Mary’s fury over Fred cavorting Down Under

While Mary is back in Denmark settling her children into school, Prince Frederik was busted boozing and ‘flirting up a storm’ in Australia.

As our own Aussie royal embarked on a gruelling schedule of being both mother and ruler, her husband was making headlines for all the wrong reasons during a sailing trip to Hamilton Island.

Police were involved in an incident at one Brisbane nightclub after Prince Fred, 49, refused to produce ID during a wild night out. This comes after he was photographed knocking back beers with a crew aboard his yacht – which included a gorgeous brunette Mary lookalike who bears a striking resemblance to a woman he was linked to during another Australian visit in 2009.

It’s no surprise that Fred’s trip Down Under has left Mary, 45, furious, when her husband’s ‘refusal to grow up’ is causing scandal during one of the most important weeks of her life.

‘Mary just can’t believe Fred is running around like a 21-year-old while she’s busy ruling Denmark and managing the twins’ first week of school,’ a palace aide in Copenhagen tells New Idea. ‘She’s so annoyed that he’s part of another big scandal involving – surprise, surprise – alcohol. He seems to wind up in one drama or another – and drinking is the common thread. ‘Meanwhile, she’s back in Denmark handling the biggest week of her life. Queen Margrethe is still out of action after the recent scandal with her husband, leaving Mary to attend to all her major engagements. ‘This is the first week where Queen Margrethe has completely handed over the reins to Mary while she prepares to abdicate, so having Fred on the other side of the world raising eyebrows is the last thing she needs right now.

‘On top of that, Josephine and Vincent have just started school and there are all sorts of tears and teething problems with that on the home front. It’s been a disastrous week.’

Mary’s problems started when Fred was denied entry at Brisbane nightclub Jade Buddha because he wouldn’t provide identification. The drama escalated when Fred was forced to leave the premises, only to return with seven Queensland police officers who confirmed his identity.

The scandal attracted huge international interest and came after a day of celebrations, where Fred was photographed throwing back beers with crew members at Hamilton Island Race Week. During the drinking session, Fred was photographed

with a striking dark-haired beauty who bares an uncanny resemblance to his wife Princess Mary – and appears to be no stranger to the Danish heir.

And insiders tell New Idea that during his Aussie trip, Fred has had no shortage of female admirers desperate for attention.

‘Fred was very charming and polite to all the women who wanted to talk to him,’ says a source. ‘They were definitely flirting up a storm with him. He attracted quite a lot of attention.’

Putting Fred’s behaviour aside, Copenhagen palace sources tell New Idea that Mary has risen to the challenge of ruling while Fred is away.

It’s believed Denmark is still in ‘a state of shock’ over Prince Henrik’s scandalous interview, during which he slammed his wife Queen Margrethe, 77, and claimed she’d treated him like a fool by not making him king consort – leaving Mary to pick up the pieces.

‘There’s a lot of tension in Denmark at the moment, with Henrik’s scandal and now Fred’s dramas in Australia,’ the source says. ‘But Mary has risen above it all with flying colours.

‘Margrethe is planning to abdicate any day now, and has been very pleased with the job that Mary – her replacement – is doing, despite it all.’ NI

While our Mary triumphantly rules Denmark, Fred finds himself in hot water Down Under