Queen Mary and King Frederik touch down in Uluru for first public appearance of historic six-day Aussie tour
Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark have enjoyed one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks as their whirlwind six-day tour kicked off.
After touching down in Perth on Friday, the Danish royals travelled to the Northern Territory on Saturday to visit Uluru in their first public appearance.
Sporting a chic beige long skirt, colourful blouse and comfortable flats, Australian-born Queen Mary was seen waving to the awaiting media as she stepped off the plane at Ayers Rock Airport.
The couple were greeted on the tarmac by NT Police southern commander James Gray-Spence and newly sworn-in NT Administrator David Connolly.
Queen Mary was later seen holding an Akubra as the Danish royals were greeted by local guides.
They began the afternoon with a tour of Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park Cultural Centre, where they met Indigenous elders and traditional landowners of the park.
They will later watch the stunning sunset at Uluru.
The visit is reminiscent of the 1983 British royal tour, when the late Princess Diana and then Prince Charles, now King, visited the culturally significant monument.
Australian-born Queen Mary was seen waving to the awaiting media as she stepped off the plane at Ayers Rock Airport on Saturday afternoon
Queen Mary and King Frederik X of Denmark were all smiles when they arrived in Uluru
The couple chatted with local guides at the iconic Aussie landmark
The historic tour marks Mary’s first return to her homeland since she became Queen in January 2024, the first by any Danish monarch in 40 years.
The couple will travel to Canberra on Sunday, where they will be welcomed at Government House by Governor-General Sam Mostyn, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his wife Jodie Haydon.
Ms Mostyn will host a formal state dinner for the royals.
The Danish royal couple will visit Parliament House, where they will receive a ceremonial 21-gun salute.
There will be an opportunity for the public to see the Danish royals at Canberra’s Australian War Memorial on Monday morning.
The tour will also take them to Melbourne, where they will attend a state banquet and events highlighting Denmark-Australia relations.
They will then travel to Queen Mary’s home state of Tasmania , where she will visit her old school in Hobart and other hometown sites, where she still has family, including her elderly father John Donaldson.
The last time the royals visited Australia officially was 13 years ago, making this their fourth tour together.
It’s Queen Mary’s first return to her homeland since she became Queen in January 2024, the first by any Danish monarch in 40 years.
The couple’s visit is reminiscent of the 1983 British royal tour, when the late Princess Diana and then Prince Charles, now King, visited Uluru
The Danish royals were greeted by local guides on the first stop of their six-day tour
More than 50 Danish business leaders will accompany the royal couple on their Australian tour.
The Danish royals are promoting industry and trade ties during their visit, highlighting clean energy and urban development.
As the royals touched down in Perth, their official Instagram page shared photos of the couple early in their relationship, which began after they met during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
‘On the way! We have been greatly looking forward to seeing Australia and the people of the whole country again,’ the post, accompanied by iconic Aussie anthem Down Under from Men At Work, read.
‘A lot has happened since we last met here more than 25 years ago!’
The couple met in Sydney during the 2000 Olympics, striking up a friendship at the CBD bar The Slip Inn.
They married in 2004 and have made several official and private visits to Australia since.
Previous visits have involved introducing their children – Christian, 20, Isabella, 18, and 15-year-old twins Vincent and Josephine, to Australia.
