Danish royals King Frederik and Queen Mary explore iconic Uluru at sunrise
Danish royals King Frederik X and Tasmanian-born Queen Mary visited one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks at sunrise during their latest trip Down Under.
The royal couple, who touched down here on Saturday, were photographed wearing beaming smiles as they strolled along the red sands and green bushes of Uluru.
On Sunday, the couple woke up before dawn to hike the lush and shady Kuniya trail on their way to Muitjulu Waterhole, one of the only permanent bodies of water around Uluru. The couple were guided by the park’s traditional landowners and senior Anangu tour guides.
King Frederick even got a taste of the local culture by trying the honey ant on his way back from the waterhole.
Among the traditional owners who guided the royal tour was local renowned artist Valerie Brumby of the Mutitjulu community.
King Frederik Queen Mary, who has not visited the country since her husband ascended the throne, wore a dark green khaki top and cap and light beige khaki shorts for the trip.
The national tour marks the first official visit by any Danish monarch in 40 years; but the Muitjulu Waterhole has previously stunned familiar faces such as the British Royal family, the late Princess Diana and then Prince Charles and the Dalai Lama.
On Saturday night, the Danish royal family learned of the creation of this land, or tjukurpa, from Uluru’s traditional owners; because the famous cultural landmark glowed not a fiery red but a dazzling mauve on a cloudy, rainy day.
After touring the sacred and iconic site, the Danish Royal family departed for Ayres Rock Airport to fly out of the country and land in the metropolis of Canberra. With a busy few days ahead of them, the couple hosted a dinner hosted by Governor-General Sam Mostyn and a 21-gun salute at Government House on Sunday.
The royal family will meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his wife Jodie Haydon before traveling to Melbourne and Hobart.
