New Idea Royals 2403

A laid-back Aussie on the Danish throne... Mary Donaldson was crowned Queen alongside King Frederik X. A fairytale ending to a boy-meets-girl story? Hopefully, yes. But it’s been a hectic few weeks in the state of Denmark. What was Fred doing on that October night in Madrid? Allegedly, dining out late with a beautiful socialite and being photographed with her. Mary looked very unimpressed when the story broke – despite the other woman’s denials. Now, just weeks later, Mary’s a new Queen. Can she put the story behind her? Were they simply empty rumours anyway? Or is she now feeling trapped in a fairytale golden cage? We also look at how Prince William has shown himself a loving modern father for a new monarchy. And ask what’s really happening with…

ZARA’S GIRL GANG It was a family affair for Zara Tindall as she enjoyed a day out at the races with her mini-me daughters Mia, 10, and Lena, five, and her nieces, Savannah and Isla Phillips. The girl gang was seen whooping and cheering from the spectators stand and appear to have inherited Zara’s love for the sport. The former Olympic horse-rider was on hand to give out medals to the winners of the New Year’s Day event held at Cheltenham. Dressed in a plaid brown coat and chocolate-coloured hat with a big bow, Princess Anne’s daughter was her usual stylish self as she looked right at home on the racecourse. RARE KITTY SIGHTING Princess Diana’s socialite niece, Lady Kitty Spencer, 33, was spotted out on a walk in Cape…

A golden cage? Tasmanian Mary Donaldson is now Mary, Queen of Denmark. Married to the new King Frederik X of Denmark. It should be a fairytale… the new Queen in her bridal-white gown, kissing her husband on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace. But there were awkward moments and uneasy whispers. Is something rotten in the state of Denmark? When the world’s newspapers devote as much space to rumours of infidelity as to the coronation itself, it would seem there may be ‘something to see here’. Even if that something is just a difficult family dilemma being sorted out by an elderly (but extremely perspicacious) mother. It’s always emotional for ex-pats when they leave their family and friends on the other side of the world to return to their adopted homeland…

Since his father stepped into the role of King, Prince William has remained steadfast and committed to serving the Crown. But one event has made him step away from royal duties, because there is one thing this thoroughly modern prince will always put before the Crown: his family. On 16 January, when Kensington Palace issued the shock announcement that William’s wife, Princess Catherine, was recovering in hospital following abdominal surgery, the prince immediately stepped away from the royal spotlight to focus on his wife and children. At the time, the royals confirmed that the beloved Princess of Wales would be in hospital for around two weeks, and would then take a long break from her commitments to fully recover at home. While, no doubt, Kate, 42, would have a full…

From re-purposed raincoats to risky habits, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II likes to buck the trend. Known as ‘Daisy’ to her inner circle, the 83-year-old has been a hugely popular sovereign, with many surprising facets to her personality, even declaring once how much she detested mobile phones and the internet. Unpredictable as ever, when she stepped aside to allow her son Frederik to become Denmark’s monarch in January, she became the first Danish royal to abdicate in 900 years. To celebrate her reign and legacy, here are some things you may not know about the singularly remarkable Queen Margrethe II. SHE CAME TO RULE AFTER A CHANGE OF LAW In 1952, when Margrethe was 13, a new Act of Succession would alter the course of her life. Until that time, only…

For fans standing outside the church at Sandringham on Christmas Day, Prince Andrew was never going to be the drawcard, but the fact the disgraced royal was there at all was an indication that things were looking up for him. With his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, by his side – and back in the family fold for the first time in decades (she was reportedly ‘banished’ by a furious Prince Philip) – the Duke of York was likely feeling more confident than he had in years. There were even rumours that he and the loyal Fergie might remarry, a suggestion which would work wonders towards rehabilitating his damaged reputation. Earlier last year, the 63-year-old prince had even shared a ride to church at Balmoral with Prince William – one of…