Yes, this is a blog about Queens of England and Mary is most definitely Queen of Denmark but I'm going to mix it up when I feel like it and also there is a kind of moral here about defining a consort. Plus diamonds and emeralds. So, let's go.
Let's do the serious part first. Clothes that define the role. Because as well as looking rather glitzy (in a very sombre way, tbh), Mary turned up for the New Year gala in Copenhagen draped in royal significance like it was her job or something. Which it is. The Queen of Denmark literally dressed for Denmark and if the country wants to know what its royal heritage looks like in 2025, here it is, wrapped in green velvet.
The dress is, natch, by a Danish designer. Step forward Birgit Hallstein who created this velvet and lace gala gown with its very formal high neckline and very elegant long skirt. It's all in a very deep forest green, chosen, no doubt to match the gems. For Mary was wearing the emerald tiara that can only be used by a Queen of Denmark. And it's so important to the country that it's never allowed to leave.
The slightly less serious part of this whole consort as a country is the brief gasp we all get to do over the sheer sparkle of the gems involved. There's a tiara made of emeralds and diamonds, created for Queen Caroline Amalie of Denmark in 1840 as a wedding anniversary present. It was designed to use gems already in the family's possession and the emeralds are thought to date back to the 1720s at least. Queen Mary also wore the earrings from the set cos if you're doing regal, it's all or nothing at all.
There are also some significant additions around her shoulders. For non royal watchers, these are the clunky bits that seem to get in the way of a chic dress. For those who love all things royal, these are the really exciting parts, the royal orders. Personally, I don't get the passion these portraits on ribbons attract but they do represent dynasties and all that so no one is denying their significance. Queen Mary wore the Order of the Elephant (the oldest chivalric order in Denmark) and the badge of the Order of the Dannebrog as well as the portrait order of her husband, King Frederik X. Well, Mary is pretty much the star of this royal show, despite hubby actually inheriting the throne, so it's good to give him a look in from time to time.
Queen Mary had worn the whole Denmark heavy outfit already, in April 2024, for her first official gala portraits as consort of the country. So it wasn't that surprising that she chose it for the New Year gala. This event, also called the Levee in Copenhagen, sees the monarch and consort welcome government officials and politicians to the royal palace for a glamourous dinner to start the new year. It was a big night for King Frederik and Queen Mary as it was the first of his reign and it was also the first attended by one of their children - firstborn, Crown Prince Christian, now 19, bowled up looking actually quite neat and tidy and in full preparation for his forthcoming role as heartbreaker of royal Europe. One day, his consort will do the dressing for Denmark routine. They have a pretty good example to follow right here.
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