Romance rumors will haunt Denmark’s King Frederick for the rest of his life, experts say, as the royal house prepares for the first anniversary of the “Madrid scandal”.
In November 2023, the then-Crown Prince, 56, was spotted on a night out in Madrid, Spain, with glamorous Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova, 47.
The Palace called it a “private visit” but otherwise declined to discuss the nature of the now infamous incident. Meanwhile, his wife, Mary, was more than 3,000 miles away on official royal business in New York.
Now royal experts have claimed there will always be damaging remnants of the story that put King Frederick and Queen Mary’s “fairytale” relationship, 52, in the spotlight.
‘It was a huge case and, in principle, we will never forget it either. It will remain lurking beneath the surface for many years,” communications expert Anna Thygesen told Danish tabloid BT.
“It doesn’t take much for it to flare up again.”
Historian Lars Hovbakke agreed, explaining that the only way to end the story was to talk openly about what happened that night in Madrid.
“But the Royal Family has said clearly from the beginning that this is a private matter, which they are not obliged to report, and they are not going to visibly change their position,” he said.
Queen Mary and King Frederick will forever have to deal with rumors after their night out in Madrid, experts say
King Frederick spent time with his friend Genoveva Casanova (pictured) in Madrid last November, sparking rumors of an affair that she had vehemently denied.
Both experts added that the first year after a scandal is usually the most difficult and that things should be easier for the royal couple.
But any misstep by King Frederick could remind people of the issue and bring the conversation back to the surface.
Or the “unthinkable” could happen and Genoveva Casanova could tell her side, despite previously criticizing the affair rumors as hurtful and wrong.
The rumors ignited after Lecturas magazine published the photos in mid-November last year.
The photos showed the friends exploring Madrid. They also showed the then-Crown Prince disappearing into Genevieve’s apartment before reappearing in different clothes some time later.
Then the friends went to dinner and did not leave the restaurant until 1 in the morning.
From then on everything the royal couple did came under the microscope.
The next time Frederik and Mary appeared in public something was different.
Queen Mary, who was then crown princess, appeared furious in the first public outing after rumors of the affair were published.
The pair, known for their playful and tactile displays of affection, appeared to be “blocking each other.” Viewers also noticed a “coldness” between them.
Mary seemed angry with her husband and almost stopped holding hands.
The Australian-born royal was then spotted vacationing in Sydney without her husband. Instead, she was photographed alongside her two youngest children, Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent, both 13 years old.
This sparked separation rumors with thousands of fans furious over Frederik’s alleged behavior and treatment towards his wife, the mother of his four children.
Rumors have been circulating ever since, intensifying with each “icy” appearance by the couple.
Then, as the rumors continued, Queen Margaret renounced the throne, making way for the recently controversial couple to become king and queen of Denmark.
People questioned whether the elderly monarch had resigned in a desperate attempt to keep the couple’s marriage alive and quell rumors that their relationship was in ruins.
King Frederick and Queen Mary put on a united display after taking the throne, but body language experts told FEMAIL there was anger, mistrust and disconnection beneath the surface.
Dr Louise Mahler said that while they were both committed to playing the King and Queen opposite each other, the personal relationship seemed strained.
“She is completely blocking Frederik,” Dr. Louise told FEMAIL after the couple’s first official interview as King and Queen.
“Queen Mary looks towards Frederik, but her head is tilted outwards, while her hands are also clasped with her left hand over her right and shielding herself from Frederick,” he said.
“Given previous tactile behavior and rumors, there is a perceived challenge.”
Then in March, the royal couple were photographed on a ski holiday, where they looked very “icy” around each other.
Months later they decided to “work” on their twentieth wedding anniversary.
This choice came as a surprise to royal watchers, as the King and Queen have previously been very firm with their boundaries around work and pleasure.
Rumors of a fractured relationship intensified each time the King ‘deflected’ when asked about the big day and opted to talk about the weather.
Fans couldn’t help but point out every inconsistency in the couple’s relationship.
The official ‘anniversary’ photograph shows the couple smiling on their boat, wearing matching padded vests and looking every inch the perfect couple.
But candid shots revealed a seemingly awkward undercurrent and show them both frowning.
Then, in September, just when the rumors had begun to die down and the couple seemed comfortable in each other’s company, two glamorous blondes revealed that they had also partied with the prince in the months before he took the throne.
Danish TV star Janni Ree, 54, and her friend Camilla Dalsgaard, a dancer, met Frederik in July, before their famous night out in Madrid.
They partied with him during Denmark’s famous summer booze in the coastal town of Skagen.
And although the rumors persist as they ‘heat up’, experts say they will never escape them.
It was during Denmark’s infamous ‘Week 29’ or Hellerup Week, a time when rich young people flock to the small town in their multi-million-krona cars and fancy boats for a week of fun and excessive drinking.
Both women admitted they were delighted to see the ‘party prince’ in action.
‘Camilla and I ended up partying with him. Just the three of us. It was incredibly nice,” Janni revealed.
In recent times there have been more positive comments about the photos of the King and Queen, with less obvious conversations about the rumours.
Although his problems from the last year remain the background of the conversation.
‘More beautiful photographs of our royal couple. Where they represent our little Denmark in the most beautiful way. They always appear empathetic, smiling. And now they are a beautiful couple,” said one woman.
Others simply refuse to continue watching the “fairy tale.”
‘Just look at the queen’s reaction when the king touches her. It’s just a business,” one person wrote in a new photo.
While another begged them to hold hands, even if it’s just for appearances.