Australian-born Danish Queen Mary and King Frederik arrive at Perth Airport ahead of six-day visit

Australian-born Queen Mary and her King husband have quietly arrived in Perth ahead of their historical six-day national state visit. Tasmanian-born Mary and her royal husband Frederik X flew in to Perth Airport on Friday afternoon following speculation their original travel plans were impacted by flight disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict. Around the time the royals landed, their official Instagram page shared photos of the couple holding hands from early in their relationship which began after they met during the Sydney 2000 Olympics. “On the way! We have been greatly looking forward to seeing Australia and the people of the whole country again,” the post read. “A lot has happened since we last met here more than 25 years ago!” The couple will next travel to the Northern Territory, ahead of engagements and public appearances in the coming days in Canberra, Melbourne and Mary’s hometown Hobart. They will start their state visit at Uluru on Saturday, where they will be welcomed by traditional owners, before heading to Canberra for a formal program with Governor-General Sam Mostyn and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The royals are travelling with a delegation of 55 business representatives that the Danes see as demonstrating the importance they place on the relationship with Australia in times when geostrategic ties are shifting. This trip to Australia isn’t their first as a couple, but marks their first official visit as King and Queen and the first by any Danish monarch in 40 years. It is also the furthest afield they have travelled on a state visit since Frederik’s ascension to the throne in early 2024. The Queen still has family in Tasmania while her brother John Donaldson works in the WA’s mining industry. A state visit is the highest level of diplomatic relations, and the Danish royals can only make one such visit to each country during their reign. The couple met at the Ship Inn Hotel in Sydney at the 2000 Olympics and have four children together.