‘A bit of glamour’: royal sighting leaves fans smiling
Royal enthusiasts turned out to catch a glimpse of the Danish king and queen as they continued their tour of Australia.
King Frederik and Queen Mary visited Melbourne on Tuesday, starting the day with an official reception at Government House Victoria.
The duo spent much of the afternoon visiting sustainable and renewable energy developments, stopping at a project in the inner-city suburb of Prahran.
Host mother Cris had decided to take Danish high school exchange student Ulrich with her to catch a glimpse of the royals appearing in public.
“Take a look, maybe a wave. Tick and tick,” Cris told AAP.
It was a special moment for the Danish exchange student, who traveled to the palace both for the King’s birthday and during royal events at his home.
“I’ve seen them before, but nothing this personal,” Ulrich said.
“It was pretty cool, it was really cool to make eye contact with the queen.”
“He clearly recognized her (red and white) scarf. He was walking, then he looked, then he looked again,” Cris said.
For workers Sarah Muschamp and Amelia Annat, the chance to see the Danish royal family was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“We ran away and left our lunch behind… they are so close and it’s such a good opportunity,” Ms Annat said.
“We saw the band, the police, the sirens and everything on the buses, and we knew something was going on.”
Ms Muschamp likened Queen Mary’s story to an Australian fairy tale.
“It’s not a normal day. It’s a bit flamboyant, just fun. Although my mother would kill me if I didn’t see her for even a moment,” he said.
The royal couple were earlier welcomed to Government House by Governor Margaret Gardner and her husband Glyn Davis for an official reception and guest book signing.
The couple will spend Tuesday and Wednesday on the streets and coffee capital of Australia before heading to Mary’s native Tasmania.
It is their first visit to Australia since they ascend to the throne in 2024 and includes a meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other dignitaries in Canberra and a visit to Uluru.
King Frederik described Australia as the couple’s second home; He met the Hobart-born queen in a bar in Sydney during the 2000 Olympics, before the couple married in 2004.
After landing in Australia on Saturday, the duo posed for photos at Uluru’s sunset viewing area and learned about the Anangu people’s spiritual and cultural connection to this land.
They also took a guided walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, with the Queen describing their time in the Northern Territory as “a truly wonderful start to an exciting visit”.
The official aim of the trip is to deepen trade ties between Queen Mary’s adopted countries and her homeland, with a focus on clean energy.
Two-way trade between Australia and Denmark was worth more than $3 billion in 2024, with the bulk of this trade consisting of imports from the Scandinavian country.
They are expected to spend time with relatives in Tasmania, including Queen Mary’s elderly father, John Donaldson.
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