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King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark arrive at Amalienborg Museum on March 21, 2024 © Getty

Queen Mary and King Frederik enjoy secret foreign holiday with children - details

Queen Margrethe will act as regent while the royals are away 

Diane Shipley
Senior Online Writer
March 24, 2024
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According to Danish publication Her&Nu, Queen Mary and King Frederik have headed abroad for some rest and relaxation with their family during their children's Easter holiday. 

The parents of four share 18-year-old son Crown Prince Christian and his younger siblings, Princess Isabella, 16, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, 13. 

The news of their break was confirmed to the publication by Palace spokespeople along with the fact that while they are away, 83-year-old former monarch Queen Margrethe will act as head of state. 

Her majesty, who retains her title since stepping down from the throne, will spend her Easter holiday at Marselisborg Castle in Aarhus. 

The location of the king's family has not been revealed other than the fact that their travels will take them out of Denmark. 

Queen Mary walking with King Frederik© Getty
The royals have left Denmark for their trip

The royals enjoyed a similar trip in February, when Frederik, Mary and their teenage children reportedly enjoyed a winter vacation.

The monarch is very keen on taking time to rest when needed, writing in his book Kongeord [The King's word]: "Timeouts are important because we will probably have even more to do. 

Frederik and Mary with their children on balcony© Getty
The Danish monarch and his family

"Mary and I have areas of interest that will increasingly require our presence in very different forums here at home and abroad." The couple also have many upcoming official engagements on their agenda that will see them travel without their children. 

They will pay a state visit to Sweden from 6 to 7 in May, for example, followed by Norway from 14 to 15 May. 

King Frederik and Queen Mary host first gala dinner© Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset
The couple recently hosted their first gala dinner

The Danish royal palace has also confirmed that King Fredrik and Queen Mary will visit the Faroe Islands in mid-June and then Greenland in late June and early July, travelling on the Royal Ship Dannebrog. 

Queen Margrethe didn't give the public or her children much advance notice of her decision to abdicate, which she announced during her traditional New Year's address

Christian, Frederik and Mary waving from balcony© Getty
Crown Prince Christian will typically act as regent in King Frederik's absence

A spokesperson from the royal palace confirmed to Danish newspaper Berlingske that the queen let both her sons, then-Crown Prince Frederik and his younger brother, Prince Joachim, know about her intention to abdicate on 28 December. 

Royal reporter Wim Dehandschutter previously told HELLO!: "I was very surprised by the announcement of her abdication. I interviewed Queen Margrethe in 2017 and I asked her about voluntary abdication, because we've had several in Europe, in the Netherlands, where it's tradition, and in my country, Belgium, and also in Spain. 

King Frederik waves from balcony with Queen Mary© Getty
The couple on the king's accession day

"She gave the predictable answer at that time, she told me, 'In this country, we haven't gone in for that way of handing over. It's always been you stay for as long as you live and that's the way I see it too.' 

"At that moment, I didn't think it was a special answer because it was in line with expectations, it was believed that Margrethe would remain on the throne until her death." 

Queen Margrethe in blue coat in Germany© Getty
Queen Margrethe abdicated in January

In her New Year's address, Margrethe said: "In February [2023] I underwent extensive back surgery. It went well, thanks to the skilled healthcare staff who took care of me. 

"Of course, the operation also gave rise to thinking about the future - whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation."

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