Inside Princess Mary and Prince Frederik of Denmark’s fairy tale romance: the Australian marketing executive met her prince at a bar in Sydney, then had a star-studded royal wedding

Mar 10 , 2022

Learn more about Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, who unexpectedly first met at a bar in Sydney ... Photos: AP, @detdanskekongehus/Instagram

While in Sydney for the 2000 Summer Olympics, Prince Frederik met ‘commoner’ Mary Donaldson through King Felipe of Spain – and the two struck up a long-distance romance

Mary moved to Denmark as a Microsoft consultant, Frederik’s mother Queen Margrethe recognised their relationship, and Mary soon had a diamond and emerald engagement ring on her finger

As we approach Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark’s 54th birthday at the end of May, we take a look back at the life he’s led with his long-time wife, Crown Princess Mary, who turned 50 on February 5.

Next in line to the Danish throne, Frederik met his bride at the most unlikely of places – a pub. According to People, the duo met at the Slip Inn, a bar and restaurant in Sydney. This was the start of an unconventional love story between a prince and an advertising executive from Hobart, Tasmania.

Here’s what we know about their royal romance.

An unlikely meet-cute

A young Princess Mary and Prince Frederik. Photo: @denmark.royal.family/Instagram

It was the summer of 2000 and Crown Prince Frederik flew to Sydney, Australia, for the Summer Olympics. There, he was accompanied by his brother Prince Joachim, his cousin Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark and Princess Märtha Louise of Norway. After the opening ceremony ended on September 16, the small party of royals headed to a bar at the Slip Inn where they met with Nikolaos’ cousin, King Felipe of Spain – still a prince at the time – and his own small party that included a 28-year-old Mary Donaldson.

Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik and his Australian then-fiancée Mary Donaldson watch a fourth-round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, in 2004. Photo: Reuters

The Australian native and the Danish prince clicked at initial conversation, which led to Donaldson giving Prince Frederik her contact number. He called the next day. “The first time we met, we shook hands,” she said, according to People. “I didn’t know he was the prince of Denmark.”

A long-distance love

Princess Mary and Prince Frederik had an unlikely fairy tale romance, which began at a bar in Sydney. Photo: @vaninaswchindt/Twitter

With the prince having to return to Denmark, the couple kept in touch through phone calls, letters and email. After months of correspondence, Donaldson visited Denmark in December 2001. The following month, Prince Frederik went public with their relationship and, later that same year, Donaldson moved to Denmark. When she arrived in Denmark, she was employed as a project consultant for Microsoft Business Solutions.