The photographer who captured King Frederik’s infamous night out with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova has revealed how the scoop unfolded.
The Danish king’s Australian-born wife Queen Mary is enjoying a solo Australian holiday 12 months after rumours exploded about her husband having an affair when he was pictured with Genoveva in Madrid.
Mary has been spotted soaking up the sun in Sydney this week, taking a walk at Bronte Beach alongside her 13-year-old daughter Josephine on Wednesday and enjoying a dip with friends at Balmoral Beach on Thursday.
Queen Mary’s last visit to Australia – also without her husband – came just weeks after the photographs of Frederik and Ms Casanova were published by Spanish magazine Lecturas.
Now her latest visit on the anniversary of what has been dubbed the Danish Monarchy’s greatest scandal has added fuel to rumours the couple’s marriage is yet to recover.
Genoveva and the then Crown Prince Frederik were photographed by Pepelu Dueñas as they walked around Buen Retiro park in Madrid. She has denied the claims of an affair but the popular royal wasn’t the photographer’s initial target.
In fact, speaking to Danish tabloid BT a year on, he revealed he didn’t recognise Frederik at all – only the local celebrity he was with, Genoveva.
Mary has been spotted soaking up the sun in Sydney this week, enjoying a dip with friends at Balmoral Beach on Thursday
Fans couldn’t help but notice the queen wasn’t wearing a ring
The couple have faced malicious rumours since October last year
Pepelu was picking up his son when he noticed the socialite and TV personality. He had just finished work but had his camera gear so decided to take a few shots.
‘She was accompanied by a man I had not seen her with before,’ he explained.
Facial recognition software revealed the mystery man was in fact the future King of Denmark. This was confirmed once the photographer forwarded the photos to an agency, sparking the beginnings of Denmark’s biggest ever scandal.
Speaking to the team at behind Spanish TV documentary ‘Paparazzi’, he said he had followed the friends back to Genoveva’s apartment, where they stayed for two hours.
While they were holed-up inside he called for backup. His friends and fellow paparazzo’s Jon Arrillaga and Ana Baraja were quickly on the scene.
The rumours all go back to his night out in Madrid with Genoveva Casanova
The photographers followed the friends to the Corral de la Morería restaurant.
Pepelu said the friends were ushered to a private, screened table at the back of the exclusive restaurant.
He claims the friends emerged at 1am, entered the same car and went up to the 47-year-old model’s apartment.
He explained the 56-year-old royal was first out of the car but appeared to walk down the street. His friend, Genoveva, then went to her apartment and opened the door.
At this point the photographer claims Frederik turned around and followed the model inside.
The couple appeared to block each other out in their first public appearance after the Madrid photos were published
Mary was seen without her wedding ring for the second time this week
The photographer and his friends had a stakeout and said King Frederik, whose wife was on official Palace business in New York, emerged the next morning.
Twenty minutes later a car picked him up, the photographer said.
Genoveva has since slammed any affair rumours as malicious and untruthful.
She claims she has many friends in common with the married royal and was simply giving him a tour of the city.
The Danish Palace have dubbed it a ‘private visit’ but otherwise refused to speak about the nature of the meeting.
Eagle-eyed fans noticed Queen Mary wasn’t wearing her wedding ring as she spent time with her daughter on the beach.
Her secret trip to Australia comes after experts revealed the Madrid scandal would endure for the rest of Frederik’s time as King.
‘It was a huge case, and in principle it will never be forgotten either. It will lie lurking just below the surface for many years,’ communications expert Anna Thygesen told BT.
‘It doesn’t take much for it to flare up again.’
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