Queen Mary of Denmark has returned to Australia for a historic royal visit that is capturing global attention, with her emotional homecoming in Tasmania expected to draw massive crowds. The Australian-born queen arrived alongside King Frederik X for their first official visit to the country since ascending to the Danish throne in 2024.
The royal couple touched down in Perth on Friday evening, marking the beginning of a six-day tour across Australia. The visit will include stops in the Northern Territory, Canberra, Melbourne and Tasmania before concluding on March 19.
For Queen Mary, however, the journey carries deep personal meaning. Born and raised in Hobart, Tasmania, her return to the island state represents a symbolic homecoming for the woman who became the worldâs first Australian-born queen.
A royal visit with historic significance
This trip marks the Danish royal coupleâs first official state visit to Australia in more than a decade and their first since King Frederik ascended to the throne in January 2024 following the abdication of Queen Margrethe II.
The tour also represents the first Danish monarch state visit to Australia in nearly 40 years, highlighting the importance of the relationship between the two nations.
According to the Danish Royal House, the visit aims to strengthen diplomatic, cultural and economic cooperation between Denmark and Australia, with a strong focus on sustainability, renewable energy and innovation. More details about the Danish monarchy and official visits can be found on the official Danish Royal Family website.
Queen Maryâs powerful Tasmanian connection
While the royal tour includes multiple cities and official events, the most anticipated moment will likely come in Hobart, where Queen Mary spent much of her childhood.
Mary attended Taroona High School and Hobart College before graduating from the University of Tasmania in 1995 with degrees in commerce and law. Her father, John Donaldson, and sisters Jane Stephens and Patricia Bailey still live in Tasmania.
The Hobart leg of the visit is expected to include a royal procession through Salamanca, one of the cityâs most iconic waterfront areas. Large crowds are expected to gather as locals welcome home the Tasmanian who went on to become Queen of Denmark.
Mary has quietly returned to Tasmania several times in recent years, including a visit to Salamanca Market in February 2025 and attendance at a family wedding in the Coal River Valley in October 2024. But this visit will be her first official return as queen.
Key stops across Australia
The royal itinerary includes a number of significant engagements across the country.
The tour will begin with a visit to Uluru in the Northern Territory, where the couple will participate in a special sunset ceremony alongside Indigenous elders and traditional owners of the land.
They will then travel to Canberra, where they are scheduled to meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and attend a formal state dinner in their honour. The visit to the nationâs capital will also include a ceremonial welcome and meetings with Australian leaders.
The prime minister said the visit provides an opportunity to deepen cooperation between the two countries.
âDenmark and Australia are great friends and together we are working to build a more sustainable, secure and peaceful future,â Albanese said.
âThis visit is an opportunity to deepen our cooperation across shared interests such as sustainability, renewable energy and innovation.â
Information about the Australian governmentâs diplomatic engagements and international partnerships is available through the Prime Minister of Australiaâs official website.
Business and green energy at the centre of the visit
The royal couple are also travelling with a delegation of 55 Danish companies, highlighting the economic importance of the visit.
The delegation aims to promote collaboration in areas including green energy, sustainable infrastructure and innovative technology.
One of the key stops during the Tasmanian portion of the visit is expected to be Hobart-based shipbuilder Incat, which is currently constructing a major electric ferry for Denmark.
The project represents a growing partnership between the two countries in clean energy transport and sustainable maritime innovation.
The royal love story that began in Australia
Queen Maryâs connection to Australia extends beyond her childhood. It was also where she met her future husband.
Mary Donaldson first met Crown Prince Frederik at the Slip Inn pub in Sydney during the 2000 Olympic Games. Their relationship quickly captured international attention and the couple married in Copenhagen in May 2004.
They now have four children: Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
Before becoming King and Queen, the couple visited Australia several times as Crown Prince and Crown Princess, including official tours in 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2013.
Weather challenges could affect early events
Despite the excitement surrounding the royal visit, parts of the itinerary may face challenges from severe weather.
Central Australia has experienced significant flooding in recent weeks, raising concerns that some early events could be affected. Officials are monitoring the situation closely, although the overall travel schedule is expected to remain unchanged.
A moment of pride for Tasmania
For Tasmania, Queen Maryâs return represents more than a royal headline. It is a rare moment of international recognition for the island state and a powerful reminder of one of its most famous daughters.
As crowds prepare to gather in Hobart for her official homecoming, the visit is expected to create unforgettable images of a queen returning to the place where her remarkable journey first began.
From a young student in Tasmania to Queen of Denmark, Maryâs story remains one of the most extraordinary modern royal narratives. Her return home now adds another memorable chapter to that story.
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