Mary Elizabeth Donaldson

Mary Elizabeth Donaldson (b. 5 February 1972) is a lawyer from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia who is engaged to marry HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. She has been living in the United Kingdom for several years and also holds British citizenship.

She met Prince Frederik in a bar in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia during the 2000 Summer Olympics. The wedding will take place on 14 May 2004 in Copenhagen, Denmark at The Copenhagen Cathedral. She will be the first Australian to receive a royal title. After the marriage she will be known as Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Marie of Denmark.

Prior to the announcement of the engagement, Ms. Donaldson underwent a medical examination to ensure that she was able to bear children and thus provide an heir for the throne. She will be converting from Presbyterianism to Lutheranism and giving up her British and Australian citizenships. The Danish Folketing will pass a special law giving her Danish citizenship which normally takes years but is a must for a royal bride. She also has signed a prenuptial agreement waiving custody of any children in the event of divorce.

Ms. Donaldson was born in Hobart, Tasmania on 5 February 1972. She is the daughter of Dr. John Dalgleish Donaldson, (Professor of Applied Mathematics) (b. 5 September 1941) and the late Henrietta Clark Donaldson (12 May 1942 — 20 November 1997) (Executive assistant to the Vice-Chancellor of The University of Tasmania). She has three siblings: Jane Alison Stephens (b. 26 December 1965), Patricia Anne Woods (b. 16 March 1968), and John Stuart Donaldson (b. 9 July 1970). Ms. Donaldson graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1994 with Bachelors of Commerce and Law (BCom.LLB).