From before she can remember, Princess Mary has always found it difficult to see a person who is seemingly alone – who doesn’t feel like they belong.
And, in a candid interview with Australian Women’s Weekly, the Crown Princess has revealed that it was a feeling she herself experienced when she first moved to Denmark.
By now the story of how a Tasmanian-born Mary Donaldson became royalty is well-known, right up to the Sydney bar where she first fell in love with Prince Frederik.
But Princess Mary, now 45, has rarely discussed the isolation she felt when she first moved her life to the small Scandinavian country 9,000 miles away – until now.
Crown Princess Mary has revealed she experienced ‘loneliness’ after moving to Denmark before her wedding to Prince Frederik 13 years ago (pictured left in 2004 and right in 2011)
Princess Mary (picutred with Prince Frederik at their wedding in 2004) said moving to Denmark was a huge change in her life – from the people to the language
‘I did experience a feeling of loneliness – short-term – when I first moved to Denmark,’ she told the magazine.
‘Moving to Denmark was a huge change in my life – a new culture, new language, new friends, and another way of life.’
‘So, I see it as quite natural that at times I felt quite alone or a little bit like I was on the outside looking in.’
Princess Mary knew it would take time to feel settled in, and said she got there thanks to plenty of supportive and caring people in her new home.
Fast-forward 14 years, and Princess Mary is fluent in Danish and beloved by her adopted country.
And it seems her presence in Copenhagen has boosted the popularity of the Danish Royal Family as well.
Fast-forward 14 years, and Princess Mary is fluent in Danish and beloved by the country that she now calls home
Princess Mary (pictured this year) has become renowned for taking on numerous international appearances to represent Denmark, as well as her philanthropy work
A survey recently found that 82 per cent of the Danish population now supports the monarchy, up 77 per cent from before Princess Mary joined the establishment.
That is no doubt in part to the fact that Princess Mary and her family are often seen out and about in the city of Copenhagen.
The busy mum and her four children are regularly spotted riding their bikes around the city and doing sports like horseback riding, swimming, and ballet.
And the country was pleasantly surprised when Princess Mary and Prince Frederik decided to put their children in public school – a historical first for the royal family.
A survey recently found that 82 per cent of the Danish population now supports the monarchy, up 77 per cent from before Princess Mary joined (pictured with her family)
The busy mum and her four children are regularly seen riding their bikes around the city and doing sports like horseback riding, swimming, sledding, and ballet (pictured with Josephine in 2015)
But perhaps most noteworthy has been the work the princess has put into the Mary Foundation for the last decade.
With her foundation, which focuses on bullying and well-being, domestic violence, and loneliness, Princess Mary has worked with people of all ages and statuses.
Princess Mary opened up about her move to Denmark and her current philanthropy work in this week’s issue of Women’s Weekly
And she has been able to enact real change thanks to her Free of Bullying program, which has been introduced into half of Danish kindergartens and a third of schools.
Princess Mary revealed that a proud recent moment was when her youngest son, six-year-old Prince Vincent, came home from his school and revealed they were learning about ‘mum’s project’.
As she continues her work on the Mary Foundation, Princess Mary hopes she can continue teaching compassion to both her children and the world.
‘We feel that we have a responsibility as part of our role as parents to bring up our children to be open and tolerant adults,’ she said.
‘Empathy is what holds our world together.’
Princess Mary’s exclusive interview with the Australian Women’s Weekly’s January edition is now on newstands
But perhaps most noteworthy has been the work the princess has put into the Mary Foundation for the last decade
Wither her foundation, which focuses on bullying and well-being, domestic violence, and loneliness, Princess Mary has worked with people of all ages and status