Queen Mary of Denmark steps in as regent for the first time since husband Frederik took the throne

Queen Mary of Denmark has been holding down the fort since her mother-in-law Queen Margrethe was hospitalised after a fall.

The Australian-born royal stepped in as regent over the weekend as her husband, King Frederik, was out of the country.

A regent is someone who steps in to govern the state when the monarch is unable to fulfil their duties.

It’s the first time the mum-of-four has stepped into Frederik’s shoes, however Mary did previously stand in as regent during Margrethe’s reign.

The 84-year-old royal abdicated in January to allow her son King Frederik to succeed her.

Margrethe suffered an injury to her neck vertebrae and a fracture to her left hand during the fall while staying at the Fredensborg Castle last week.

She is now recovering at home after being discharged on Friday.

On Monday, her daughter-in-law Queen Mary shared an update during an event in Copenhagen.

‘Under the circumstances, she is doing very well,’ Queen Mary told Danish magazine Billed Bladet.

‘I have had the opportunity to visit her a few times since she came home.’

An official statement from the Danish Royal Palace updating on the Queen’s condition said: ‘Queen Margrethe is in good spirits and is doing well under the circumstances, but will however be on sick leave for a longer period.’

In 2019, the then-Crown Princess Mary signed a declaration that allowed her to act as regent.

‘As acting regent, The Crown Princess will, from now on, be able to attend to The Queen’s duties as head of state when The Queen and The Crown Prince are prevented from doing so, for example during a stay abroad,’ an official statement said at the time.

Earlier this year, Mary and Frederick’s eldest son Prince Christian acted as regent during his dad’s absence.

As the King’s eldest son and the heir to the Danish throne, Christian is ‘deputy regency’ and the head of state role falls to him before Frederik’s wife Queen Mary.

Should he not be able to uphold his duties the job will fall to Mary then Prince Joachim and Princess Benedikte.

Queen Mary has had a turbulent year after her husband was spotted out in Madrid with socialite Genoveva Casanova.

The friends were pictured together in a Spanish magazine, sparking wild affair rumours.

The Mexican-born socialite categorically denied she was having an affair with the then-Crown Prince, and the Danish Palace have only said they don’t comment on rumours.