Princess Mary Divorce shock
ROYAL DIVORCE SHOCK
Mary is heartbroken as the Queen’s marriage fails
Princess Mary is under more pressure than ever to keep the Danish royal family together, amid increasing speculation her mother-in-law Queen Margrethe has split with Prince Henrik.
The 76-year-old ruler and her husband of almost five decades have spent precious little time together in the past year, and last week the beloved queen greeted the Belgian royal family at official events with her sons Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim and their wives by her side – but not her once-loyal companion Henrik. His absence at such an important event all but confirmed ongoing rumours the couple have called time on their marriage, sending shockwaves through the nation.
The Danish royal couple have been living virtually separate lives for some time, with Henrik, 82, having retired from the majority of official duties early last year, leaving Margrethe to shoulder the burden of public service. As a result, Mary, 45, and Frederik, 48, have stepped up to take on more responsibility.
Still, the palace had stated that Henrik would be in attendance for last week’s state visit of Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium. They later did a backflip, announcing he would be absent. A palace insider tells Woman’s Day this about-face would have been extremely embarrassing for the queen.
“I think there is definitely something going on with them, since Henrik still goes to a lot of events, but without Margrethe,” the royal insider says.
After stepping down from public duties, Prince Henrik made the shock decision to move away from his wife and family, and relocate to Paris. He has been living life much like a bachelor ever since, and has even been photographed drinking with young women. Meanwhile, Margrethe is feeling the strain of representing the nation with no help from her husband. Some say it was her exhaustion and stress that prompted her to take a three-week holiday to Norway in February – without Henrik.
Adding weight to rumours that a divorce announcement is imminent, the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary in June will be swept under the carpet rather than celebrated in grand fashion.
“The queen announced they would not celebrate their gold anniversary with the people of Denmark, but privately, which is very strange,” our source explains.
Divorces are commonplace in Denmark, where almost half of all marriages fail. However, divorce in the royal family – the line of people charged with bringing the nation together – is regarded as unseemly. When Frederik’s brother Prince Joachim split from his first wife, Princess Alexandra, in 2005, it was the first royal divorce in 150 years. At the time Queen Margrethe said she “deeply regretted” the split.
It seems Henrik has been doing all he can to distance himself from the Danish monarchy, even attacking the institution for not giving him a full title – an act that likely did not endear him to his estranged wife.
“All the queens in the history of the world have made their husbands kings. Why should I be under my wife?” Henrik told a Dutch TV crew at the time. “I don’t accept it! I will never accept it!”
Controversially, and in a move that likely hurt his wife far more than she could let on, he was also a no-show at Margrethe’s 75th birthday celebrations in 2015, citing illness – but was then photographed travelling to
‘They will not celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary’
Venice with friends the next day.
While Margrethe may be going through a very difficult time, she can take comfort in the fact that her sons – especially Frederik – are being incredibly supportive and doing their best to be by her side. As a result of Henrik’s absences, Fred and Mary have been taking a greater role in official duties, accelerating their progression to the throne amid speculation Margrethe’s abdication is imminent.
It’s understood a saddened but stoic Mary is committed to assisting Margrethe and ensuring she has all the support she needs to serve Denmark.