“You are ready and you will be amazing at your job,” an emotional Margrethe told her son and daughter-in-law during a private dinner.
“I trust you and feel secure handing over to such a wonderful couple.”
A royal insider said Frederik fought back tears as his mother praised him and Mary, and he kissed the Queen on both cheeks after proposing a toast to her.
Earlier that day, Margrethe had stood on the terrace of her summer residence alongside the future king and queen of Denmark to celebrate her 79th birthday.
The annual photo-call was deeply significant as the Queen was joined on the verandah of Marselisborg Palace by just Mary, Frederik and their four children – Christian, 13, daughter Isabella, 12, and twins Vincent and Josephine, 8.
There was no sign of younger son Prince Joachim and his wife Marie, or other relatives, as the core of the Danish royal family waved to a crowd of well-wishers.
The Queen – who lost her husband Prince Henrik, aged 83, last year – and her family often spend time at Marselisborg, which is situated in Aarhus, the country’s second largest city.
The insider revealed: “It is where the Queen feels most relaxed and perhaps why she felt able to tell Frederik and Mary she is ready to hand over power.
“The dinner was not a grand affair – that will come next year when she is 80 – but she was just glowing and basking in the love of her son and heir, her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren.
“The Queen is slowly handing over some duties to Frederik and Mary, and she sees the future of the royal family is in safe hands.”
With the couple set to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary this month, could the Queen make the official announcement soon to make it a double celebration?
On a recent tour to Argentina with Frederik, Margrethe said of her son: “He is fantastic, much better than me!”
Royal reporter Jacob Heinel Jensen of Se Og Hoer magazine said: “The trip to Argentina was clearly designed as a kind of exam for Frederik to see if he is ready to be king, and he passed with flying colours.
"You could see how proud the Queen was of him and how much respect he has for her as he looked to her for advice on what to do and how to talk to people.
“The Queen has not been in great health for some years and she is clearly ready for Frederik and Mary to take the reins.
"She is finally coming around to the idea that she could abdicate and enjoy a few years in retirement while her health holds up. Certainly, the Danish people would like her to do that.
“I don’t have any doubt she feels Frederik is ready with Mary by her [son’s] side. She thinks Mary is a very strong woman who brings out the best in her son. Mary is already the de facto Queen in many people’s eyes.
“The Queen has spent the last decade or so training up Mary because she is so important for the future, and she is delighted with her progress.”
Two years ago, Margrethe heaped praise on Mary in a book interview saying: “She’s brilliant. She can do things that I was not able to do at her age. I have to say that I’m so happy with the Crown Prince’s choice.
“She is very good for her husband and you can see he thrives on it!”
Royal author Phil Dampier said: “Having just the Queen and Mary and Frederik’s family on the balcony reminded me of the British royals having just the Queen, Charles and Camilla and William and Harry with their partners on the balcony at Buckingham Palace ... It sends out a signal that these are the important figures going forward at the heart of the monarchy.”
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