King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark have traveled to Australia for a private family occasion tied to a recent loss. The Danish royal household confirmed that the couple attended a memorial service in Hobart, Tasmania, for Queen Mary’s father, John Donaldson, according to Town & Country. The trip carries special meaning for Mary, who was born and raised in Tasmania before her marriage to Frederik in 2004. It also returns her to the place where much of her family history began, far from the formal duties of palace life.
Queen Mary Returns to Hobart for Memorial
The royal household said in a brief statement that the King and Queen were in Tasmania to attend “a private memorial service for the Queen’s father, Mr. John Donaldson, in Hobart, Tasmania.” Donaldson died on April 11 at the age of 84. He had been in declining health in recent years. Mary had visited him at the end of March, only weeks before his death. The journey to Hobart now marks a deeply personal homecoming, centered on remembrance rather than public royal appearances.
John Donaldson Died at 84 in Tasmania
John Donaldson was a professor of applied mathematics who was born in Scotland on September 5, 1941, before later building his life in Australia. He moved to Tasmania in 1963 with his first wife, Henrietta Clark Horne, and the couple had four children, including Mary. After Henrietta died in 1997 following complications from heart surgery, Donaldson remarried British author Susan Moody in 2001. His life stretched across Scotland, Australia, and Denmark, linking the family’s story to several countries over the decades.
Queen Mary Shares Tribute to Her Father
After her father’s death, Queen Mary issued a personal statement about her grief, as reported by Town & Country. “My heart is heavy and my thoughts are grey,” she said. “My beloved father has passed away. 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 message offered a rare glimpse into Mary’s private mourning and the close bond she shared with her father through the years.
John Donaldson Supported Mary in Denmark
Donaldson remained a visible and important figure in Mary’s life after she joined Denmark’s royal family. Following her marriage to then-Crown Prince Frederik, he and Susan Moody moved to Copenhagen to support her during a major transition. While there, he took a position at the city’s university before the couple later returned to Australia. For many Danes, one of his most familiar public moments came in May 2004, when he walked his daughter down the aisle at her royal wedding, linking family devotion with a historic royal milestone.
