Queen Mary of Denmark hid a number of subtle meanings in the sophisticated outfit she wore during her first public appearance as queen.
The n-born royal was a vision in white as she waved to fans on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen alongside her husband King Frederik X just moments after his mother Queen Margrethe II abdicated the throne on Sunday.
But there were a number of hidden messages in the 51-year-old’s simple yet chic outfit – from the colour of her dress to her accessories.
Her white dress is a symbol of new beginnings, strength and purity while her choice to accessorise with red jewellery is a nod to the Danish flag.
Dr Giselle Bastin, royal expert at Flinders University told FEMAIL that white is traditionally worn by women of the royal household at coronations to represent ‘renewal and the purity of the Crown’.
The New Queen Mary of Denmark looked a vision in white as she waved to adoring fans on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen alongside her husband King Frederik X
There were a number of hidden meanings in her outfit. She opted for a white dress by Danish designer Soeren Le Schmidt to represent ‘renewal and the purity of the crown’
‘We’ve seen this in the British royal family, where in 1953 Queen Elizabeth II wore white, as did her maids in waiting and all the females present in the Abbey. We saw it at the coronation of King Charles II, also,’ she said.
Princess of Wales Kate Middleton wore white to King Charles II’s coronation in May last year.
Dr Bastin said she thinks Queen Mary opted for white to give the symbolism a ‘modern twist’.
‘The Danish royals are known for being more low-key than the British royals, and Mary’s outfit suggested the focus on ‘the future’ and the ‘modernity’ of the new royal Danish court,’ she said.
White’s strong association with purity also could mean Mary is giving a subtle dig to those who speculated about Frederik’s alleged ‘affair’ with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova showing his innocence and that their relationship is unscathed.
Mary’s dress was sewn by Birgit Hallstein, the same seamstress who made her iconic Uffe Frank wedding gown
Similarly, white is most commonly known as the colour brides wear down the aisle which could allude to Mary and Frederik’s upcoming 20th wedding anniversary in May.
Mary’s dress was sewn by Birgit Hallstein, the same seamstress who made her iconic Uffe Frank wedding gown.
She is not often seen in a new outfit as she loves reusing and rewearing pieces from her wardrobe time and time again but yesterday’s festivities were an exception.
She looked stunning in a white A-line midi dress with long sleeves and a mock shawl detail around the neck by Danish designer Soeren Le Schmidt.
The dressmaker took to Instagram to show his gratitude towards the queen for choosing on of his designs for the momentous occasion.
‘Beyond grateful, thank you for choosing me, Queen Mary of Denmark,’ he captioned an image of the new King and Queen.
Le Schmidt told Vogue Scandinavia the dress is ‘relatively simple’ and that he was ‘very honoured, happy, proud, and not least grateful’ to be asked to dress Mary for the historical event.
The queen paired her Soeren Le Schmidt dress with pieces from a priceless jewellery set encrusted with red rubies. The red and white combination is a nod to the Danish flag
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‘The first dress that Queen Mary would wear under her new title as Queen – a dress for the history books – means a great deal. I am very moved,’ he said.
‘It is constructed with a separate waist belt that has a voluminous drape from the waist, around the neck, and over one shoulder.’
The queen paired her Soeren Le Schmidt dress with pieces from a priceless jewellery set encrusted with red rubies.
The red and white combination is a sweet homage to the Danish flags of the same colours.
‘The colours of Denmark are red and white, so a graphically beautiful white dress adorned with the earrings and a brooch from the Ruby Set seemed like the right choice,’ Le Schmidt said.
Mary wore two hair pins, earrings and a brooch on her belt that is part of the Ruby Parure which also includes a tiara, necklace, ring and bracelet.
The set is a family heirloom originally made by a now-unknown jeweller and commissioned by Napoleon for the late Queen of Sweden in 1804 for his extravagant coronation.
They made their way to the Danish royal family when the Swedish queen’s daughter married the future King Frederik VIII in 1869 and have been in their hands ever since.
Mary wore hair pins, earrings and a brooch on her belt that is part of the Ruby Parure, a family heirloom that has a fascinating history involving French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
Mary has been the exclusive wearer of the rubies since her marriage to Prince Frederik in 2004, last donning them at the palace’s New Year’s dinner on January 1.
Her ruby jewels weren’t the only accessory of significance.
Below her left clavicle she pinned Queen Margrethe II’s Royal Family Order which features a diamond-framed portrait of the Queen hanging from a white and red ribbon bow.
The brooch is a personal award gifted by the queen at her discretion rather than a state decoration.
Mary was given the pin before her wedding to Frederik but was first seen wearing it publicly in 2012.
Queen Margrethe, Princess Benedict and their sister Queen Anne Marie of Greece all wear a similar badge with a portrait of their father.
A new portrait will be made of King Frederik and Mary will be the first and so far only recipient.
The ‘Ordensportrættet’ of Frederik will be set in a 200-year-old diamond frame that originates from Empress Amelie of Brazil.