Denmark’s Queen Mary and King Frederik are on a three-day state visit to France this week. They arrived in Paris on Monday and they received a formal greeting from French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron. Interesting moment for the Danish king and queen to be moving around and consolidating Denmark’s European alliances so publicly. It’s all geopolitical and it’s all to do with Donald Trump’s unhinged new world order.
But let’s talk about fashion! For the welcome ceremony at Elysée Palace, Queen Mary wore a stunning Dior ensemble in creamy white. Her shoes are Gianvito Rossi, her bag is Mulberry and her headband is from Jane Taylor. I love the suit, shoes and bag. I feel like the headband is a little eh – like, maybe it’s too much or too girlish for a grown woman on a formal state visit? I know it’s one of Mary’s signatures though, she loves a headband (the Princess of Wales copied that for a while too).
Monday evening, the Macrons hosted the state dinner at Elysée Palace as well. Mary wore a white blouse by CLEA and a floral skirt by Danish designer Lasse Spangenberg. Her clutch is Anya Hindmarch. Something nice: overall, she looks very regal and the ensemble is more than the sum of its parts, and I love that she mixed-and-matched some separates. But I could absolutely nitpick this. The skirt looks like dated wallpaper to me and the blouse is so conservative/Sister Wife. Mary also opted out of wearing a tiara, because apparently France sort of looks down on visiting royalty wearing their stolen loot. Queen Consorts rarely wear tiaras in France.
Also: Brigitte Macron looked nice, I especially liked her suit for the welcome ceremony. The blue gown is okayish.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
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- Paris, FRANCE – King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark are warmly welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris for an important meeting. Pictured: Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron, King Frederik, Queen Mary BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark are warmly welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris for an important meeting. Pictured: Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark are warmly welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris for an important meeting. Pictured: Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron, King Frederik, Queen Mary BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a grand state banquet at the Élysée Presidential Palace in Paris to honor the state visit of King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark. Pictured: Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a grand state banquet at the Élysée Presidential Palace in Paris to honor the state visit of King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark. Pictured: Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a grand state banquet at the Élysée Presidential Palace in Paris to honor the state visit of King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark. Pictured: Queen Mary BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a grand state banquet at the Élysée Presidential Palace in Paris to honor the state visit of King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark. Pictured: King Frederik, Queen Mary BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a grand state banquet at the Élysée Presidential Palace in Paris to honor the state visit of King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark. Pictured: King Frederik, Queen Mary BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a grand state banquet at the Élysée Presidential Palace in Paris to honor the state visit of King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark. Pictured: Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron, King Frederik, Queen Mary BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a grand state banquet at the Élysée Presidential Palace in Paris to honor the state visit of King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark. Pictured: Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron, King Frederik, Queen Mary BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron hosted a grand state banquet at the Élysée Presidential Palace in Paris to honor the state visit of King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark. Pictured: King Frederik, Queen Mary BACKGRID USA 31 MARCH 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
Love the floral skirt, the top looked busy with the embroidery but it gave her volume which worked with the skirt. She should have let her hair down for this outfit.
The Dior ensemble was a bit, plain Jackie O to me.
I like the silhouette of the skirt and blouse outfit, but the blouse fabric looks very office wear in the photos, and I hate that you can see the white undergarmet through the blouse. Brigitte’s evening gown is not awful but I expect more from the French first lady. It would be considered smashing on Camilla (with a new bra). Both day event outfits could have used some tailoring. Mary’s jacket is squishing the skirt.
Yeah, she could have worn a better blouse.
Would love the detail on Brigitte’s blue gown with the bead? embroidery at the bottom. Almost classical Greek style.
Aww I think both looks are absolutely exquisite and wouldn’t change a thing. I find her soft feminine beauty combined with stateliness to be quite compelling
Agree Snaggletooth. I find the skirt/blouse combo absolutely great. I saw this yesterday and thought: „Take note Kate, this is how it is done“. This is how a modern royal in her forties can dress for a State Dinner.
100% with you Snaggletooth.
