King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark have wrapped up their Australian tour on Thursday with a public walkabout through Hobart’s waterfront.
Crowds lined both sides of Hunter Street as the royal couple greeted locals, shook hands and chatted with well-wishers during the afternoon meet-and-greet.
The street was closed to traffic for the event, with bollards set up to allow people to gather on either side of the road.
It was the Danish royals’ first official public visit to Tasmania since 2005 and the only opportunity for locals to get close to their ‘homegrown’ queen.
Mary, who grew up in Hobart, appeared relaxed and enthusiastic as she worked the crowd alongside her husband.
The couple spent a full day of engagements across the south of the state before the Hunter Street walkabout brought the visit to a close.
Onlookers described the atmosphere as warm and upbeat, with smiles on both sides of the bollards.
Tasmania holds a special significance for the visit, given Mary’s roots in the state.
Born Mary Donaldson, she grew up in Hobart before meeting the then-Crown Prince Frederik at a Sydney pub during the 2000 Olympics.
The pair married in 2004 and Mary became queen when Frederik ascended to the Danish throne in January 2024.
Thursday’s event marked the final stop on a broader tour of Australia, which included engagements in other states earlier in the week.
For many in the crowd, it was a rare chance to see the royal couple in person.
