Queen Mary ushers in the new year with new uniform

Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark ring in the year with a uniform first.

On New Year’s Day at Amalienborg’s Christian VII’s and Christian VIII’s Palaces, the royal couple stepped out bright and early to convey “Happy New Year” greetings to dignitaries, mayors and regional councillors.

Their well-wishes also extended to members of the Supreme Court, along with the officer corps of the Royal Lifeguards and the Guards Regiment, marking the occasion with a blend of tradition and ceremony.

This year’s gathering was notable for a historic first, as female Supreme Court judges appeared in a specially designed uniform for the occasion. 

It marked the first time women serving on Denmark’s highest court wore a tailored court dress.

Their appearance placed them alongside their male colleagues, who have worn court dress since 1803 and in its current form since 1852 to reflect a more modern judiciary.

The festive levée is now part of a series of New Year’s engagements hosted by the royal couple, who only recently ascended the throne following Queen Margrethe II’s historic abdication in January 2024.

Queen Mary is known for her sartorial skill and diplomatic warmth, also attended high-profile receptions where she dazzled in bespoke gowns and even sported a newly repurposed diamond bandeau tiara created from a 19th-century belt.