How Princess Mary went from Tasmania to Denmark's newest Queen

From the serene suburbs of Hobart to the grandeur of Denmark’s monarchy, Mary Donaldson’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.

Video transcript

- From the serene suburbs of Hobart to the grandeur of Denmark's monarchy, Mary Donaldson's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Growing up in the 1970s and '80s, Mary's teachers at Taroona High School saw her potential describing her as very engaging, very outgoing, very amiable, obviously, a leader to be in the student council of that year.

After studying law and commerce, Mary delved into advertising and luxury real estate and worked in Melbourne, Edinburgh, and Sydney. But in the year 2000, fate had other plans-- a chance encounter at a Sydney pub led to a meeting with Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik. Reportedly unaware of his royal status at first, Mary soon found herself in a whirlwind romance prompting her to embark on a confidence building journey with starmakers.

Undergoing a transformation, Mary learned to command attention, a skill that would prove invaluable in the years to come. Moving to Denmark in 2001, Mary's relationship with Prince Frederik became public, and she captivated the Danish populace with her quick grasp of the language. In 2004 at Copenhagen Cathedral, they were married and Mary ascended to the position of the first Australian-born queen consort in Denmark's history. Now the sudden abdication of Queen Margrethe II has thrust Mary into the role of Denmark's newest queen.