The love story of Crown Prince Frederik and our very own Mary Donaldson reads like a modern-day fairytale.
During the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Aussie girl Mary met the prince at a city bar and the pair instantly connected. Over the following year, the pair discreetly dated long distance before Mary moved to Denmark. In 2003, Queen Margrethe informed the Danish court she had consented to Frederik and Mary’s marriage.
WATCH: The truth about Mary and Frederik’s relationship revealed
Fast forward to the present, and the couple have four children: Prince Christian, who turns 14 on October 15, Princess Isabella, 12, and 8-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
It sounds like the ultimate happily ever after for the king and queen in waiting.
However, like all couples, Princess Mary and Prince Frederik have weathered ups and downs – particularly during the early stages of their relationship.
During Frederik’s 50th birthday celebrations last year, Mary alluded to these lesser-known aspects of their marriage and family life.
“We have become so close by giving each other space,” Mary tellingly told the crowd in reference to the way the couple did their own thing at times. “[You] have supported me in finding a foothold and my way in the world that was yours, and is now ours.”
An unwitting royal
For the first 28 years of her life, Mary was a regular Australian girl. She grew up in Tasmania, achieved a double degree at university and embarked on
a successful career as an account manager.
However, these aren’t the actions of someone who aspires to become royalty, and even after their engagement, Mary recalled that she never truly harboured any princess fantasies.
“I don’t recall wishing that one day I would be a princess,” Mary said back in 2003. “I wanted to be a veterinarian.”
It may not have been her endgame but Mary had to be brought up to speed as a royal fast, undergoing the equivalent of monarchy boot camp.
It was a huge undertaking, but the early hard work and sacrifice paid off, with Mary now embraced as a beloved Danish princess.
Goodbye bachelor days
Prince Frederik also reportedly had to make an effort to split from his old ways, while Mary had to make peace with his past as a ladies’ man.
Mary wasn’t Frederik’s first serious girlfriend –and according to a royal commentator, a former flame nearly derailed their relationship.
Prior to meeting Mary, Frederik had numerous other girlfriends – and veteran royal reporter turned author Trine Villemann says this presented a problem during their courtship. “Frederik has had a (galaxy) of beautiful, intelligent, strong Danish girlfriends and he’s still in touch with them,” Trine said in a sensational 2009 book about the Danish royals.
In fact, Trine believed Frederik held a candle for one ex in particular – former model, Katja Storkholm.
She claims Frederik and Katja had secretly got engaged in 1995 and that the prince may have been better off marrying “the true love of his life”. So why didn’t he?
“In the royal Danish family there’s this tradition of you get your spouse from abroad, you don’t marry a Dane,” the reporter explained.
Ready for the throne
After 19 years together, Mary and Frederik have come a long way. As they prepare to become king and queen their lives will be increasingly separate as they undertake solo engagements and split their time as a family.
With their children entering their pre-teen and teenage years, the couple are preparing for the next stage of their lives as ruling monarchs.
With an unshakeable bond, they appear readier than ever to take over the throne.
For more, see the latest issue of New Idea ROYALS MONTHLY out now!
WATCH: Princess Mary pretty in pink as she curtseys to Queen
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