Tasmanians have shared a string of personal stories about their links to Queen Mary of Denmark, from rugby fields to royal car seats, during a Hobart radio segment.
The callers rang into Triple M Hobart Breakfast’s Six Degrees of Tassie segment, hosted by Karen McMullen and Andy “Tubes” Taylor, where listeners shared their connections for a chance to win $5,000 on-air.
Rick from Midway Point opened with a near-miss wedding story. He said his sister-in-law had been asked to be Mary’s Matron of Honour but had to turn it down.
“She had two young children at the time and she had to go over to Denmark for two to three months for deportment lessons,” Rick said.
The role instead went to Mary’s friend Amber Petty.
Rick also recalled a visit Mary and Prince Frederick made to his mother-in-law’s home, where Mary’s new accent did not go unnoticed.
“My mother-in-law said, ‘oh Mary, take that plum out of your mouth, it’s only me’,” he said.
He said Mary laughed it off and slipped back into Aussie slang.
Melinda from Cambridge said her ex-sister-in-law had sat alongside Mary in class at Taroona High School.
Emma from Sandy Bay said her mother grew up on the same street as the Donaldson family in Taroona and had played with Mary’s older sister Jane.
Michael from Bridgewater shared a rugby connection through Mary’s late father, Professor John Donaldson, who refereed his games.
“Every time we’ve seen him come out to referee we say, oh no, not Donaldson,” Michael said.
“He was good, he was great, Professor Donaldson.”
He said Mary would sometimes come along to watch the matches.
Lynn from Austins Ferry offered one of the more unusual stories. Her husband worked in dignitary protection and looked after Mary and Frederick on several visits to Hobart.
“Their eldest child sat in my grandchild’s car seat,” Lynn said – referring to Prince Christian.
She said the car seat was used during one of the royal visits and was returned spotless.
The flood of stories comes just weeks after Queen Mary returned to Tasmania in March on her first official state visit since becoming queen.
She and King Frederik attended a Welcome to Country ceremony at Government House before touring shipbuilder Incat in Derwent Park, where battery-electric ferries are being built for Denmark in what has been described as Tasmania’s largest-ever manufactured export deal.
The couple wrapped up the visit with a public walkabout along Hobart’s Hunter Street, where crowds lined both sides of the road to greet them. Pulse Tasmania
“There really isn’t a more special place to end what has been a unique, rewarding, moving, exciting, curious tour,” Queen Mary told guests at a state reception at Government House.
The visit took on added significance just weeks later when Mary’s father, Professor John Donaldson, died in Hobart on 11 April aged 84.
The Danish Royal House said the Scottish-born academic had passed away in the city where he had lived for most of his life, and that his health had been declining for several years.
“My heart is heavy and my thoughts are grey. My beloved father has passed away,” Queen Mary said in a statement.
“But I know that when the grief settles, the memories will brighten my day, and what will remain strongest is love and gratitude for everything he gave me and taught me.”
The palace said Mary visited her father at the end of March during her visit to Tasmania, where the pair “shared precious time together”.
Queen Mary was born Mary Donaldson in Hobart and grew up in Taroona before meeting Prince Frederik in a Sydney pub during the 2000 Olympics.
She became Queen of Denmark in January 2024 following the abdication of Queen Margrethe II.
