COPENHAGEN, Denmark’s beloved Australian-born Crown Princess Mary is poised to become queen on January 14, following the abdication of her husband, Crown Prince Frederik. Mary Donaldson, born in Hobart, Australia, on February 5, 1972, encountered the future king while working as an advertising executive in Australia. Their first meeting, unbeknownst to her, took place at Sydney’s Slip Inn bar during the 2000 summer Olympics.
After realizing he was the crown prince of Denmark, a discreet long-distance relationship blossomed into an engagement in October 2003. The royal couple exchanged vows on May 14, 2004, in Copenhagen Cathedral. Together, they are parents to four children: Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
The ascension of Crown Princess Mary to queen marks the culmination of a real-life fairytale for the Australian-born princess.
