For Queen Mary of Denmark, last week was another humiliating one spent without her husband, as she dutifully smiled and waved while attending three local events on her own.
Beginning with the 75th anniversary of the Freedom Museum on April 3, the brave mother-of-four continued to fly solo a few days later at the opening of a Copenhagen deer park. Then on April 9, she put on a stunning display in a royal blue power suit, in defiance of the relentless speculation that all isn’t right in the marriage of Denmark’s king and queen.
Friends say Mary, 52, is determined to not let those rumours sway her from her duties, however palace insiders are still wondering just how much more the Aussie-born queen can take.
WHERE’S FRED?
Mary hasn’t been seen at a public event with King Frederik, 55, since March, when the couple attended an exhibit at the Amalienborg Museum in Copenhagen, but speculation about their marriage has now hit fever pitch after Mary’s three-in-a-row solo appearances.
Last November, allegations of an affair hit the couple when then-Prince Frederik was photographed walking with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova in Madrid on an unofficial trip. The incident made international news, prompting denials from both parties and threats of legal action from 47-year-old Genoveva.
In what was widely considered to be an attempt to get her errant heir back on track, the sitting Queen Margrethe announced her abdication not long after, shocking Denmark. A month later, Frederick and Mary took the throne.
Now, in news that will come as little surprise, Woman’s Day can reveal things don’t appear to have gotten better for the embattled queen since.
According to Spanish publication Hola!, Frederik allegedly took another trip to Spain in February – just days before Genoveva relaunched herself on social media – but the king was not seen visiting the socialite. To add fuel to the fire, in March it was reported that Fred and Genoveva wear matching Shamballa bracelets, which sent speculation into overdrive yet again.
PALACE UNDER FIRE
“The palace has been on the back foot with this problem, and it’s not going to go away,” adds the regal insider.
“The fact they had to come out and make a statement that his bracelet was in fact a gift from the kids just shows how much this is getting out of control. But [Fred’s] only got himself to blame for all the rumours – going back to Madrid, of all places, a mere two months after he was spotted looking cosy with another woman is insanity.”
With all eyes on the royal couple, even the family’s ski trip over Easter was fraught with controversy after the castle’s flag was left raised. This signals that at least one member of the family was still in residence.
Unconfirmed reports suggest it was youngest daughter, Princess Josephine, 13, who stayed home. However, photos from the Swiss holiday did little to quell rumours of unhappiness, with Fred and Mary seemingly unable to look each other in the eye during one ski outing.
A palace insider confirms, “Mary and Frederik haven’t looked at ease with each other since that terrible scene in November, but he’s done very little to fix it.
“Hanging her out to dry at every event in Copenhagen is deeply worrying. The big fear for an outsider like Mary is whether or not this is acceptable behaviour. She must be feeling somewhat trapped right now.”
“It’s been a mind-blowing few months of highs and lows, and no one could have prepared for it,” adds a longtime friend of Mary’s. “Mary genuinely worships Frederik, so it was a love match all the
way for her. She’s also not the type to walk away from her duties as queen to the people of Denmark. She just won’t do it.
“She is likely feeling completely stuck – she’s the queen now. It’s not like she can just get up and leave.
“Mary takes her role as Denmark’s queen very seriously, but behind those brave smiles, she will be worried this total nightmare may not ever end.”
