Queen Mary sparkled at the New Year’s Levee in Copenhagen, dressed in gold with the crown jewels of Denmark atop her head.
At the first of several levees held to honour the government, military and other personnel within the kingdom, Queen Mary arrived with her husband, King Frederik, in a billowing golden skirt—first worn in 2024 as the royal couple toured Scandinavia—and a new top of glass beads, gold fabric, and a lace neckline.
Atop her head, Queen Mary wore the newly-fashioned Diamond Rose Bandeau tiara, which she specially commissioned in 2024 following her husband’s accession.
Initially meant to be worn around the corseted waist, Queen Mary is the first Danish royal to wear the rose-cut diamond belt in any fashion in over a century. She worked with specialist jewelers from the Royal Danish Collection to turn the belt into a bandeau tiara in a single row of rose-cut diamonds, whilst still able to be transformed back into a belt setting.
Once again, Crown Prince Christian attended the New Year’s levee, as did Queen Margrethe, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie—having spent the Christmas holiday in Washington, D.C.—and Princess Benedikte. Though Princess Isabella turned 18 last April, she was not present for the levee.
Among the guests were Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, her Cabinet Ministers, the Speaker of the Danish Parliament, chiefs of defence, police, and military arms, and courtiers working for King Frederik, Queen Mary, Queen Margrethe, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie, Princess Benedikte, and for the Danish Royal Family.
Greenland was a part of the festivities—the menu featured Greenland snow crab as an appetizer—hours after King Frederik spoke of the country’s resiliency in the face of attention from the United States.
In his New Year’s speech, King Frederik said of Greenland: “This spring I had the great joy of being back in Greenland, and once again I was greeted by overwhelming warmth and kindness. It was and is a turbulent time. Despite this, Greenlanders do not falter, but stand against it with strength and pride. They create cohesion internally and respect externally and cement the narrative of the strong people of the Arctic.”
Queen Mary chose to represent her homeland of Australia with the floral arrangements. Amongst the orange and yellow roses, and the dusty orchids were “reddish eucalyptus”, according to the Danish Royal Court.
King Frederik and Queen Mary will host a few more levees in the coming days for the diplomatic corps, mayors and other regional leaders, the government, and for first responders and other public service workers, as well as representatives from their patronages.
