Danish Royal Household
It’s officially sailing season in Denmark, and Queen Mary and King Frederik marked the occasion on May 6 by boarding their royal yacht, Dannebrog.
The couple embarked on a short cruise from Copenhagen Harbour to Helsingør—an annual tradition symbolising the start of the maritime season.
Among the many privileges of Queen Mary’s royal life are her extraordinary residences and the royal yacht is no exception.
Denmark has only one of two monarchies- the other is Norway- in the world that still maintain an official royal yacht, making the Queen the envy of royal families everywhere.
When the British Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997 due to rising maintenance costs, even the normally stoic Queen Elizabeth II shed a tear.
Denmark, however, has held tightly to its floating palace, Dannebrog.
A floating palace
Commissioned in 1932, Dannebrog serves as both a private residence for the royal family and a training vessel for the Danish Navy.
Its interiors include a study, lounge, dining salons and multiple bedrooms, sleeping up to 14 guests and 52 crew.
The royal compartments feature antique furnishings and fittings salvaged from the previous royal vessel dating back to 1879, preserving generations of Danish royal history.
The vessel is used for annual summer cruises around Denmark, Greenland, and to visit neighbouring countries.
Private receptions are also held on board, with Queen Margrethe hosting Count Nikolai’s 18th board on the yacht in 2017.
A family home
As a young boy, King Frederik spent summers cruising with his parents, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik, and his brother Prince Joachim.
In an interview with Danish broadcaster TV2, he recalled running across the decks and helping the crew polish brass and scrub the floors.
“It gives a feeling that now it is me who has steered in more than one sense, and it feels safe and secure,” he shared.
It’s not all official duties on board though.
The Australian-born Queen has previously revealed that the family enjoys holidays on the yacht, often with plenty of fun in the water.
“The children, crew and us—though not so high for me—jump from the highest point of the ship into the deep blue water,” Mary told TV2.
When Queen Mary & King Frederik will next set sail
The Royal Couple will conduct their next official summer cruise from 1 to 4 June 2026, visiting the Municipality of Odense, the Municipality of Norddjur, Municipality of Holbæk.
They will also spend a private day at sea, allowing them to relax and enjoy the luxurious facilities on board.
In August 2025, the pair finished off the season by taking a four-day voyage that focused on the North Jutland area.
On the first day they visited Grenen, which is Denmark’s northernmost point.
Two seas, Kattegat and Skagerrak, collide there, which produces a vigorous natural current.
Keen to experience the natural phenomena, the royals kicked off their shoes to head into the water.
After Frederik took some snaps of Mary on his phone, they posed for official images.
“Shall we kiss?” Mary cheekily quipped to her husband in the moment.
At the end of the voyage, the pair thanked the communities who had welcomed them so warmly.
“We couldn’t have wished for a nicer and better ending to Summer,” the royals posted on their official Instagram account.
Criticisms about the continued use of the royal yacht
King Frederik has faced some criticism over the yacht’s carbon emissions, particularly given his commitment to a greener future.
“The Royal House is aware of the dilemma associated with Dannebrog being powered by conventional fuel,” Nine Munch-Oerrin, Head of Communications for the Danish Royal Household, told BT.
She added that the Danish Defence is currently investigating alternative fuels to reduce emissions from the royal ship.
However, she emphasised that the vessel’s symbolic importance remains paramount.
“It is important to emphasise that Dannebrog is a historic ship with symbolic and representative significance for Denmark.”
Read expert opinion and analysis in WHO’s The Royal Verdict with Kylie Walters here.
