Mary vs Marie Tense times
The women are refusing to spend time together as tensions run high in the palace
Princess Mary is at the centre of a bitter family feud, as sources in Copenhagen reveal a division has developed within the Danish royal family.
Palace insiders tell Woman’s Day the frosty relationship between Mary’s husband Crown Prince Frederik and his younger brother Prince Joachim is now more fragile than ever. And their long-held hostility has extended to their wives, with 44-yearold Mary becoming the target of her sister-in-law Marie’s jealous behaviour.
Royal sources in Denmark say Mary and 40-yearold Marie are now having as little to do with each other as possible. In fact, if they’re forced to meet at family functions and official royal events, they’re far from friendly.
They are having as little to do with each other as possible
When questioned about the situation between her and her sister-in-law, Marie was quick to dismiss any suggestion of a feud, telling a reporter recently: “We are too busy to meet up.”
But those in the know say Marie is making excuses for what is clearly a decided move on both parts to side with their husbands. After all, Mary and Marie live just 12km from each other, and could easily squeeze in a quick coffee from time to time.
Much like Joachim – who it is believed feels inferior to his brother and jealous of his future as King of Denmark – Marie is thought to envy Mary. Indeed, Mary is adored by the royal family and the Danish people alike, and she has long been Queen Margrethe’s favourite.
As Mary becomes increasingly prominent – she’s even rumoured to be taking the throne alongside her husband later this year – her relationship with the Queen has gone from strength to strength. And Margrethe, 76, says she has always known Mary was the right person to follow in her footsteps.
“The very first time I met her, I hoped their relationship would last,” Queen Margrethe said of Mary in 2015. “As you say, the cake was well-baked. It was an expression that my mother used and it was very obvious that the cake was perfect.”
Mary and Marie have been drifting apart for some time. When Mary celebrated her 44th birthday with a bunch of girlfriends last year, Marie wasn’t invited.
Similarly, Mary’s busy royal schedule was not taken into account when Marie marked her 40th birthday in February at a huge party with more than 200 guests. While Fred, 48, was in attendance, Mary was forced to miss out as she attended the annual meeting of the Home Guard.
While Mary is said to be hurt by the demise of her friendship with Marie, she’s not letting it get in the way of her civic duties, or her bid to prove she has what it takes to lead the nation.
In yet another sign she’s set to take the throne, she was awarded an honorary prize for her work for The Mary Foundation recently.