Red Flags In King Frederik And Queen Mary's Relationship
Many have described King Frederik X and Queen Mary's love story as a real-life fairytale. The two first met at a bar in Sydney during the 2000 Olympic Games. Mary, who back then was known as Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, grew up in Hobart Tasmania, Australia, and when she first met Frederik, she had no idea who he was. Little did she know that the then-crown prince of Denmark had a gut feeling that she was his soulmate. Speaking to Australian comedian Andrew Denton in 2005, Mary recalled the fateful night she crossed paths with her future husband. "The first time we met we shook hands. I didn't know he was the Prince of Denmark," she said (via Vogue). "Half an hour later someone came up to me and said, 'Do you know who these people are?'" The couple exchanged phone numbers and eventually started dating in secret. When word got out that Denmark's future king was in a long-distance relationship, Mary got herself a job at Microsoft in Copenhagen and relocated.
As with many royal couples, Frederik and Mary have had to weather a few scandals and media storms since their magical 2004 wedding. More recently, people have begun to notice some red flags in the couple's relationship that might indicate that all is not well behind the palace walls. Read on to discover why people are worried about the couple's marriage.
Frederik remained a party boy even after he married Mary
Royal pundits know that Prince Harry and King Frederik X have been compared to each other on multiple occasions. Harry's had his fair share of controversial moments, and so has Frederik. In his youth, Frederik was known as a playboy who enjoyed partying a little too much. While some expected the royal to leave these antics behind after he tied the knot with Queen Mary in 2004, this was not the case. Four years after their nuptials, Frederik was still seen out and about at clubs behaving in ways that probably made Queen Margrethe clutch her pearls in distress. Frederik's wife was also reportedly less than pleased with her husband's continued penchant for wild parties.
In July 2008, reports were swirling that Frederik was in hot water with Mary after he became drunk at a nightclub in Skagen, Denmark. The prince was reportedly putting the good name of the Danish royals in peril in his drunken state, so much so that Mary sent him home. A month later, he was ousted from a Beijing nightclub after partaking in a wild party shortly after his wife left for Denmark. There's no telling what went on behind closed doors after this incident, but Mary didn't show any signs of animosity towards Frederik when they met up in Australia shortly after his wild night out.
The couple reportedly spends plenty of time apart
Fears that King Frederik X's penchant for wild parties would eventually lead to the demise of his marriage weren't entirely unfounded. Various unnamed sources have speculated in the past that Frederik won't be able to leave his partying days behind him. When rumors began circulating that Frederik and Queen Mary were often spending nights apart, concern over the couple's marriage grew. "The word going around is that he [Frederik] has some kind of bachelor pad close by that he runs off to when things are getting unbearable between them," a source claimed (via New Idea).
These allegations raised some eyebrows, especially because Queen Mary had previously hinted that she and Frederik don't exactly spend all their time together. "We have become so close by giving each other space," she famously said in a speech when Frederik turned 50. Before the pandemic hit, Mary and Frederik were set to spend more time apart than ever, with the former staying with her children in Switzerland, where they were going to school, and Frederik staying behind in Denmark. Once the coronavirus took hold, these plans could not come to fruition.
In 2021, whispers of marital issues surfaced
Whispers of marital troubles continued to follow King Frederik X and Queen Mary's relationship throughout the pandemic. In 2021, sources claimed media outlets that Mary and Frederik weren't getting along. "They are leading increasingly separate lives," a source told Woman's Day. "Mary can sometimes be quite withdrawn from her husband," they added, suggesting that the couple's lack of joint public appearances at the time hinted that all was not well, especially because they used to appear madly in love. The source also claimed that Mary missed her home country, Australia, and that she was trying to take on more hobbies to keep her spirits up and distract herself from her reportedly chaotic marriage.
"She's loving horse riding and finds it is an excellent way to blow off steam," a source claimed, adding that, the more trouble she was facing in her relationship with Frederik, the more the queen spent her free time at the stables. "I'm sure it helps that the guy she's hanging out with there, who seems to be her instructor, is easy on the eyes!" the source quipped. While this was very much reminiscent of Princess Diana's affair with her riding instructor, James Hewitt, there was no proof that Mary was having any kind of romantic relationship with hers, but her new hobby still caused plenty of gossip.
There were rumors about Frederik having an affair
In November 2023, speculation about King Frederik X and Queen Mary's marriage reached an all-time high when the king was spotted with another woman during a trip to Spain. Tabloids rushed to publish pictures of Frederik and the mystery woman, which triggered quite the media tempest. The king was seen accompanying the woman to her house after they took a stroll through Madrid. They later left the apartment wearing different clothes. They attended a Pablo Picasso exhibition, visited a museum, took a walk in El Retiro Park, and enjoyed a fancy dinner together.
