Wondering where some of the Queen of Denmark's sleekest ensembles are from? Here, we list six of the Nordic brands the royal wears on repeat
Since she first emerged on our radar as a 20-something dating the Crown Prince of Denmark, Mary, now Queen of Denmark, has cemented herself as an enduring style icon. Although she originally hails from Australia, Queen Mary’s ensembles have always embodied a Scandinavian sensibility, the beloved royal often leaning into dapper tailoring and feminine silhouettes that exude timeless elegance.
And while her wardrobe also boasts pieces from major maisons, Queen Mary’s penchant for Nordic fashion has been evident from the get-go, with the monarch often attending Copenhagen Fashion Week and obtaining a patronage of the Danish-led Global Fashion Agenda. Keen to support local talent and always championing sustainability, over the years, we’ve noticed a few Nordic brands that Queen Mary appears to gravitate towards the most. Below, we look at six of the royal’s go-to Scandinavian labels.
The custom white dress Søren Le Schmidt created for the very special occasion of Mary's first appearance as Queen of Denmark. Photo: Getty
Søren Le Schmidt
Danish Søren Le Schmidt is one of the homegrown brands we see Queen Mary wearing the most. The buzzy designer even created one of the monarch’s most memorable attires: Mary’s sleek, snow-white dress during her first appearance as Queen of Denmark. Le Schmidt is also responsible for a slew of other polished looks sported by the royal, such as the regal purple bespoke frock she donned at King Charles III’s coronation and the flowing, blush pink number she wore for a dinner in New Delhi.
The famous white MKDT Studio tweed dress, this time worn with a pair of navy heels. Photo: Getty
Mark Kenly Domino Tan
When opting for slightly less formal looks, Queen Mary often reaches for pieces crafted by Mark Kenly Domino Tan. The Danish brand is behind many of the monarch’s refined yet relaxed get-ups, with Queen Mary often mixing and matching MKDT Studio’s sophisticated, impeccably -cut pieces. Take, for instance, the grey vest she wore with the black, tailored midi to the opening of the Danish Cancer Society’s new visitor centre or the cream blouse she paired with terracotta trousers when welcoming Ukraine’s president and his wife to Denmark last year.
And then there’s that custom white long-sleeved tweed dress, of course, which the royal has worn on multiple occasions. Many will remember when, in 2018, Queen Mary (then Crown Princess) made headlines when she stepped out in Rome sporting the piece with white Nike sneakers, breaking convention with her shoe choice.
Wearing the flowy By Malene Birger dress in Australia in 2005. Photo: Getty
By Malene Birger
Danish label By Malene Birger is known for its sophisticated Scandinavian aesthetic fused with a hint of boho-chic. A great match with Queen Mary’s personal style, the royal is known to own a bevvy of By Malene Birger pieces, from the breezy ruffled maxi skirt she wore to the label’s show at the spring/summer 2016 Copenhagen Fashion Week to the tailored camel coat she often pairs with different outfits. Our personal favourite? The airy, beige polka-dot dress she donned when she visited summery Australia in 2005.
The H&M Conscious midi skirt, one of the Queen's seemingly favourite pieces. Photo: Getty
H&M
Not one to shy away from mixing the high street with high fashion, Queen Mary occasionally opts for the Swedish fashion brand H&M. A case in point: the upcycled, moss green floral midi skirt, which was customised for the Queen from a dress in the H&M Conscious collection. The royal has worn the skirt on various occasions, such as when she attended the Joaquín Sorolla exhibition in Copenhagen in 2023 and at the launch of the Copenhagen Fashion Summit in 2018.
The skirt is not the only H&M piece that obtains a spot in Queen Mary’s wardrobe. In 2015, she wore a flowy, floral-printed peach midi frock from the brand to the Copenhagen Fashion Summit. A year earlier, she donned a black A-line brocade dress plucked from the H&M Conscious collection, also for the Fashion Summit. The piece proved a massive hit among the Nordic princesses, as both Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden were seen wearing the same ensemble.
The beautiful Jesper Høvring gown Mary donned in 2013. Photo: Getty
Jesper Høvring
Many of Queen Mary’s most beautiful gowns come courtesy of Danish designer Jesper Høvring. Since he began crafting dresses for the monarch in 2009, Høvring has created some of Queen Mary’s most breathtaking looks, like the fire-engine red tiered chiffon dress she wore to the inauguration of King Wilhelm Alexander in the Netherlands in 2013 or the off-shoulder gown adorned with black lace she donned to a gala dinner in 2022.
For years, Queen Mary has been a pioneer amongst monarchs, promoting sustainability through her fashion choices. She often reuses her Jesper Høvring creations on various events, setting an excellent example for other royals.
Photo: Getty
Lasse Spangenberg
Another designer behind some of Queen Mary’s most iconic gowns is Danish Lasse Spangenberg. His most recent piece for the royal might just be one of her most famous ones: the dazzling, icy blue sequin-dripping custom dress the royal sported for the official portraits of her 50th birthday in 2022. In keeping with her conscious style, the Queen has since revisited the frock, most recently wearing it at Queen Margrethe II’s New Year’s banquet in 2023.
Other beautiful Spangenberg designs forever etched in our memories are the champagne-hued ruffled gown Queen Mary donned at a gala banquet in Copenhagen in 2018 and the bespoke midnight blue silk frock she stunned in a gala for King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.