Let the games begin! With the Winter Olympics in full swing, royals from far and wide have jetted to Italy for a glimpse of this year's competitors, and it's got us feeling nostalgic. While it may seem like an unlikely place for a meet-cute, the Olympics have set the stage – not only for legendary athletes to go for gold – but, surprisingly, for royals to fall in love. And it's happened more than once.
From King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark to Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, these royal couples first crossed paths at the Olympics, paving the way for some of the most iconic royal love stories in recent history. Find out how the games played cupid…
King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark
© GettyIt might sound like the plot of The Prince and Me, but King Frederik and Queen Mary's real-life meeting went a little like this. Rewinding to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, a then-32-year-old Prince Frederik was in town to support the Danish sailing team when he saw Mary (formerly known as Mary Donaldson), a Tasmanian-born advertising executive. After meeting in a pub called the Slip Inn, the heir to the throne introduced himself as 'Fred', while avoiding any mention of the fact that he was the heir to the Danish throne.
"The first time that we met or shook hands, I did not know he was the crown prince of Denmark. It was perhaps half an hour or so later that someone came up to me and said, 'Do you know who these people are?'" Mary recalled in 2003. Following their first meeting, the pair exchanged numbers before embarking on a long-distance relationship. By 2003, Frederik and Mary had confirmed their engagement, by 2004, they were married, and as of 2026, they are officially King and Queen of Denmark, not to mention parents to four children: Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco
© GettyThe games hold a lot of significance for Princess Charlene of Monaco, given that she famously represented South Africa, swimming in the women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Charlene, who had also competed in the Mare Nostrum International Swimming Meet in Monaco that year, had already crossed paths with Prince Albert by the 2000 Olympics, and while it wasn't love at first sight, the pair – who began dating in 2005 – eventually took their romance public at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Their wedding came in 2011, and Albert and Charlene went on to welcome twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, in 2014.
Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips
© Fox PhotosPrincess Anne was married to Captain Mark Phillips from 1973 to 1992, and while their marriage ended in divorce, the Olympics will always hold a special place in their hands. Flashback to 1972, and the Princess Royal, a talented equestrian who had already won the European Eventing Championship and BBC Sports Personality of the Year, had fallen for esteemed horseman Mark during the 1972 Summer Olympics. A milestone year for Mark, he brought home a gold medal for Great Britain, and tied the knot with Princess Anne shortly after. Together, they share two children, Peter and Zara, the latter of whom won a silver medal with the British eventing team at the 2012 Olympics.
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden
© GettyMuch like Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden enjoyed a blossoming romance during the 1972 Olympics in Munich. While attending a party, the former Crown Prince spotted a beautiful hostess named Silvia Sommerlath, who as a trained interpreter fluent in five languages, was assigned to take care of guests. "When I first saw her it said 'click' and it has kept clicking ever since," Carl Gustaf told reporters of their meet-cute.
While the future monarch was encouraged to marry a Swedish noblewoman, as opposed to Silvia, who is of German and Brazilian descent, Carl Gustaf knew he had found the one, and after succeeding to the throne the following year, he eventually proposed to Silvia, giving her his mother's ring in 1976. This year, they will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, with their three children – Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine – and nine grandchildren.
Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarin
© GettyKing Juan Carlos's daughter Infanta Cristina met her match in Iñaki Urdangarin, at the Atlanta 1996 Games. As fellow Olympians, Cristina had represented Spain as a member of the sailing team at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, while Iñaki, a Spanish handball player, had competed for his country in three Olympics, scoring two bronze medals. Following a whirlwind romance, the former couple tied the knot in Barcelona in 1997, before welcoming their eldest son, Juan, in 1999, followed by Pablo in 2000, Miguel in 2002 and daughter Irene in 2005.
Unfortunately, their love story came to an end in 2022, after Iñaki received a five year and ten-month prison sentence for convictions of embezzlement and money laundering in excess of £4.5 million through his non-profit organisation, the Noos Institute. Cristina and Iñaki finalised their divorce in 2023.