The woman linked to Frederik turned out to be Spanish socialite Genoveva Casanova, and she and the king are said to be just friends. Of course, the tabloids weren't very interested in that version of the story, and the tittle-tattle continued. Casanova, who was a contestant on "MasterChef Celebrity México" at the time, tried to put the affair rumors to rest in a statement to Hola! and threatened legal action against the tabloids who ran with the story. "I flatly deny the statements that suggest a romantic relationship between Prince Frederik and me," she told the outlet. "Any statement of this type is not only completely untrue but also distorts the facts in a malicious manner. This is already in the hands of my lawyers, who will take care of the pertinent steps to protect my right to honor, truth and privacy," she said.
Mary visited her family sans Frederik in the wake of the affair rumors
Plenty of affair rumors have haunted the British royals over the years, and it seems it's the Danish royal family's turn to weather this storm. Even though Genoveva Casanova denied the existence of a romantic relationship with King Frederik X, her statement didn't appear to do much to quell the gossip. And as if the fire needed any additional fuel, Queen Mary was seen boarding a plane with her two young children, Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent, to visit her family in Australia soon after the photographs of Frederik and Casanova were published. It was reported that Frederik would join his wife and children the following week.
It's not clear if the trip was impromptu or planned well in advance. Mary was said to be spending some much-needed time with her family in Australia while Frederik was on the other side of the world, attending the climate conference in Dubai.
Mary was seen crying at an airport after the affair rumors emerged
All eyes were on Queen Mary after rumors of King Frederik X's supposed affair with Genoveva Casanova emerged, and after what appeared to be an impromptu trip to Australia and New Zealand ended, the queen was spotted getting very emotional as she bid her friends goodbye at the airport. Eagle-eyed photographers spotted Mary getting teary-eyed as she got ready to return to Denmark.
The pictures of the queen crying emerged shortly after she shared a post on the Mary Foundation's Instagram page that seemed to hint at loneliness. "Time is a peculiar thing. The more years you have covered, the faster the next year seems to pass by. At the same time, you become more and more aware of how precious every moment — and every year — is," part of the post read (via Hello!). Many thought the caption was a cryptic hint from the queen about her real feelings regarding the affair rumors that were plaguing her marriage.
Body language expert Judi James, who kept an eye on Mary's public engagements with Frederik after the affair rumors emerged, told the Daily Mail that the queen appeared "formal and tense" alongside her husband while the latter appeared to be hard at work "feigning relaxation." James pointed out that Mary used to exude warmth towards her husband before the rumored affair but that her demeanor had turned frosty in the aftermath.
Mary attended royal engagements without her husband by her side
The gossip surrounding King Frederik X and Queen Mary's relationship did not fizzle out after he ascended the throne in January 2024. Mary has been seen attending plenty of public engagements without her hubby by her side, which has only kept the rumor mill running. Tongues started wagging when the queen and king failed to make joint public appearances during April 2024. Instead, Mary did three solo engagements, and everyone noticed the Frederik-shaped hole at her side. The fact that Frederik had made another trip to Madrid in February, where all the affair rumors first started, didn't help matters. Palace insiders told Woman's Day that this was a bad move on the king's part, calling his decision insane.
Meanwhile, Mary was keeping her head held high, but insiders claimed that the new queen was putting up a good front in public while feeling completely trapped behind the scenes. "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," an insider claimed. "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 behavior."
Royal experts claimed Queen Margrethe abdicated the throne in an attempt to save Frederik and Mary's marriage
The real reason Queen Margrethe II chose to step down from the throne might have nothing to do with Margrethe's health issues and everything to do with her determination to keep King Frederik X and Queen Mary together. On December 31, 2023, Queen Margrethe formally announced that she planned to abdicate the throne, sending shockwaves through the country. Previously, the queen appeared to have every intention of ruling until her death, like Queen Elizabeth II did. Abdication isn't common in Denmark — the last time a monarch abdicated was around 500 years ago. This led many to believe that Margrethe was stepping down in an attempt to save Frederik and Mary's marriage.
"It's possible that the queen took this action because she would have been terrified of the marriage breaking up and the royal family losing Mary. It would have caused major problems. The queen has always seen Mary as a tremendous asset," royal commentator Phil Dampier told The Telegraph. Rumors surrounding Frederik's possible affair with Genoveva Casanova had surfaced in November, and having the queen abdicate a month later seemed an "extraordinary coincidence," as Dampier put it.