Agree completely, she looks amazing in both. She is such a striking woman.
Isn’t mary in her fifties, not her forties?
I like the Dior suit.
I was hoping you’d cover this. Very interesting timing.
I absolutely love Mary’s skirt! But the shirt is a fail. It could have been so much better. Both suits are nice.
From a distance I love the blouse/skirt combo but not a fab of the embroidery up close.
Letizia did something similar a few years ago on visit to Morocco. Imo that outfit worked better because the pieces didn’t compete. Her blouse was elegantly plain (no frills) while the beaded skirt was elaborate perfection.
Regardless of what we think of the outfits, their timing is powerful and I’m sure it took a lot of deliberation between F&M, the Danish govt and Nato officials etc. Can you imagine Keen and Egg…
Symbolism is good too. France supports Denmark over Greenland.
Yep, this is how you use royalty in the modern age, you just have to make sure they are actually adept at what you need them to do.
Yes. And I just learned that the Danish government is buying French missiles for the rearmament. For State Visits, the Danish Royals usually travel with a delegation of diplomats and/or business people, so there’s a lot of important stuff going on under the umbrella of the Royal visit.
I really like the evening look, I think its a nice change from the typical formal evening gowns, especially if this was a more low key state visit. I do think the blouse makes it almost a little too daytime/casual but I think overall its a nice look.
The timing is spot on and this is a good example of the “soft diplomacy” of royals.
It is absolutely about showing support to Denmark in the face of American threats. Macron also seems to be working hard to position France as a leading force in the EU, especially in relation to the subject of security.
There’s also an additional element of the Danish King Frederik being half French. His late father Prince Henri was French and worked as a diplomat before he married into the Danish RF. THe French Embassy in Denmark also has quite a prominent culturel presence when compared to other embassies, in particular in terms of the arts. So there’s a long-standing cultural relationship that has always been supported by the Danish royals because of their personal French connections. Prince Joachim’s current wife is also French and both brothers have been biligual since they learned to speak.
I had no idea Frederik was half French! Thanks for sharing that info.
Didn’t he attend boarding school in France? There’s the family winery in France too.
Most of the French blood comes from Henri but the Danish royal house is related, via the Swedish born Queen Louise, to the House of Bernadotte. (Bernadotte was one of Napoleon’s commanders.) The Swedes and Danes are further descended from Empress Josephine via her first marriage to Alexandre de Beauharnais who was guillotined during The Terror.
In fact, there are some killer jewelry pieces that belonging to the Danes, again via Louise, that descend from Josephine. Mary should’ve busted them out! Many of some of the best Danish royal jewels come via Louise and tie back to France.
I kind of like Mary’s evening look. Down to the hair, albeit less full, it reminds me of an updated version of some 70s looks of Princess Grace.
To further add:
The pearl brooch Mary is wearing on her suit is part of Queen Louise’s collection albeit not part of Josephine’s inheritance. It was a wedding gift from Tsar Alexander III and his Danish wife Dagmar (Empress Marie).
Josephine de Beauharnais (Napoleon’s empress)—Alexandre de Beauharnais—Queen Josephine of Sweden—King Carl—Queen Louise of Denmark—Christian X—Frederick IX—Margarethe—Frederick
There are also French pieces belonging to Desiree Clary Bernadotte, Queen Desiree of Sweden, including the famous ruby parure Mary has worn since her marriage. That came to Denmark via Josephine and Louise as well, Josephine having explained “the Danish colors for Louise”.
Louise was the only surviving child of King Carl and his Dutch consort Louisa. Their daughter Louise inherited not just a ton of her paternal grandmother Josephine’s jewelry but also a good bit of her Romanov maternal grandmother Anna Pavlovna’s. The Danes have some amazing pieces between these two!
Louise was phenomenally wealthy, the Danes were not, and she also bought back jewelry, furniture, artwork and objets d’arts that the family had sold off. She instituted a historical property trust to keep significant pieces from being sold again. This is separate from the Crown Jewels trust that maintains some of the familiar tiaras etc.
