Celebrity
King Frederik and Queen Mary state visit to France day one: Queen Mary wears Dior and Danish designer jewels as they attend state banquet with President President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron
Queen Mary of Denmark has made her mark in the fashion capital of the world, putting on a very stylish display on the first day of her and King Frederik’s state visit to France.
The King and Queen were welcomed to France by President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron on Monday, before they later hosted the royals at a state dinner.
Queen Mary and the First Lady were photographed appearing to compliment each other on their outfits outside the Élysée Palace where the banquet took place, on Monday evening (Tuesday morning in Australia), with the First Lady paying particular attention to Mary’s skirt.
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The 53-year-old royal wore a floral skirt by Danish designer Lasse Spangenberg and a white blouse by Melbourne-based brand Clea.
Her earrings are the ‘gypsy’ style by Ole Lynggaard, another Danish brand she has worn over the years.
She carried a clutch purse by Anya Hindmarch, who has long been designing bags for royalty.
King Frederik and Queen Mary posed for photographs outside the presidential palace before making their way inside for the banquet.
The King spoke in French, thanking Macron for the “warm welcome” and calling France “a country that is very dear to me”.
“Like so many of my compatriots, I remain fascinated by the elegance, cultural richness, and vibrant history of France,” he said.
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“My attachment to your country is also personal. My father, the late Prince Henri, passed on to me his deep love for France, and my own journey has allowed me to cultivate it.”
The King’s father, Prince Henrik (or Henri in French), passed away in February, 2018.
The Danish royal family regularly travel to the south of France to stay at their private mansion, Château de Cayx, which is located near the city of Cahors, 15 kilometres from Prince Henrik’s childhood home.
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The stunning tiaras worn by Queen Mary of Denmark
Frederik, and his brother Prince Joachim, also went to boarding school in France. Prince Joachim lived in France for several years while working at the Danish embassy.
The King referenced this in his speech: “I have lasting memories of my year of study at the boarding school in Normandy, where I survived – not without merit – the harsh discipline, as well as my more serene experience at the Danish embassy in Paris a few years later.”
Frederik and Queen Mary are due to visit the newly-reopened Notre Dame Cathedral later in the week. The King said the Danes drew “inspiration from French know-how”, referencing the building’s reconstruction and his hopes for the rebuilding of Copenhagen’s Stock Exchange, which was destroyed by fire a year ago.
The King and Queen’s itinerary also includes a boat ride on the Seine and joint engagements by Queen Mary and the First Lady to a hospital and the iconic Grand Palais.
Tomorrow, Mary will tour a school where The Mary Foundation’s anti-bullying program is run.
It is King Frederik and Queen Mary’s first state visit to France, with the program to focus on defence, energy and health.
The first item on their three-day itinerary was an official welcome at Hôtel National des Invalides, in Paris, followed by a meeting with the French president and his wife on the steps of the Élysée Palace.
In a nod to the host country, Queen Mary wore a cream two-piece skirt suit by Dior for their arrival.
Mary’s pearl and diamond brooch, and the earrings, are from the Pearl Poiré suite of jewels which were regularly worn by Queen Margrethe II.
Queen Mary wore the Pearl Poiré tiara twice last year.
April is shaping up to be a busy month for the Danish royal family.
Princess Isabella will turn 18 on April 21 but the party is being brought forward by just over a week because her birthday falls across the Easter weekend.
Her birthday will be marked officially on 11 and 15 April in Aarhus and Copenhagen, respectively. Isabella is likely to wear a tiara for the first time at the party at the Royal Danish Theatre, along with the Order of the Elephant.
The King and Queen will then host a lunch for Margrethe II on April 16 at Fredensbog Palace, marking the former monarch’s 85th birthday.
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