Mary and Frederik had a frosty demeanor at a New Year's reception
Shortly after Queen Margrethe II announced her shocking decision to abdicate the throne, King Frederik X and Queen Mary were seen attending a New Year's reception, and the eagle-eyed press didn't need a body language expert to tell them that the couple's demeanor towards each other was ice cold. As noted in The Daily Beast, Danish outlet Ekstra Bladet pointed out that Frederik and Mary looked like they'd be anywhere else but in each other's company as they attended the event. Apparently, the royals exchanged a few terse words with one another; there wasn't any obviously friendly banter or chatter.
Whether or not Mary and Frederik were made aware of Margrethe's New Year's announcement, it seems the weight of the crown was already weighing on them. Or perhaps they were frustrated with the ongoing gossip about their relationship. Or perhaps they simply weren't in the mood for a New Year's event. We may never really know.
A body language expert says the couple's kiss at the coronation was likely staged
When King Frederik X and Queen Mary made their first appearance on Christiansborg Palace's balcony after the coronation ceremony, the couple appeared determined to present a united front amid the unceasing rumors of the former's supposed affair. When they shared a kiss, it eased some minds, but body language expert Judi James told Fabulous, a division of The Sun, that it was anything but a romantic kiss. "This kiss looks sweet but it lacks the kind of synchronicity that couples have after a long-term relationship," James said. "It looks cautious and coy, more 'first date' than 'marrieds.'" James added that the kiss also looked a little awkward.
Still, James believes the gesture showed that Frederik and Mary have decided to move forward as a team. She also pointed out that the kiss appears not to have been an impromptu decision. Instead, James believes that it was a very intentional move. "The way their eyes connected and the way her mouth moved as though speaking just before their kiss suggests this was a mutually agreed signal to show their marriage is ongoing despite everything," she said.
There appeared to be tension between the couple while they were on holiday in 2024
In March 2024, King Frederik X and Queen Mary were spotted vacationing in Verbier, Switzerland, with their children, and it seemed that the happiness they exuded during the coronation ceremony had evaporated into thin air. In photographs that surfaced of their trip, Mary and Frederik's relationship appeared as cold as the snow covering the slopes at the ski resort they were visiting. In some of the images, the queen can be seen looking irritated with her husband while he looks on with his hands on his hips. Before the photographs of their holiday surfaced, speculation was rife that either Mary or Frederik had forfeited the holiday because the royal flag remained raised at their residence. It later came to light that the royals went on their trip earlier than initially planned and that Mary returned early to attend some engagements.
The couple's frosty demeanor on their holiday stood in stark contrast with the warmth they exuded toward each other during a TV2 interview a couple of weeks later (via the Daily Mail). They made sure to talk each other up, with Mary saying she was proud to see her husband step out onto the palace balcony as king for the first time. Frederik, meanwhile, said how special it was to have Mary by his side on the big day.
Their first interview as king and queen was delayed
Even though King Frederik X's coronation ceremony took place in January 2024, he and Queen Mary only sat down for their first interview as the new Danish monarchs in May 2024. The interview, which was delayed for unknown reasons, showed the couple trying to present a united front once again, but whether intentionally or not, Mary outshined Frederik in the interview, according to body language expert Dr. Louise Mahler. During the interview, the king often found himself babbling, giving long-winded answers to simple questions. And while Mary allowed him to try and come up with his own responses, she would eventually take over control of the conversation, saving the king from looking foolish on a few occasions.
Observing the couple during the interview, Mahler noticed that Mary's body language betrayed a coldness toward her husband. "Queen Mary faces towards Frederik, but her head is tilted away, while her hands are also clasped with her left hand over her right and shielding from Frederick," Mahler told the Daily Mail, adding, "[Frederik], on the other hand, appears a little befuddled, his hands keep fidgeting." Mahler pointed out that she saw several "orange flags" during the interview that suggests the couple's relationship is still facing challenges.
Insiders claim the couple is still going through a rough time
Amid the cheating rumors that refuse to die down, palace insiders have claimed that Queen Mary and King Frederik X are really going through it behind the scenes. "It's been a mind-blowing few months of highs and lows, and no one could have prepared for it," a friend of Mary's told Woman's Day. "She is likely feeling completely stuck — she's the queen now. It's not like she can just get up and leave." The unnamed friend added that she suspects Denmark's new queen is afraid that stories about Frederik's alleged affair won't die down.
Body language expert Inbaal Honigman told Hello! that, despite the affair rumors, the couple's body language indicates that they're still going strong. "The royal couple's Christmas 2023 photos with their four children show them holding hands and walking in step with one another. Neither of them is leading, they're walking together, equals in their relationship," Honigman observed, adding that the couple's hand-holding was especially significant, given that they've been married nearly 20 years.