During this two-day, whistle-stop Copenhagen visit, the Duchess of Cambridge seemed delighted to be in company of Denmark’s royal family and Crown Princess Mary.
This morning saw Kate Middleton officially welcomed to Denmark by Queen Margrethe II and Australian-born Crown Princess Mary at Christian IX’s Palace, and from the official photos taken, it’s clear that the English royal is very much at ease with her Danish counterparts.
Indeed, the Duchess, 40, and Crown Princess Mary, 50, both wearing their long brunette locks flowing and opting for smart coat dresses – Kate wearing a £3,000 Catherine Walker coat dress while Mary chose a chic white number worn on previous outings – might have been mistaken for sisters.
Both were not born into royalty and formed their first friendship in 2011. They looked comfortable together as they strolled outside Denmark’s royal palace.
Scroll down to see the video
Royal kinship: The Duchess Of Cambridge (40), and the Crown Princess Mary, 50, looked remarkably alike in their regal coats, with their blonde locks flowing. Today, they took official photos at Christian IX’s Palace in Copenhagen.
Relaxed: The couple, who were neither born into royal life but are now friends, strolled together in the sunshine near the Danish capital’s royal palace.
Kate and Queen Margrethe II were pictured earlier with Crown Princess Mary in the royal palace. This was the second day on her two-day Danish visit.
Since their marriages into royal families, both women have done well in all the different roles that they were given. They have often been seen in the same stylish clothes, which is a sign of their fashion sensibilities. While Kate Middleton donned a £3,000 Catherine Walker coat dress, her Danish counterpart opted for a chic white coat with frayed hem that she’s worn for a previous engagement
The royal peers first met in 2011 when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made an official visit to the country – and they have forged a strong friendship in the years since (Pictured waving at the crowds today on their way to a private lunch at Amalienborg Castle in Copenhagen)
Kate was born in the royal family, but the Danish princess, now 50, didn’t get to be a royal. Mary Elizabeth Donaldson was Crown Princess Mary and her father, Crown Prince Frederik, were raised in different circumstances.
In part, this visit will pay tribute to Britain’s historical ties with Denmark.
The two women could be seen waving to royal fans who had gathered as they walked across the Amalienborg Courtyard in Copenhagen on Wednesday
Kate looked confident and relaxed as she stood with the European Royals today on her brief visit to Denmark
Given their similar lives, it is not surprising that there was such warmth among the royal contemporaries.
After both marrying into royal families, Kate to Prince William in 2011, and Mary to Crown Prince Frederik in 2004, the commoners-turned-royals have thrown themselves wholeheartedly into public life, garnering legions of adoring fans in their respective nations.
Doting parents, while the Duchess of Cambridge is mother to Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three, Crown Princess Mary has four children: Prince Christian, born in October 2005, Princess Isabella, born in April 2007, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, born in January 2011.
However, Kate Middleton came from a wealthy background, and Kate Middleton is a product of that privilege. In 2001, the British Royals were in love with each other as they lived in the same room at St Andrews University.
Hers was an entirely different world, born to a Scottish math professor and his wife, on Tasmania, Australia. It is thousands of miles away from Copenhagen’s magnificent Frederik VIII Palace of Amalienborg, which she now calls home.
On their respective wedding days: Kate Middleton marrying Prince William in April 2011. Right: In 2004, the royal wedding between Prince Frederik, Denmark, and Crown Princess Mary.
Style synergy – The women were both born almost ten years apart and often have been seen wearing nearly identical clothes (Kate was pictured in London, 2019). Right: Crown Princess Mary in stripes, riding on her tricycle with twins Vincent, and Josephine.
Prince Frederik (now 53), was the man she met in Sydney’s Slip Inn pub. At the time, she was 28 years old and was working as a sales manager for a luxury real estate agency. He was also visiting Australia in 2000.
He is well-known for dating Scandi models as well as a pop superstar. It was, apparently, love at first sight. The couple married in 2004, and Mary was placed under Frederik’s tutelage by Queen Margrethe II (a Cambridge graduate and Sorbonne scholar).
Mary, like Kate, quickly got down to work, became fluent in Danish, and is still highly respected by Denmark’s residents.
On occasion, the British royal and the Danish royal have even donned the same outfit, with Kate wearing this chic navy patterned dress with a white collar in 2020 to visit NHS staff, and Crown Princess Mary wearing exactly the same outfit on a visit to Indonesia in 2019
There are many parallels between Kate & Mary. The style similarities between Kate and Mary are evident when they look at their royal outfits, both formal and casual. They both look great in relaxed attire for casual outings or formal wear for special occasions.
Each has managed to adapt with ease to the scrutiny that comes along with royal life. The confident Kate showed that, even without Prince William at her side, she could handle any royal engagement.
She wore casual clothing to visit the Stenurten Forest Kindergarten, where she was photographed chopping wood with a group. The mother-of-three appeared relaxed in a grey jumper, which she paired with her £209 green Seeland wax jacket and a simple pair of black jeans. She finished off her look with her £170 boots from celeb-loved brand Blundstone.
The Duchess is very hands-on! Kate was very hands-on at the kindergarten just outside Copenhagen. She even took part in wood cutting with children!
As a mother of three, she sat next to a number of children who were taking part in several activities in Copenhagen today.
She shows off her maternal side While visiting a young boy, the Duchess embraced him and placed her hand on his shoulder.
He was seen racing with children around the woods with his hand and taking part in a variety of activities, such as splitting wood with a saw or running through the trails with other forest kindergarten kids.
Later today, the Duchess will continue her support of Crown Princess Mary by joining her to visit a project supported by the Page 2 of 2 Mary Foundation, founded in 2007 by the Danish royal, to protect vulnerable women and children from domestic violence.
Also, she will be learning about Denmark’s approach to infant mental wellness and physical health.