{"id":617270,"date":"2026-10-01T09:16:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T09:16:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/617270\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T09:16:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T09:16:16","slug":"queen-mary-makes-secret-visit-to-australia-this-week-for-sad-reason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/617270\/","title":{"rendered":"Queen Mary makes secret visit to Australia this week for sad reason"},"content":{"rendered":"

Queen Mary of Denmark<\/a> has secretly returned to Australia<\/a> to attend a private memorial service for her late father.<\/p>\n

The Danish royal and her husband, King Frederik X, travelled from Denmark to Mary’s hometown of Hobart, Tasmania<\/a>, earlier this week.<\/p>\n

Mary’s beloved father, John Donaldson, died on April 11 at age 84.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Danish Royal House<\/a> confirmed their attendance, but didn’t reveal how long the royal couple will be staying in Australia for.<\/p>\n

It’s likely the trip will be short, as Frederik has a sailing competition in St Tropez this weekend.<\/p>\n

Professor Donaldson was born in Scotland on September 5, 1941, and migrated to Australia in 1953.<\/p>\n

When he died, the palace said a private memorial service would take place at a later date.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/p>\n

“My heart is heavy and my thoughts are grey. My beloved father has passed away,” the Queen said at the time.<\/p>\n

“But I know that when the grief subsides, the memories will brighten, and what will remain most strongly is the love and gratitude for everything he gave me and taught me.”<\/p>\n

The Danish Royal Family explained that Professor Donaldson’s had been “increasingly affected by his age for some time”.<\/p>\n

Mary had a close bond with her father, particularly after her mother passed away at 55 in 1997 due to complications with heart surgery. Mary was just 25 years old at the time.<\/p>\n

\"Queen<\/p>\n

The 54-year-old royal attended a private memorial service for her late father.<\/p>\n

(The Danish Royal House)<\/p>\n

The Tasman-born queen last visited her father at the end of March<\/a>, where they shared “precious time together”.<\/p>\n

The royal couple touched down on March 14 and toured the country for six days.<\/p>\n

It was the first official visit <\/a>Down Under since the Australian-born royal’s husband took the throne in 2024, but the fourth since they’ve been a couple.<\/p>\n

The trip marked the first Danish head of state visit to Australia<\/a> in nearly 40 years.<\/p>\n

\"Queen<\/p>\n

Queen Mary’s beloved father, John Donaldson, died on April 11, 2026, at age 84.<\/p>\n

(AP\/AAP\/The Danish Royal House)<\/p>\n

This isn’t the first time Mary has quietly slipped into the country without any fanfare.<\/p>\n

She also visited Australia in February 2025 in an unofficial capacity, where she was spotted in Hobart.<\/p>\n

The Queen also visited in 2024 with her twins, Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent, and was spotted on Sydney’s Bronte beach.<\/p>\n

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