was possible. It's fascinating to see how much can come from building with what already exists. Everyone approached the task with curiosity, always asking: 'How can we make this as sustainable as possible?'"
Australia link
© Getty ImagesIt is not surprising that Mary chose to give a rare interview to an Australian publication, as she used to live Down Under. Mary was born in Tasmania on 5 February 1972, and lived in Texas from 1974 to 1975 when her father worked at NASA's space centre in Houston.
She later moved to Sydney and met Frederik during the 2000 Olympic Games at a pub called the Slip Inn. She didn't even know he was royal at the time!
Earlier this year, the couple travelled back to Australia for the first time since becoming King and Queen. Prime Minister Albanese released a statement on welcoming the royals: "It is an honour to welcome Their Majesties The King and Queen of Denmark back to Australia.
"It is wonderful that the visit includes many parts of our great country, from the Northern Territory to Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and of course, Tasmania." Crown Prince Christian, 20, will act as regent while the couple is away.
