'My day on the water with Queen Mary and King Frederik gave a unique insight into their special relationship'

When Queen Mary was shown a large lobster during a morning boat ride in Hobart, she bravely asked "can I [hold it]?"

She quickly added, "as long as he doesn't bite me".

As the 54-year carefully held the crustacean, her husband King Frederik X quickly pulled out his camera and began taking photos of Mary.

It was a candid moment that gave a unique insight into the special relationship between the Danish King and Queen, who famously met in a Sydney pub and married 22 years ago in Copenhagen.

To observers they looked like any other couple holidaying in Tasmania, enjoying the morning on the water. Frederik was clearly proud of his wife. Later in the day, he was seen again using his phone to take photos of Mary when she greeted the public for their final walkabout of the tour.

But this was a much more significant trip for the King and Queen.

It was Mary and Frederik's first time back in Tasmania as King and Queen of Denmark and the final leg of their six-day state visit to Australia.

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Seeing King Frederik proudly photographing his wife as she held the lobster was just one of the special moments I witnessed between the couple as I followed Their Majesties in Hobart as part of the small accredited media group.

Nine.com.au was one of just three Australian media outlets on board the companion boat travelling alongside the research vessel that the King and Queen were on for the morning engagement on the water.

It proved to be one of the most relaxed and informal engagements of the entire Australian tour.

And it was the longest, at around two hours, allowing the media to closely observe the couple for far more time than usual at a royal event.

A major theme of King Frederik and Queen Mary's state visit to Australia was sustainability and conservation, so it was fitting they dedicated a portion of their Hobart itinerary to highlight Tasmania's natural wonders.

After being welcomed to Hobart at Government House on Thursday, the royal couple moved to the city's waterfront where they boarded the research vessel RV Noctiluca for a trip out to the Alum Cliffs Marine Reserve to view part of a giant kelp forest.

The Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania is working to restore giant kelp, which is crucial to preserving habitats for the state's diverse marine species.

As the King and Queen's boat travelled out to the reserve, the vessel passed Taroona High School where Mary was a former student.

The boat slowed down to allow Mary and Frederik to pose for photographs as they went by, giving them a chance to take in the building overlooking the Derwent River.

Mary later told the media on the companion boat "some good memories popped up" as she saw her old school.

The Queen later studied commerce and law at the University of Tasmania.

Once the boat arrived at the kelp forest, the Queen was keen to get her hands dirty.

She and Frederik are comfortable on the water – both are keen sailors – and it was clear how important this particular engagement of the Hobart itinerary was to them.

The royal couple was shown a sea urchin, a large lobster and another smaller variety by marine ecologist Professor Scott Ling.

"These are much more smaller than the other ones we were looking at," he said, referring to the large lobster Mary had held moments before.

"And active," the Queen replied, as she was flicked with water from the crustacean's flapping tail.

When some of the kelp was brought out from the ocean into the boat, King Frederik asked "can you salt it and dry it?"

Mary, who was wearing a printed dress by ME+EM and a Ralph Lauren jacket, got precariously close to the water when she crouched down to release one of the lobsters.

Queen Mary said it "was a new experience" being able to hold the sea urchin and lobster.

"There couldn't have been a more perfect day for it," she added.

In a speech at Government House later that night, Queen Mary praised the "fantastic" work of the Tasmanian researchers and told the audience she "held the biggest crayfish I have ever seen in my life".

The royal tour began in Uluru last Saturday and had stops in Canberra and Melbourne before ending in Hobart on Thursday.

The itinerary was jam-packed, as most royal visits are, but the Hobart leg had the most events crammed into just one day.

The King and Queen, nine.com.au was told, had wanted to make the most of their time in Tasmania and to get out and meet as many people as their schedule allowed.

Despite the time pressures, Frederik and Mary appeared to be in no rush to return to shore. It seemed they wanted to savour their time on the water and relax while they had a breather of sorts.

The engagement ended up being far longer than expected.

Mary was seen pointing to various things during the journey, clearly enjoying being back in the place where she grew up.

In a 2025 documentary filmed at the King and Queen's summer residence, Fredensborg, Mary spoke about the contrasting natural beauty of Tasmania and Denmark.

"Tasmania is dramatic, or varied, with rainforest and bush and cliffs and mountains," she told Søren Vester's Garden – Biodiversity and Castle Gardens.

"Denmark is a country with flat expanses and flat landscapes and forests and coastlines and fields.

"The Danish forest is very exotic to me – it is beautiful, friendly, welcoming and soft."

The Tasmanian wilderness, Mary said, was "hard, harsh, dangerous, dry and sharp, but also beautiful".

But the King and Queen's day in nature was not over and their private lunch was hosted at one of Tasmania's most picturesque locations.

They royal party travelled to The Agrarian Kitchen, in New Norfolk, about a 40 minute drive from the city.

More than 90 per cent of the food served at the award-winning venue is sourced on site.

Mary and Frederik toured the kitchen garden, which features seasonal fruit and vegetables, a greenhouse, nursery, orchards and citrus grove.

They were shown around the grounds by venue's founders Séverine Demanet and Rodney Dunn.

"Is that a cantaloupe [rock melon]?," Mary asked while inside the greenhouse.

"Yes, and honeydew melon," Dunn said.

"Oh that's a nice big one," the Queen said.

After the tour of the gardens and the kitchens, the small media group – including nine.com.au who was there – departed to allow Their Majesties to enjoy the food.

Among the menu items the King and Queen enjoyed were burrata with fermented lemon, along with tomato, plum and basil.

The main was lamb, eggplant and peppers, served with King Edward potatoes and leaves dressed with herbs and vinaigrette.

Desert was mulberry sorbet along with caraway biscuit, bramble jelly and smoked celeriac caramel.

With the sun shining, Tasmania turned on its charm for Queen Mary's poignant return.

"It has been extremely touching for both Frederik and I to feel so much warmth and interest, so thank you for making our time here unforgettable," Mary told guests at the state reception, the very last engagement before the tour officially ended.

She added: "How privileged I am that my roots are grounded both in Australia and Denmark.

"But they do go a little bit deeper in Tasmania.

"There really isn't a more special place to end what has been a unique, rewarding, moving, exciting, curious tour – state visit – to Australia from Denmark."

On Friday evening, the King and Queen shared a photo taken on the steps of Government House and a message thanking Australia for hosting the state visit.

"As we return to Denmark, we are grateful for all the warm greetings, generous sharing of time and knowledge, and the care you've shown us which have left lasting memories," the King and Queen said.

"We have truly felt the warmth of the Australian hospitality and friendliness."

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