Queen Mary is preparing to celebrate her first Christmas as head of the Danish royal family alongside husband King Frederik X this week.
From today – December 23 – King Frederik and Queen Mary will relocate from their winter residence in Copenhagen for Christmas at Marselisborg Castle in Aarhus.
They will be joined by Queen Margrethe II, while her youngest son Prince Joachim and his wife, French-born Princess Marie, and their four children, will celebrate Christmas with Princess Marie’s family.
READ MORE: Inside the two palaces Frederik X and Queen Mary call home
Then-Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary attend Christmas Day mass at Aarhus Cathedral in 2023. (AP)
The Danish royal household confirmed the plans in late November, revealing King Frederik and Queen Mary have chosen to uphold royal tradition.
Frederik X took over from his mother as monarch on January 14, 2024, following her abdication.
Queen Margrethe, 84, made the announcement in her New Year’s Eve speech.
King Frederik will deliver his first New Year’s address to the people of Denmark, live, from Frederik VIII’s Palace, at Amalienborg.
Marselisborg Castle is where the Danish royals spend Christmas most years. (Danish Royal Household)
The royals will remain at Marselisborg until December 26, while Margrethe will stay on until December 30.
The royals have spent Christmas at Marselisborg, north-west of Copenhagen, since Queen Margrethe’s ascension to the throne in 1972. They also spend Easter at the same residence. The castle is also used for private holidays throughout the year but mainly in summertime.
READ MORE: Exploring Copenhagen’s incredible royal sites
On Christmas Eve, King Frederik and Queen Mary, along with Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine are expected to attend mass at Aarhus Cathedral and again on Christmas morning, as per tradition.
Queen Margrethe of Denmark with her husband Prince Henrik and their sons Joachim and Frederik at Marselisborg in Aarhus in 1972. (Getty)
In previous years Mary and her family have spent Christmas at Marselisborg.
But there have been notable exceptions.
In 2015, 2017 and 2022 Mary and her family travelled to Australia to spend Christmas with her relatives in Hobart, where she was born.
The Danish royal family at Marselisborg Castle during Easter in 2021. (Danish Royal Household)
Mary made a brief return to Australia just before Christmas in 2023 but was in Aarhus for the main celebrations.
The 52-year-old was briefly back in Australia, again, in late October this year to attend her niece’s wedding in Tasmania. Mary was photographed with Princess Josephine at Sydney’s Bronte Beach before their return to Denmark.
Christmas in Aarhus
Christmas in Aarhus is very, very different from Christmas in Australia.
Aarhus is an historic city with most attractions within walking distance and like so many places in Denmark, it has its own harbour.
Temperatures in December sit around 0 degrees Celsius and snow is common.
Marselisborg Castle was built in 1902 and was a wedding gift by the people of Denmark to King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine.
The Danish royal family at Marselisborg Castle in April, 2022, where Christmas and Easter celebrations are held. (Danish Royal Household)
It is famed for its English-style rose garden which is open to the public, except for when the royal family is in residence.
When the royal family is at Marselisborg Castle, there a daily changing of the guard from 11.50am.
Danish Christmas traditions
Christmas in Denmark, which is called jul, is peak hygge season.
Much like across Europe, Denmark celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve (December 24).
The night is traditionally spent eating a fancy Christmas dinner and opening presents late into the night.
The then-Crown Prince family inside Frederik VIII’s Palace in the lead up to Christmas. (Danish Royal Household)
Food served at dinner usually includes roast pork and duck and boiled potatoes, red cabbage and gravy.
The main dessert is risalamande – a rice pudding topped with cherry sauce with an almond hidden inside – while other treats include æbleskiver (small fried doughnuts sprinkled with icing sugar), Christmas beer, gløgg (hot mulled wine) and candied almonds.
Danes often will dance around their large Christmas tree, holding hands, before opening presents.
Mary’s daughters raid her wardrobe for night at the ballet
The Christmas tree is decorated with real candles and an advent candle is typically burnt for one hour each day throughout December.
Julemanden, translated as the Christmas Man, is the Danish name for Santa who is assisted by his team of elves who are called Nisse.
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