Queen Mary and King Frederik share selfie as they prepare to begin state visit to Finland
Queen Mary has shared a selfie taken with King Frederik hours before they official begin a state tour of Finland.
The Danish King and Queen arrived in Finnish Lapland on Monday and were photographed on the slopes with President Alexander Stubb and his wife Suzanne.
After a bout of cross-country skiing, Mary and Frederik rode on a sled pulled by reindeer.
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King Frederik and Queen Mary in Finnish Lapland on March 3, ahead of their state visit to the country. The Danish Royal Household
The royal couple posted a selfie with one of the white reindeer, saying they had "experienced the Finnish nature as it should be" in Saariselkä, a popular resort village in Finland.
They then dined with the president and his wife inside a kuta, a traditional Lappish style hut.
Official events on the two-day state visit begin on Tuesday (Tuesday evening in Australia) and will see King Frederik and Queen Mary appear on the balcony of the Presidential Palace in Helsinki.
The couple skiied with Finland's President Alexander Stubb and his wife Suzanne. The Danish Royal Household
They will then attend a state banquet in the evening with the dress code expected to include gowns and important jewels, possibly tiaras, for female guests.
This will be King Frederik and Queen Mary's fourth outgoing state visit since the change of throne in January 2024.
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They have made state visits to Norway, followed by Sweden and later Germany.
The Danish King and Queen's visit to Finland aims to strengthen ties between the two countries as Nordic neighbours and the close partnership across historical, political and cultural areas.
King Frederik and Queen Mary are due to travel to France for the fifth state visit since the change of throne later this month.
They will be there from March 31 until through April 2.
There are two types of state visits: outward and incoming and they play an integral role in strengthening the host nation's relationships with other countries.
They are the highest level of an international visit and help to promote links between the countries including social, commercial and cultural ties.
On Friday night, King Frederik and Queen Mary hosted a banquet for arts and culture at Christiansborg Palace, continuing a tradition started by Queen Margrethe II who was also present at the lavish ball.
One of the highlights from the event was the Les Lanciers dance which King Frederik and Queen Mary participated in.
The dance has been performed at special events, including birthdays and evening parties, for more than 150 years in Denmark.
The royals dancing the Les Lanciers at a banquet at Christiansborg Palace on February 28. Danish Royal Household
Queen Mary dazzled in her Edwardian tiara and earrings, which she had purchased at auction in 2012, and a Jenny Packham gown first seen in a portrait marking her 50th birthday in 2022.
The same gown has also been worn by the Princess of Wales.
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