With stress mounting on Prince Frederik and his wife Princess Mary, who are taking on more royal duties as their reign nears, there are fresh fears for the heir to the Danish throne as he struggles with the pressures of becoming King.
WATCH: How royal couples met
Despite Fred being well-trained for what’s to come once he succeeds his mother, Queen Margrethe, 81, New Idea understands that behind palace doors the prince has been taking more and more time out, sometimes disappearing for two days at a time!
Insiders says Frederik, 52, uses his time away from the palace and his family to “think and contemplate the future of the monarchy and his role as ruler” – but now there are growing concerns that his approach may cause strife in his longstanding marriage.
The time away from his family has only dredged up the past for his wife of 17 years, Australian-born Mary, who is said to be deeply concerned that her husband may fall back into his bad old habits.
“Unlike Fred, Mary does not escape if there is a problem,” explains a well-placed Danish royal insider, adding, “She always stays and works hard to find a viable solution.”
Frederik’s behaviour and wild nights out have long sent Danish press into a frenzy, and palace sources say it’s only natural that Mary, 49, would be feeling concerned about history repeating itself.
“It is widely known that Frederik, in his youth, had strings of women courting his attention and that he too had many female friends,” the source continues. But his private persona tells a very different story.
“On the surface he handles pressure well and has valuable experience in dealing with stressful situations and keeping a cool head when in the public eye, but behind the palace walls he just withdraws,” the source explains of the father of four, who shares Prince Christian, 15, Princess Isabella, 14, and 10-year-old twins Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent with Mary.
“Stories of Fred’s past are nothing compared to previous members of Danish royal family – after all, his great-great-grandfather died of a heart attack in a brothel in Germany,” reveals the insider.
And while Mary trusts and supports her husband completely, she is said to be worried sick about him and is doing all she can to help him with his big transition ahead.
“Frederik has been in apprenticeship for a long time,” the insider continues.
“A monarch begins planning his or her own funeral the day he or she ascends the throne – plans are made quite openly in the Danish royal family,” says the source of Frederik, who, as Crown Prince of Denmark, is in line to one day take over the role from his mother, who ascended the throne when he was just 4.
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