Mary, Queen of the screen! Footage resurfaces of Crown Princess starring in a funny train ad in Australia before meeting Prince Frederik – and discussing becoming a monarch
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is preparing to take on her new role as queen later this month – after her mother-in-law Margrethe shocked the nation with a surprise abdication on New Year's Eve.
And old footage from 2003 of the 51-year-old royal, who is originally from Australia and married Crown Prince Frederik a decade ago, shows her dedication to the task as she vowed to 'work hard' in her duties and admitted that so it was. It has not yet sunk in that she will one day become queen.
In an interview with 60 minutes Australiathe newly engaged couple discussed the life that awaited them with a new face.
And when Tara Brown pressed Mary, then 31, about what it means for her to marry into the “perfect royal family,” she had the perfect response.
'What is the perfect princess?' she asked. “I don't know, it's a very subjective thing first of all.
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is preparing to take on her new role as queen later this month. Pictured during the annual New Year's dinner this week
'All I can say is that I will fulfill the role in a way that suits me and that I can only work hard and do my best.
“For some, that will be good enough.”
A charmed Tara then teased that devoted Mary would definitely bring an 'Aussie flavour' to the role.
The fragment was shared by journalist and royal enthusiast Eugenia Garavani on her Instagram, making people happy with Mary's “smart and warm” energy.
The post received more than 1,890 likes.
“What a fairytale story,” one person wrote.
“Blessings to her and the new king!” another wrote.
A third gushed: 'Loved this interview.'
In an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, the newly engaged, fresh-faced couple discussed the life that awaits them
And when Tara Brown pressed Mary, then 31, about what it means for her to marry into the “perfect royal family,” she had the perfect response
In the short, funny commercial, Mary plays a passenger reading a newspaper while a passenger next to her opens a packed lunch with some sandwiches
Fans are also intrigued to see Mary on screen for very different reasons, as a recently resurfaced clip from 1998 shows the mother of four in an advert for V-Line trains, a regional transport company in Victoria.
In the short, funny commercial, Mary plays a passenger reading a newspaper while a passenger next to her opens a packed lunch with some sandwiches.
He then secretly passes one of them into a huge suitcase on the overhead bin.
A hand peeks out of the suitcase and takes it.
“It's now easier to get a friend on the train for free,” the ad then says. 'Two for one ticket, in May.'
Style blog Royal Fashion Police shared the video on Instagram, writing, “Here's a lesser-known fun fact: Mary appeared in a TV commercial for V-Line trains in 1998.”
Before meeting Frederik, the cheerful Mary was active on the Australian social scene and led a very normal life. The couple in the photo in November
“That's a great casting agent who might recognize her ⭐️ appeal,” said one excited viewer.
'So awesome! All these fun facts coming out about this talented future queen. Just read her fascinating life story, including details of her work before and after meeting Fred,” added a second.
'She never stopped working and studying and even taught English in Paris. I love this clip RFP!'
A third commented: 'What a great find. I've never seen this before. She looks absolutely regal.”
Before we met Frederik, the cheerful Mary was active on the Australian social scene and led a very normal life. He studied business and law at the University of Tasmania before working in advertising in Melbourne and Sydney.
In addition to Mary's short acting stint, she had that too engaged in modeling.
On New Year's Eve, Queen Margrethe announced that she would step down as monarch after 52 years.
Frederik and Mary made their first official appearance together at the Tasmania Yacht Club ahead of the Dragon Boat World Championship on January 19, 2003
In a nod to her heritage, Mary wore a bouquet of Australian snow gum eucalyptus at her wedding, interspersed with flowers from the palace garden
On January 14, she will be succeeded by her son, Crown Prince Frederik.
It means his wife Mary, who he first met in a Sydney pub, will soon become the world's first Australian-born queen.
She was working as an advertising executive when she first met Frederik in a packed city pub 23 years ago and had no idea that the handsome European tourist she had been talking to for hours was actually the future king of Denmark.
Now married for 19 years and the proud parents of four children, Mary has won over her adopted country through her devotion to royal duty and her command of the language.
And despite speculation about the state of the royal couple's marriage over the years, there's nothing concrete to suggest they're anything but happily married.
The couple were recently rocked by rumors after photos emerged of Frederik, 55, enjoying a night out with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova in Madrid in October.
But despite accusations of an 'affair', Frederick and Mary put on a show of unity as they entered Aarhus Cathedral on Christmas Eve.