The Queen of Denmark goes barefoot in the sand on major royal tour and it makes me like her even more

The Queen of Denmark kicked off her shoes to go barefoot in the sand as she carried out one of the biggest tours of her year.

Queen Mary dived into the warm (ish) sands of Råbjerg Mile as she was given a tour alongside her husband, King Frederik.

Even a queen can’t resist sea and sand

The couple arrived at the sands, one of Europe’s largest migratory dunes, as the first day of their summer cruise around Denmark got under way.

The Danish queen had chosen a pair of smart khaki shorts and a cracking navy blue jumper for the visit and added a pair of trainers for her arrival at the Mile, perhaps taking inspiration from her friend, Crown Princess Victoria, who recently swapped into sports shoes when rain set in on an engagement.

However, the trainers didn’t stay in place for long. As the King and Queen of Denmark approached the stunning expanse of sand, they lost their shoes and went brarefoot on the beach.

Mary was rocking a healthy tan after a sunny summer while her husband kept it kingly in full length trousers.

He was also less keen on trying the waters off the mile but Queen Mary splashed in and kicked the surf for several minutes as a long day took a relaxing turn.

Big royal tour starts with art and nature

King Frederik and Queen Mary had begun their summer cruise around Denmark in Saeby where they had been greeted by big crowds, and a less than welcome visitor, on their arrival.

Within minutes of starting her walkabout, Queen Mary was chased by a wasp. Just weeks ago, she was stung by a wasp on her arrival in Grasten and had to go inside the Town Hall there to recover. This time, she was ready and told wellwishers that she was staying away from this insect as the last time ”things ended badly”.

The King and Queen of Denmark then went to St. Mary’s Church for a special service before heading to some of the cultural hotspots of the area. They visited the home of acclaimed writer Adda Ravnkilde who was an acclaimed campaigner for women’s rights. They toured the house where she wrote some of her most famous works – they were published posthumously after she died by suicide at the age of 21 in 1883.

They also toured the old city of Saeby before heading into the forest where they met the junior rangers of the local municipality, Frederikshavn. They saw how the group, all aged between 11 and 13, are trained as mini nature guides and saw some of their work to preserve local ecosystems and help them thrive.

After that, it was time to head to the sands and Queen Mary clearly loved every moment of her time on the beach.

Ever the perfect consort, the Australian born queen showcased her husband’s love of the area by pointing out his athletic jumps down the dune to the waiting photographers.

But it was Mary, carefree and barefoot in the sand, who summed up this summer’s day in Denmark.