While visiting Paris on a state visit to France with her husband, King Frederik, Queen Mary of Denmark wore a 175-year-old heirloom jewel around her wrist.
King Frederik and Queen Mary hosted a dinner at Le Grand Hotel in the French capital city on April 1, right in the middle of their three-day state visit to France, much of it spent alongside President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron. Over 300 guests attended the couple’s dinner Tuesday evening, Mary in a black semi-sheer coat dress with gold embroidered flowers by Taller Marmo, which she accessorized with gold filigree earrings and a statement bracelet—Queen Louise of Sweden-Norway’s engagement bracelet, Hello! reported.
Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark on April 1, 2025.
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Queen Mary of Denmark on April 1, 2025.
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The bracelet was an engagement gift from Karl XV of Sweden to Queen Louise in 1850, and the gold chain bracelet contains a large diamond with two slightly smaller diamonds encircled by three diamond-studded rings, according to Hello!. The piece can also be worn as a brooch, the outlet reported.
The bracelet is part of the Danish Royal Property Trust’s jewelry collection, and Mary brought the piece out for the first time at a New Year’s reception at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen back in January.
Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark on January 6, 2025.
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Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark on January 6, 2025.
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The menu at Tuesday night’s dinner consisted of Danish food, as well as music and ballet dancing. Mary, who at 53 years old is 10 years older than Kate Middleton, often draws comparisons to the Princess of Wales for their similar striking brunette looks, chic sense of style, and commoner-turned-royal love story with their respective husbands. (Mary has been married to Frederik since 2004; Kate married Prince William in 2011.)
Queen Mary of Denmark on March 31, 2025.
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King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark on March 31, 2025.
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King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark on March 31, 2025.
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Queen Mary ascended to her current role in the Danish royal family in January 2024, after her mother-in-law, Queen Margrethe, unexpectedly abdicated the throne. Of Mary, The Independent wrote on April 1, “She is exactly where she deserves to be and is showing the Princess of Wales the way.”
Indeed, whenever they’re together, Mary and Kate seem to have an easy rapport—almost like sisters. As Kate prepares to ascend to the throne someday, The Independent wrote of the two women that “with their strikingly similar backgrounds, sensibilities, and looks now stand at the forefront of regal power in Europe,” adding that as Mary is just over a year into her time as queen, Kate “will be a keen observer as the woman whose life mirrors her own navigates the top job.”
Kate Middleton and Queen Mary on February 23, 2022.
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“To date, Kate has had few role models,” the outlet continued. “There is no [Princess] Diana to guide her, and [King] Charles and [Queen] Camilla’s road to the throne was mired in scandal, divorce, and acrimony. Mary and Frederik are close in age to the Waleses and are invested in similar interests. By the time Kate becomes Queen, Mary should have years of experience under her belt and plenty of good advice for her counterpart in Buckingham Palace. They have, in all probability, already spoken about what their futures hold.”
Both women come to royal duty from “small-town upbringings in happy middle-class families, which has given them the malleability to adapt, persevere, and excel,” The Independent wrote, adding, “Where Mary and Kate are most aligned, however, is in their determination to learn the ropes and choose the right moment to hit their stride.”
“Both have already shown a facility for managing tricky problems, and they know that monarchy, as the late Queen Elizabeth showcased, is a long game,” the outlet added. “And that means Mary and Kate’s friendship is likely to be a deep one for a long time yet.”
Kate Middleton and Queen Mary on June 15, 2016.
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Just as the world watches Kate’s fashion intently—perhaps much to her chagrin, as it has been said this year that the Princess of Wales would prefer a focus on her work rather than her wardrobe—so does the world watch Mary’s style. In particular, Mary has shown an affinity for heirloom jewelry; just last month, she wore a tiara that hadn’t been seen in over 140 years to an appearance.