Queen Mary handed special present from Australia by an expat during summer cruise

Queen Mary has been surprised with a special gift from her native Australia as she toured northern Denmark on board the royal yacht.

The Tasmanian-born royal is currently travelling with King Frederik on Dannebrog as part of the summer cruise.

The four-day tour will conclude later today and so far it's been a busy journey taking in some of the region's most spectacular sights.

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The summer cruise began on Monday in the Frederikshavn Municipality, on the island of Jutland, and saw the King and Queen visit the seaside town of Sæby where they toured the cobbled streets and historic buildings.

They were later pictured walking barefoot across the famous Råbjerg Mile, which is the largest moving sand dune in Denmark.

Mary also took the opportunity to get into the water at Grenen, Denmark's northernmost point, where the two seas, Kattegat and Skagerrak, meet.

Day two saw King Frederik and Queen Mary travel to Thisted Municipality on Tuesday, arriving in Hanstholm Harbour.

As they met locals who had come to see their arrival, Mary noticed a woman holding an Australian flag and a plant.

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That plant was a potted eucalyptus tree, which the woman – Elizabeth Isaksson – had brought as a present for the Queen.

Isaksson, who is originally from Sydney, has been living in the area for 13 years.

She had also brought along her Border Collie, the same breed as Grace and Coco, the King and Queen's dogs.

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"[Queen Mary] noticed my Australian flag, and we spoke in our language," Elizabeth Isaksson told Danish news site LigeHer.nu.

"I handed her the eucalyptus tree, which is a national symbol for all Australians. I wished her luck in making it grow and prosper. It's not that easy."

When Mary married Frederik in 2004, sprigs of eucalyptus were included in her wedding bouquet.

King Frederik and Queen Mary then took a carriage ride through Thisted to the Old Town Hall.

Later, Mary swapped her heels for flats as they toured parts of a nature reserve, beach and museum.

Their day in Hanstholm ended with a reception on board Dannebrog, with the Queen changing into a white polka dot dress.

On Wednesday the royal yacht sailed to Læsø Municipality, arriving into Østerby Harbour on the island of Læsø.

During a chat with the city's mayor, King Frederik said visiting the area had brought back memories from their 2004 wedding because of a gift they had received.

The King said he and Mary had been given a large bag of brine when they married, just one of the many presents sent from across Denmark's towns and cities.

The town is known for its salt production, with its use in Læsø being traced back to the Middle Ages.

The King and Queen finished their day in Læsø in the early afternoon, hosting a tea party on board Dannebrog before enjoying some downtime.

Their summer cruise will finish on Thursday in Samsø Municipality.

The Danish royal family has been sailing on Dannebrog for their annual cruise since the reign of Christian X in the early 1900s.

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