Crown Princess Mary will become the Queen of Denmark when her husband, Crown Prince Frederik, takes over as the nation’s King and head of state.
In receiving her new title, Mary will make history as the first Australian-born Queen of a European monarchy.
Here’s everything you need to know about when and how it will happen.
When will Princess Mary become Queen?
and subsequent elevation of Crown Prince Frederik to King and Crown Princess Mary to Queen will take place on Sunday 14 January local time in Copenhagen.
The date marks the 52nd anniversary of Queen Margrethe’s accession to the throne in 1972, following her father’s death.
Tasmanian-born Mary’s ascension to Queen will come 23 years after she met Prince Frederik at a pub in Sydney during the 2000 Olympic Games. The couple married in 2004 and have four children.
An official portrait of Denmark’s Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik was released earlier this week, ahead of their succession ceremony. Source: Supplied / Hasse Nielsen
What will happen during the succession ceremony?
Unlike the held when King Charles III ascended the British throne last year, the change of monarch in Denmark is done through a simple proclamation ceremony at the nation’s centre of power.
At around 2pm local time on Sunday (12am on Monday AEDT) at Christiansborg Palace, Queen Margrethe will sign a declaration formally abdicating the Danish throne.
That act will trigger Prince Frederik’s immediate elevation to Denmark’s King and head of state.
He will take on the title King Frederik X, while Princess Mary will be known as Queen Mary and their eldest son Christian, the heir apparent, will become Crown Prince of Denmark. The royal titles of the couple’s other three children will remain the same.
The Danish royal palace has confirmed that Mary’s eldest sister Jane Stephens, who is also Christian’s godmother, will travel from Hobart to Copenhagen for the event.
At 3pm local time (1am AEDT), the new King will step out onto the palace’s balcony where Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will publicly proclaim Frederik’s ascension to the throne.
He will then make his first speech as Denmark’s reigning monarch, from the balcony.
Can you watch the ceremony in Australia?
No announcements have been made yet as to whether the event will be live streamed or televised in Australia.
