Queen Mary of Denmark seemingly received a stern word of warning from her mother-in-law yesterday as she crouched down to stroke a dog at a royal event.
In the family’s first outing following the death of her father, John Dalgleish Donaldson, Mary, 54, joined Queen Margrethe’s 86th birthday celebrations in Fredensborg.
The mother-of-four, dressed in a smart, navy suit, stood alongside her husband, King Frederik, Margrethe and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Margrethe’s sister, as they waved to well-wishers gathered outside the palace.
In one moment, the former monarch’s dog Tilia appeared and stood next to Mary, and after noticing her, she bent down to stroke the dachshund.
According to a translation from Hello, however, it was met with disapproval from Margrethe, who shook her head to the side and, when translated into English, said: ‘I don’t think this is the right time for that.’
Her comment led Mary to stop abruptly.
Yesterday’s scene is similar to one between Queen Elizabeth II, Margrethe’s distant cousin, and Prince William, when in 2016 she scolded her grandson on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour.
The late monarch was seen tapping William on the arm and gesturing him to stand up as he crouched down to tend to a boisterous Prince George. Close examination of the moment appeared to show Queen Elizabeth saying: ‘Stand up William.’
William rose to his feet, looking rather sheepish over the public telling off from his then 90-year-old grandmother.
Margrethe abdicated the throne in January 2024 after reigning 52 years, and was succeeded by her eldest son King Frederik, and his wife Mary.
At the time, she referenced a successful back surgery the previous February, saying it had given rise to ‘thinking about the future’.
Mary’s appearance yesterday comes after the death of her beloved father at the age of 84, which was announced in a statement on April 12.
‘My heart is heavy, and my thoughts are grey. My beloved father has passed away,’ Mary said.
‘But I know that when the grief settles, the memories will brighten my day, and what will remain strongest is love and gratitude for everything he gave me and taught me.’
Denmark’s royal house said Donaldson’s ‘health has been declining over the past few years’ and Mary visited him in late March.
The family will hold a private memorial service at a later date.
Donaldson was a Pprofessor of applied mathematics and was born in Scotland on September 5, 1941.
He moved to Tasmania with his first wife, Henrietta Clark Horne, in November 1963.
The couple welcomed their daughter, Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, on February 5, 1972, in Hobart.
The now-Queen of Denmark arrived in Australia alongside King Frederik X for a six-day state visit running from March 14 to March 19 – the couple’s first official trip to the country since ascending the throne in January 2024.
At the end of that trip, Mary set aside time to visit her father.
The retired mathematics professor had previously missed several significant family milestones due to his frailty – including Princess Isabella’s confirmation and Mary’s coronation in Denmark.
Royal officials previously confirmed that Donaldson was unable to travel long distances because of his health.
Mary herself acknowledged the emotional reality at the time, saying: ‘He is getting to be an elderly gentleman and he is not well enough to take the long trip back to Denmark for a confirmation, but he is with us in our hearts.’
