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Ahhh, the Olympic games… The place where gold medals are won, athletic records are broken, and where the royals find love. Umm, what was that last one again? As it turns out, the man next in line to snag the Denmark throne, Crown Prince Frederick, met his non-royal wife, Mary, at the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney, Australia. Guess all kinds of fairytales come true at the Olympics!
Before their magical Copenhagen wedding ceremony back in 2004, the prince and princess of Denmark, first crossed paths at the Slip Inn, a modest Australian bar during the Olympic games, People reports. Crown Princess Mary (then known as Mary Donaldson) was an advertising executive, while the Danish prince played the part of just another guy in a bar, introducing himself to Donaldson simply as “Fred.”
“The first time we met, we shook hands,” the now-princess remembers of that first modest meeting. “I didn’t know he was the prince of Denmark. Half an hour later, someone came up to me and said, ‘Do you know who these people are?'” Hey, give the girl a break! Can you really blame an Aussie for not being totally up-to-date on Danish royalty? We bet she’s read up those history books by now!
Photo: Getty Images
For the next three years, the long-distance couple jetted back and forth between their two countries. Eventually Donaldson renounced her Australian citizenship and learned Danish, and the regal pair became engaged, with Frederick presenting his bride with an emerald-cut diamond flanked by two ruby baguettes. They tied the knot on May 14, 2004 at the Copenhagen Cathedral, and in a lace veil and satin grown, commoner Mary Donaldson became Crown Princess Mary. Since then, the royal couple has had four children and have attended almost every summer Olympic Games ever since!
Photo: Getty Images
Now, is Prince Harry due to appear at the Olympics this summer in Rio de Janeiro? Time to line up, ladies! Maybe this time next year we’ll be planning for another royal wedding…
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