'Queen Mary's homecoming will be her most significant visit to Australia so far, one with enormous meaning personally and professionally'

OPINION -- It has been 13 years since Australia's very own royal, Queen Mary of Denmark, visited her former homeland in an official capacity with husband King Frederik.

Her long-awaited return will likely happen in the next few months with an official announcement from the Royal House of Denmark imminent.

Rumours of a state tour have been brewing ever since Frederik was proclaimed King of Denmark two years ago in an historic ceremony watched by millions.

But it was Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who reignited the speculation this week when he appeared to confirm a visit would soon take place.

And when it does – yes, that's 'when' and not 'if' – it will be Queen Mary's most significant Australian visit to date, a homecoming that will hold enormous meaning for the Tasmanian-born royal both personally and professionally.

Mary, who will celebrate her 54th birthday on February 5, has returned to Australia twice since her mother-in-law Queen Margrethe II's abdication after a 52-year-reign, a decision which saw her eldest son become monarch.

In February 2025, Queen Mary and King Frederik slipped into Tasmania quietly with three of their four children. Mary was photographed shopping at Hobart's popular Salamanca Markets.

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Months before, in October 2024, the queen travelled to Australia with her youngest daughter Princess Josephine, who was bridesmaid at Mary's niece's wedding in Tasmania. Mary and Josephine were photographed in Sydney doing the popular Bondi to Bronte walk before flying back to Copenhagen.

But when Queen Mary returns this year for an official visit with King Frederik, it will be one for the history books.

The visit will be akin to Queen Elizabeth II's history-making tour in 1954 when she became the first reigning British monarch to step foot on Australian soil.

There has been Australian royalty before, but never on this level.

Decades ago there was Queen Susan of Albania, who was born in country New South Wales, but her title was never officially recognised. Her husband was the pretender to the Albanian throne after his father was exiled from the eastern-European nation.

Ever since Mary Donaldson, as she was known before her marriage to Denmark's heir, became a public figure she has been adored by Australians.

Her flawless integration into Danish society has been applauded by royal watchers around the world and, while it would not have been easy, Mary has made the transition from commoner to queen look seamless.

In December, a poll by Danish public broadcaster DR found Queen Mary had an approval rating of 85 per cent, sitting just behind King Frederik at 87 per cent and Queen Margrethe II at 88 per cent.

Margrethe II remains the most popular member of the Royal House. Overall, support for the monarchy sits at 72 per cent, numbers that have largely remained the same for a decade.

There is no doubt the reception will be extraordinary when Queen Mary visits soon.

She last carried out an official duty in Australia on April 28, 2023, riding a bike through Sydney's CBD on a one-day solo visit focused on sustainability and green energy. But that was prior to the change of throne.

Even then, the media turnout was huge despite the details of Mary's very brief visit being kept under wraps until the last minute.

Being part of that media scrum, and being lucky enough to be one of a few to ask Mary a quick question, I saw first-hand just how much Australians want to experience the magic around 'Our Mary'.

Frederik and Mary's last official joint tour was in 2013 when they came to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House, designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon.

Having been at one of Mary's engagements in Sydney back then, I saw the effect she has on members of the public – from the very young, to the old, everyone wanted to see the woman who had won a prince's heart and captivated the imagination of two nations.

Australians have always had a fascination with royalty and our relation with Britain's royal family stretches back decades, owing to the King being head of state.

There is a lot of excitement, too, about a potential Australian visit by the Prince and Princess of Wales, and their children, since their last was in 2014.

But there is something extra special in having an Australian-born queen, a homegrown royal.

And what endears Mary to so many Australians is that she has not lost the traits that make her an Aussie. Her accent is more polished but she never shies away from acknowledging her heritage.

Last year her family Christmas tree inside Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg featured an Opera House ornament, while the walls of that very palace feature painted maps of Australia and Tasmania – there is even a reproduction on a wall mural of the album Vulture Street by Powderfinger, who performed at one of Mary and Frederik's pre-wedding events in 2004.

During engagements in Denmark, if there is an Australian in the crowd, they usually are loud enough to garner a humorous response from the queen.

nine.com.au contacted the Prime Minister's office which said it was unable to comment on the Danish royal visit until a formal announcement was made.

But Mr Albanese may have let the cat out of the bag already, clearly showing his excitement during an interview Sydney radio host Kyle Sandilands on Monday.

"Queen Mary is coming here," Albanese told KISS FM.

"She'll be here – I'm not sure that we've publicly released the dates, but it's quite exciting. Queen Mary and King Frederik."

In a statement to nine.com.au, the Danish Royal House said it was aware of the Prime Minister's remarks but declined to comment any further.

There is speculation the queen could coincide her visit with the Women Deliver conference in Melbourne in late April, an event she has supported throughout her royal career.

Whatever brings Queen Mary back here, Australians are sure to welcome her with open arms and put on a welcome fit for a, well, king and queen.

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