When Crown Princess Mary was just 26, her mother Henrietta tragically passed away and Mary – now 47 – still feels the pain of the loss.
But rather than hiding away her emotions from her family, the Australian-born princess is open with her four children about her experience.
Watch: Prince Frederik tensely watches on as Mary Curtseys to Queen
In a recent candid interview with Danish publication Billed Bladet, she revealed that “death is something we talk about with our children”.
“[We discuss it] as naturally as possible. I have experienced loss myself, so my children know about my loss. They never met my mother, but they know about loss through me,” she said.
“So, it’s in a natural way and it’s a part of life. It’s something we have to be open about. We must be able to share these very hard feelings with others. And those around us have to be able to embrace us during difficult times.”
Mary added: “We must try to be as open about it as possible, so that they dare ask questions about death and show compassion for those who have lost.”
It’s not the first time that Mary has spoken candidly about the death of her mum.
In 2015, the princess revealed how hard it was for her to lose her mother at such a young age.
“I was 26. It happened too early,” she told Hello! “I felt alone in my pain. As if nobody understood what I was going through and I had come to a standstill while the whole world around me kept moving forwards.
“It’s so hard to see, but as you get older, you learn to appreciate the time you had together as a gift. And the loss offers something that you wouldn’t have otherwise. It makes [you] a strong person.”
However, Mary admitted that she “would have liked to have spent more time with her”.
The interview comes as Mary and her husband, Crown Prince Frederik, revealed they will send their children –Prince Christian, 14, Princess Isabella, 12, and 8-year-old twins Vincent and Josephine –to a Swiss boarding school next year.
“We view it as a gift to our children, one where they can be together about it, and a gift they can have with them for the rest of their lives,” Mary explained.
There are reports Mary plans to move to Switzerland along with the children and house them in private quarters, instead of the school. The princess was also recently spotted without her wedding and engagement ring – so is the big move causing trouble in her marriage?
In the past, Mary has spoken about how her mother affected her own parenting style.
“Naturally, I do things my own way but I’m certainly influenced by my mother’s way of doing things,” Princess Mary told The Australian Women’s Weekly.
“She is a part of me. My mother would do anything for her children. And that’s how I am too. I’d do anything for them. That’s what real love is. Unconditional love.’’
Mary opened up about her kids, saying she wants them to be “happy and positive individuals, with self-esteem and self-confidence’’.
“As parents, we want to give our children a solid foundation that will give them the strength to be themselves in what for them will often be an extraordinary world
Fred says: ‘Be more like Meghan!’
The Danish royal couple – Fred in particular – are said to have a new-found admiration for Meghan Markle, who the prince sees as a strong role model. “It’s fascinating that Frederik is an admirer of Meghan,” says royals author, Phil Dampier.
While the former actress has faced criticism, Fred’s focus is firmly on her charitable endeavours and her role as a global citizen. Their paths crossed during the Invictus Games in Sydney last year, while Meghan and Harry were on tour, Fred attended the volleyball match between Denmark and Canada.
“Meghan has led a fascinating international life, working in Argentina at the US Embassy, campaigning for charities all over the world, and of course starring in Suits, which was filmed in Toronto,” says our source.
“Frederik and Mary have a very broad outlook on life and want their children to see things from a global perspective, as Meghan does.”
The Queen bestowed four patronages on Meghan this year, but her advocacy work started well before she met Prince Harry.
Her charity work has also seen the star travel extensively, which is what Fred and Mary want for their kids.
“It’s one of the reasons why they are sending all four children to an international school in Switzerland next year,” explains our source. “Mary has described the idea as a ‘gift’ to her children, something they can learn from and cherish in years to come, establishing contacts and broadening their horizons.
“This is something Meghan preaches and I’m sure Frederik and Mary admire that.”
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