I have been fortunate enough to see many of the Danish tiaras and most significant parures in person.
The suit is lovely with the pearl brooch. Even though the blouse with the floral skirt is sort of sister wife, it’s still an interesting choice. Very romantic and flowy.
Hard to believe that she is 10 years older than Kate- she looks wonderful.
She possibly borrow the blouse from Kate.
Hard to believe Madame Macron looks like she could be Kate’s mother — though the white cream suit was giving me ‘coat dress as separates.’
Queen Mary is always lovely and I enjoy her fashion far more than any other ‘Royal.”
Why is hard to believe a 71 year old woman looks like she could be the mother of women 20+ years younger than her? She could be all of their mamas! I mean her husband did go to school with her daughter…
TBH, I always forget about the age gap and the interesting back story.
It was also a bit of snark – the whole piling on pitting women against each other thing.
I bet there will be no shaking hands battle between these two guys.
That Dior suit is gorgeous, and I loved the evening skirt. Agree that the blouse is a miss.
Most of all, I loved this public declaration of support for Denmark. Macron is really stepping up.
Read an interesting piece in New York magazine (a profile of the ridiculous Donald Trump Jr.). Apparently the fascination with Greenland owes partly to a tech bro fascist desire for “an American imperium and the breeding of a race of alabaster-skinned supermen in Greenland.” Arctic regions “are supposedly the primordial homeland of a divine race of white-philosopher priests.” It’s bizarre.
That’s one, scary, theory. I don’t discount it in this hellscape. But I think it’s more likely to do with shipping lanes (as the glaciers melt), mineral rights (especially rare earth ones) and competition with China. The minerals especially also tie to Canada and Ukraine. The battle over lithium for batteries will be HUGE in coming years. I think Trump thinks he can extort countries to give us concessions and sweetheart deals in exchange for not annexing them (or throwing them to the Russian bear in the case of Ukraine). He runs our nation like a mob boss.
Companies need to be creating alternatives, like the Japanese inventor who makes batteries with 1/5 the lithium that work better and longer.
I think Mary looks great in both outfits. I don’t understand the comment about the blouse being too much like office wear. It has lovely embroidery and billowing cuffs. I like the whole idea of the outfit, but I personally don’t like the floral design of the skirt fabric- reminds me of couches and wall-paper. I think up-do shows off the detail of the collar and shoulders of the blouse. I like the silhouette of the suit- it has a retro 40’s look. I think she should lose the headband, though. I think Brigitte always looks elegant but I find her style not too exciting.
It is becoming very obvious that Macron is now the leader of the free world. Angela Merkel held that position from 2017 to 2021 then handed it back to Biden, now Macron has firmly stepped up to fill the void and the rest of the free world stands with him.
I LOVE the print skirt! The blouse is a bit old fashionned but is OK. I liked the suit as well, but felt a bit of color might have been nice. Brigitte Macron didn’t look great; I especially disliked the double breasted button outfit.
First, can I just say that I approve of Brigitte showing her knees in that suit? I get so tired of women over 50 deciding that knees can’t be seen.
I love the skirt, but I think I would have gone with a blouse in a color other than white.
Why are we not counting Buttons?!
😂 yeah, that’s a lot of buttons!
Oh, so that’s why they put the Danish flag everywhere in Paris ! I hope Macron told them that we do NOT want to take over Greenland.
I’m not crazy about the embroidery on the top, but otherwise I love the look. It shows how many more options there are even as a queen. The Dior look is beautiful too.
Technically and traditionally speaking (or, as much as a fashion accessory that has only really existed for a little over 200 years CAN be traditional) tiaras are supposed to be reserved for white tie only, but recent decades have seen that standard relaxed to also allow tiaras with a black tie dress code.
But if the men are wearing three-piece business suits then tiaras are and always have been off the table!
Queen Mary looked lovely. Haute Couture, non, but elegant, classic, regal, oui, oui. Brigitte Macron’s outfits were both nopes, IMO. The suit looked dated and fug and the gown was a pretty color but that’s about it. That’s a little surprising as she usually brings the fashion!