A year into her reign, Aussie-born Queen Mary of Denmark has been widely praised and celebrated for the way she has embraced her role as queen.

In a recent opinion poll of 1,004 respondents conducted by Danish broadcaster DR, both Mary and Frederik received an 85 per cent approval rating in December 2024.

Queen Mary and her husband, King Frederik, ascended the throne following the abdication of Queen Margrethe II. The former queen reigned for an illustrious 52 years and is Europe’s longest-serving monarch.

On Sunday, January 14, 2024 in a ceremony rich with tradition and historical significance, Queen Margrethe II signed the declaration that would reshape Danish history.

After signing the declaration, the queen rose and invited Frederik to take her seat, proclaiming “God save the King” before leaving the room.

Against the backdrop of Christiansborg Castle, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaimed Frederik as the new King of Denmark with the words “Long live his majesty King Frederik the 10th”.

Reflecting on the past year, royal house expert Thomas Larsen said “it has been a very successful year for both the king and queen”. 

“They haven’t made any mistakes,” Larsen told AAP.

“(Mary) is a powerbroker… she is a crucial adviser to the king.”

Trine Villemann, the author of 1015 Copenhagen K: Mary’s Dysfunctional In-Laws, also praised Mary, calling her the “backbone” of her husband’s reign.

“She’s King Mary. She’s the power behind the throne. Nothing gets done at Amalienborg Palace without Mary (or her staff’s input),” Villemann told AAP.

“Here we have this girl from Tasmania, a completely ordinary normal girl who has not been afraid to seize power. It’s a really successful feminist story.”

Despite her success in her new role, the reality of ruling a nation has proven to be a daunting task for Mary.

In her first interview since ascending the throne, the Queen admitted to feeling “overwhelmed” at times, as reported by news.com.au. 

“It is very new and there are many changes and decisions,” she admitted at the time.

But the big change has also left her brimming with pride for her husband.

Speaking directly to Frederik she said, “I stood with the children and when you stepped out onto the balcony towards your fate, it was a moment that moved me incredibly much.”

“We could hear and feel it, even if we couldn’t see it. It was a beautiful moment. I was both very happy and very proud.”

-with AAP.