Concerns are growing for Queen Mary of Denmark, with the Australian-born royal recently absent from official duties on doctor’s orders due to an undisclosed illness.
Now, insiders say that, after a particularly challenging few years, the 53-year-old has reached her breaking point, resulting in her burning out.
“Mary’s struggling. She’s been out of action for two weeks and she’s still not 100 per cent, but there’s no doubt she’s looking at her long list of duties with dread,” an insider tells Woman’s Day.
“It’s not that her heart’s not in it, she’s just completely burnt out and exhausted and, frankly, two weeks is not enough. She needs a good five or six weeks of restorative rest just to catch up.”
STRESSFUL & TRAUMATIC
“She knows how to pull her socks up and get on with things, but this time it’s difficult to find the energy. The past few years have been nothing short of stressful, not to mention traumatic.”
The devoted mother of four is said to have first been triggered by bullying allegations at son Christian’s elite private school Herlufsholm Boarding School in 2022.
The concerning claims led Mary and husband Frederik, 56, to pull their eldest child from the institution. But with the 19-year-old now enrolled in military school, she has a whole new set of concerns.
With daughter Isabella turning 18 on April 21 and 14-year-old twins Vincent and Josephine in their formative years, Mary will always be a mother first and foremost.
“The situation with Christian made her even more vigilant about her children than ever before,” our insider notes. “She’s watching her twins like a hawk right now for any signs of teenage rebellion.”
PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT
Of course, Mary’s marriage being thrust into the spotlight in November 2023 when photos emerged of Fred enjoying a cosy night out in Madrid with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova only added to her stress.
The following month, there was much speculation around Queen Margrethe II of Denmark’s sudden announcement of her abdication plans – earlier than expected.
The couple were crowned King and Queen on January 14, 2024.
“Nothing has compared to the life-changing shock from the headlines about Frederik being photographed out in Madrid with another woman,” the insider says.
“Most wives would be on edge after that, but Mary and Frederik had barely had a chance to work through their issues when they were thrust upon the throne.
“Mary’s been running on empty, physically and emotionally, so it’s no surprise she got ill. She’s not the type to walk away but she’s ready to retreat from the spotlight and have a decent chance to rest.”
