Princess Mary's true story, 20 years later: from real estate to cherished royal!

A series of five ancient terraces may be found on the eastern outskirts of Sydney's Bondi Junction, on a peaceful, tree-lined street. Each front yard is framed by a turquoise picket fence, and a Bangalow palm stands overhead, steady in the breeze. items

Porter Street was the setting for an unlikely love affair two decades ago, when Mary Donaldson, then 28 years old, got to know Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark as if they were any other young couple: on their own terms, without an entourage or personal security detail, and certainly without prying paparazzi.

Mary, a marketing expert from Tasmania, met up with her housemate Andrew Miles at the Slip Inn, a pub on Sydney's Darling Harbour, in 2000 to meet up with another party that was in town for the Olympic Games.

The world had just witnessed Cathy Freeman light the Olympic torch at the opening ceremony less than 24 hours before. Locals and visitors alike flowed out of clubs and restaurants, making new acquaintances and relishing in the vibrancy of the multinational metropolis.

An intriguing relationship

Mary was seated next to a dashing Dane by happenstance that evening. It wasn't long before she realized he wasn't just any foreigner; he was the future King of Denmark. Prince Frederik, a ladies' man known as the "turbo prince" for racking up speeding charges in fast automobiles, had traveled into Sydney a few days before to assist the Danish sailing team. It was his first trip to Australia, and the night was still young, but he was entirely focused on his new Australian acquaintance.

Revisiting the beginning of this unlikely affair may seem like a pointless activity, yet it reveals some insights into what makes this royal match so long-lasting. Theirs is the kind of marriage that dynasties all over the globe wish for, not least because it is free of scandal, but after 16 years of marriage and four children, Denmark's future king and queen are definitely still in love.

Danish writers Karin Palshoj and Gitte Redder detail the courtship period that followed the couple's first meeting in their 2005 biography, Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark. The crown prince went to Australia numerous times over the next 12 months after their first meeting, their hidden bond growing stronger with each visit.

However, the wild time difference, as well as late-night phone calls, emails, and CDs sent in the mail, followed each goodbye (Mary sent him Powderfinger, while Frederik responded with Danish band Sort Sol).

Mary's Bondi Junction home was described by Palshoj and Redder as a type of "haven" for the pair, where "Fred" – as he was known to Mary's friends – could relax and be unnoticed by the Australian press.

The couple's family life now revolves on that same sense of ease. Frederik and Mary's children, 15-year-old Prince Christian (second in line to the Danish throne), 13-year-old Princess Isabella, and nine-year-old twins Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent, were photographed enjoying the summer holidays in September.

Fans have grown accustomed to seeing glimpses of the royal family's daily lives, including the occasional photo of Grace, the family's beloved border collie. Mary is frequently seen in casual clothing and shoes, cycling the twins from their royal residence at Amalienborg Palace to a local primary school on a "cargo" bike, or horseback riding with her older children.

She definitely values motherhood, especially after losing her own mother at the age of 25. Henrietta Clark Donaldson passed away unexpectedly after undergoing heart surgery. Before her 2004 wedding, Mary spoke openly about her mother's death, telling a Danish journalist, "From time to time, I feel she is very close, that she is right next to me." “When I have children, I want to be like my mother.”