I'm just loving the queen who went barefoot in the sand

 

Queen Mary's gone carefree and so have I. Usually I look for a smart headline for a piece I want to write but seeing Mary kick off her shoes and run through the sand while on an actual royal engagement means it's time for a rule change. The title says it all. I just love this.

Why? Well, it's just so very good to see. It had a total summer vibe and the whole point of the Queen of Denmark visiting (along with that chap she is married to) was to showcase the natural environment and the huge amount of work going into preserving it and how better to do that than by just enjoying it. 

Let's also talk about that chap she is married to. There's no doubt that Mary is the star in this royal power couple but while enjoying the sun and sea, she also gave a masterclass in how to be a consort. Ultimately, constitutional monarchy relies on the focus being the person who wears the crown and Mary knows that. As everyone turned to look at her in her shorts and sweater and lack of shoes, she pointed them to her husband, quite literally, who was skipping down a sand dune. Here he is, she said, the King of Denmark and I'm here to be the support that keeps this throne steady. She is doing a marvellous job of it.

More than anything else, this carefree moment made her monarchy look very modern. It was a surprise when Queen Margrethe said she was abdicating and she only gave Denmark two weeks to think about it before signing her throne away and watching her elder son succeed her as King Frederik X. There were questions about whether she really needed to step aside given the ceremonial aspect of the role. Before her abdication, Frederik and Mary were still doing engagements and still introducing their children to royal life. But there's no doubt that since the changeover, the Danish monarchy has a zestier image with much more relevance. It's the King and Queen of Denmark who are front and centre and suddenly, there's a new generation coming through - their eldest child, Crown Prince Christian, has even stepped in as regent at the tender age of 19. So Mary's barefoot stroll was more than just summer fun. It was the embodiment of a new way of doing things and it's led by a queen.