Queen Mary greeted with Australian flag as she and King Frederik begin summer sailing cruise on board Danish royal family’s yacht Dannebrog to Kronborg Castle

King Frederik and Queen Mary have boarded the royal yacht for the start of their summer sailing season throughout Denmark.

And one of the first stops of their itinerary was an ancient castle made famous by William Shakespeare in one of his most celebrated works.

Upon their arrival at the city of Elsinore (Helsingør in Danish), north of Copenhagen, Queen Mary was greeted with an Australian flag as she met with crowds who had lined the streets to see the royal couple.

READ MORE: Prince William pays tribute to ‘immense sacrifices’ after brutal attack

In a fitting twist, Queen Mary was wearing a navy jacket by Australian designer brand Scanlan and Theodore over her patterned Erdem dress.

The Queen accessorised with diamond and aquamarine earrings that are believed to have been a gift from her husband shortly before their wedding, in 2004.

Next week, the royal couple will mark 21 years of marriage.

They arrived to the city of Elsinore on the royal yacht Dannebrog on Wednesday afternoon and were welcomed by large crowds along the harbour.

After shaking hands with as many people as possible, the King and Queen later hosted a dinner for the UN Chief Executives Board inside Kronborg Castle.

Kronborg Castle, dating from the late 1500s and rebuilt after a fire in 1629, was immortalised by Shakespeare in the 1600s when he used the impressive site and fortress as the setting for Hamlet.

The defining photos of the Danish royal family in 2025

READ MORE: King and Queen host first palace garden party of the year

It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and another popular location for the Danish royal family when carrying out events in the town or nearby.

Regular people can even host their weddings inside parts of the legendary castle.

Each year the royal yacht Dannebrog passes by the castle during its summer cruises.

READ MORE: King Frederik and Queen Mary welcomed to new home for summer

Earlier in the day, King Frederik and Queen Mary boarded Dannebrog from Copenhagen Harbour officially beginning the 2025 summer sailing season.

The summer cruise through Denmark’s waters on Dannebrog is a tradition within the royal family, dating back to Christian IX in the late 1800s.

King Frederik and Queen Mary met crowds at Nordre Toldbod, two pavilions on Copenhagen Harbour that are reserved for the royal family’s use, before transferring onto the royal yacht docked close by.

The first major sail of the season will take place from August 25 until August 28.

It will begin in the Frederikshavn Municipality, on the island of Jutland, before travelling to Thisted Municipality on August 26 followed by Læsø Municipality on August 27.

The cruise will end in Samsø Municipality on August 28.

Last year in May, King Frederik and Queen Mary boarded Dannebrog for the first time since the change of throne.

Part of the summer sailing tour included a visit to Sweden and Norway, Denmark’s neighbours and closest allies.

The Royal Yacht Dannebrog serves as the official and private residence for King Frederik and Queen Mary when they are on summer cruises in home waters or on official visits overseas.

The ship is usually docked at Holmen, on Copenhagen’s harbour, meaning royal fans can see the vessel when it is not in use by the royal family. The location is a short walk from the palaces of Amalienborg where the King and Queen live.

Dannebrog is one of the world’s two remaining royal yachts. The other is the Norwegian Royal Yacht Norge, since the British Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997.

Earlier this week, King Frederik and Queen Mary were officially welcomed to Fredensborg Palace, north of Copenhagen, where they will spend the summer months.

Two other members of family joined the gathering too: Grace and Coco, their brown and white border collies.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.