King Frederik faces fresh humiliation in the European press two years after THAT late-night rendezvous – and even Queen Mary’s royal PR wizardry can’t stop the whispers
The King and Queen of Denmark are both making headlines at home – but the narratives surrounding them couldn’t be more sharply contrasted.
King Frederik X, like most royals, is typically treated with deference by the Danish press – but even the traditionally respectful media can no longer overlook his string of absences from royal duties.
As reported by Daily Mail last month, King Frederik, 57, has quietly taken multiple private breaks from royal life throughout the year.
Now, Danish outlets such as Ekstra Bladet have taken notice, even publishing a running tally of Frederik’s days off.
The schedule is snarkily headlined: ‘Fred’s Great Holidays in 2025’ – and includes an itemised list of dates when Frederik was ‘on vacation again’.
But it’s not just Frederik’s absences that have caught the attention of the local papers.
It’s the fact that the position of regent has been passed between his 85-year-old mother, retired monarch Queen Margrethe, and his 19-year-old son, Crown Prince Christian, who is busy with lieutenant’s training, while Frederik has been ‘on holiday’.
Both Queen Mary and King Frederik were present for one of the most significant dates on the royal calendar — the opening of parliament on October 7. But recent reports continue to highlight Frederik’s frequent absences from official duties
According to the tally, the King has taken 45 personal days off in 2025 – leaving either an octogenarian or a teenager to keep the throne warm in his absence.
Frederik has even coined his own term for these personal breaks – referring to them as ‘timeouts’.
The term first surfaced in Frederik’s biography King’s Words, published in 2024 to mark his ascension to the throne. The book outlined the monarch’s goals and vision for the years ahead.
It also foreshadowed Frederik’s ongoing desire to maintain a private life alongside his public responsibilities.
‘Timeouts are important because we will probably have even more to do,’ Frederik wrote.
‘Mary and I have areas of interest that will increasingly require our presence in widely different forums at home and abroad.’
This particular passage has resurfaced amid revelations that the King has taken eight separate breaks in 2025 – some of them where his whereabouts were unknown.
The optics aren’t ideal – especially with images from a certain late-night outing in Madrid with a Mexican socialite in 2023 still lingering in the public’s collective memory…
Queen Mary has just appeared on the cover of respected Danish magazine Ud & Se, which features an in-depth piece documenting her June visit to Nigeria
In contrast, Queen Mary, 53, is receiving glowing coverage in the local press – further cementing her image as a strong and steady leader of the royal family.
Just this week, the Australian-born royal featured on the cover of Ud & Se magazine, accompanied by a detailed interview.
The timing of this is curious, as the respected outlet is only now chronicling Queen Mary’s trip to Nigeria – which occurred back in June.
Perhaps sensing shifting tides and growing questions around royal leadership, she saw now as the ideal time for a bit of positive PR.
The article detailed Mary’s visit to the African nation, which included stops at hospitals, meetings with diplomats and ambassadors, and several public addresses.
A key focus of the trip was Mary’s patronage of the ’10 Million Safer Births Initiative’ for women in Nigeria.
In the article, Queen Mary spoke confidently about the trip’s overarching goal: ‘to promote Denmark’s interests and strengthen our partnership with Nigeria.’ She also reflected on the excitement of ‘meeting committed people with drive’.
Queen Mary is pictured on October 8 attending the Queen Mary’s Centre Advisory Committee meeting, with the royal frequently praised for her leadership qualities
King Frederik is pictured on October 8 attending a network meeting and dinner hosted by the association DenmarkBridge
She told the publication she tries to carve out downtime on royal trips ‘to retreat and disappear’ – whether through impromptu outings or by snapping her own photos like any other tourist.
What makes the glowing narrative all the more intriguing is how easily it could have taken a different turn.
After all, she too has been enjoying moments of personal freedom.
Last month, Mary attended the 50th birthday party of longtime friend and socialite Caroline Fleming.
The celebration drew the Who’s Who of Danish society, with Mary’s attendance inadvertently revealed after she was spotted in the background of several guests’ Instagram posts.
Following her appearance at the ‘Out of Africa’-themed celebration, Mary’s inner circle swiftly closed ranks.
Danish outlet BT reported that Caroline openly shared details of the lively celebration – except for one key element.
When a reporter asked Caroline about her royal friend’s presence at the event, Caroline’s team swiftly shut down the inquiry.
King Frederik has taken numerous days off this year – including in July, when he was spotted at Wimbledon
Queen Mary was inadvertently outed as a party guest at Caroline Fleming’s party when she was spotted in the background of social media posts
King Frederik’s mother, Queen Margrethe (left), is pictured at a royal engagement on September 15. His eldest son, Crown Prince Christian (right), is shown on August 14 as he commenced military training. Both have stepped in as regents during Frederik’s absences
‘We don’t comment on that,’ Caroline Fleming’s publicist Elisa Lykke replied, while Caroline herself remained silent.
She’s not the only one keeping quiet.
Musician Sazeline Dreyer, also a party guest, abruptly shut down a line of questioning about the Queen of Denmark’s attendance. She offered a curt ‘no comment’ and gestured with her arms to signal she wouldn’t be sharing any further details.
Let’s be honest – everyone needs time to unwind and enjoy themselves, even royalty.
But what’s striking is the growing attention on King Frederik’s efforts to balance work and leisure – and the court of public opinion is beginning to question just how many ‘timeouts’ one monarch truly needs.
By contrast, Queen Mary continues to cultivate a dependable reputation as a working royal – and even when she takes personal downtime, it is closely safeguarded.
