King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark attend first Sunday service as new monarchs

Australia’s Queen Mary looked stunning in purple as she and King Frederik attended their first Sunday service since becoming monarchs.

King Frederik of Denmark and Queen Mary have attended the first church service of the new monarch’s reign, as crowds braved snow in Copenhagen to catch a glimpse of the royals.

The 55-year-old King and his Australian wife, 51, looked happy and relaxed as they waved at wellwishers who had been queuing all morning holding Danish flags as snow fell around Aarhus Cathedral on Sunday local time.

King Frederik was dressed in full military regalia and Queen Mary looked regal in a deep violet dress coat and matching pillbox hat offset with a navy wrap and blue leather gloves.

King Frederik X, Queen Mary of Denmark and Crown Prince Christian of Denmark arrive for a church service on the occasion of the change of throne. Picture: AFP

Also attending the change of throne service were the royal couple’s four children, Crown Prince Christian, 18, Princess Isabella, 16, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, 13.

The choice of colours symbolised the uplifting occasion with Princess Isabella in dusty pink and Princess Josephine in pale blue.

Queen Mary of Denmark waves as she arrives for the church service at Aarhus Cathedral. Picture: AFP

Wellwishers wait outside Aarhus Cathedral with Danish flags. Picture: AFP

King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark wave to onlookers as they arrive with their children Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent. Picture: AFP

The Danish royals at Aarhus Cathedral. Picture: Getty Images

The King and Queen’s sons wore tailored navy blue suits.

Queen Margrethe, 83, whose abdication was sudden, looked happy and stylish in a light purple dress and faux fur coat and hat.

Her son King Frederik X ascended the throne last Sunday after his mother abdicated after 52 years as queen.

Queen Margrethe arrives for the church service. Picture: AFP

Princess Benedikte of Denmark walks into the church. Picture: AFP

People queue before attending the church service. Picture: AFP

Queen Margrethe’s younger sister, Princess Benedikte of Denmark, 79, also wore purple.

Inside Aarhus Cathedral, which is the tallest church in Denmark, the royals participated in a celebratory service led by the Royal Chaplain-in-Ordinairy and Bishop of the Diocese of Aarhus Henrik Wigh-Poulsen.

The service, which serves to spiritually mark the incoming monarchs in a happy rather than sombre occasion comes as an official portrait of the family was released on the Danish Royal Family’s Instagram page.

The celebratory portrait featured the king and queen in full regalia accompanied by their smartly dressed four children against the splendid backdrop of the royal Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen.

Originally published as King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark attend first Sunday service as new monarchs