Queen Mary of Denmark has unexpectedly ended her patronage of an Australian charity dear to her heart, the Alannah and Madeline Foundation.
The nonprofit was founded in memory of two girls killed in the Port Arthur massacre, one of the darkest days in the history of Mary’s home state of Tasmania.
On April 28, 1996, a loner named Martin Bryant killed 35 people and injured 23 others in the resort town of Port Arthur – the deadliest massacre in modern Australian history.
Three of his victims were Alannah and Madeline Mikac, aged six and three, and their mother Nanette.
A year after the tragedy, the girls’ father, Walter Mikac AM, launched the Alannah and Madeline Foundation in memory of his daughters with the mission of keeping all children safe from violence.
Mary has been an international patron of the foundation, which has since become one of Australia’s most renowned charities and is now based in Victoria, for 19 years.
“We extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to Her Majesty for her wonderful support, kindness and inspiration as our International Patron since 2005,” the Alannah and Madeline Foundation said in a statement.
‘As we thank Queen Mary for her inspiration and support, we reflect on the extraordinary journey we have shared with her over the years.’
Queen Mary of Denmark has unexpectedly ended her patronage of an Australian charity close to her heart, the Alannah and Madeline Foundation.
Queen Mary has been a vocal advocate for mental health since she first emerged on the world stage, describing it as “one of the great challenges of our time”.
The reason the Queen is stepping away from the foundation is largely a question of logistics around her new title.
After Hobart-born Mary assumed the title of Queen of Denmark in January, there was a controversial “reassessment of existing royal patronages” that angered some of her Danish constituents and resulted in the Australian charity being abandoned.
Queen Mary has maintained a close connection with her homeland and was last in her native Australia to spend the Christmas holidays with her family last year.
Mary had been an international patron of the foundation, which has since become one of Australia’s most famous charities and is now based in Victoria, for 19 years. Pictured with King Frederick at a gala dinner for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation in Melbourne in 2009
This comes amid a period of immense change at Amalienborg Palace following Mary’s appointment as queen.
Queen Mary and King Frederik have likely angered thousands of Danes by sending a “clear message” about their new reign, after months of scrutiny surrounding their rumoured marital problems.
The new royals have decided to cut the number of charities and community groups the royal family can support at any one time.
In this way, 118 groups have been eliminated from the official list of royal patronages, leaving 140 that will be represented by the family.
“We extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to Her Majesty for her wonderful support, kindness and inspiration as our International Patron since 2005,” the Alannah & Madeline Foundation said in a statement.
“Through our royal patronages, we wish to support efforts that promote Danish culture, science and enterprise, protect our nature and give a voice to the marginalised and vulnerable in our society,” read a statement from the King and Queen.
“This long tradition serves to unite us in small and large communities.”
Copenhagen Zoo has been removed from the list of patronages supported by Queen Mary, despite naming an entire section after her.
Funding has also been cut to the Danish Golf Union, the Danish Swimming Union, the Odense Flower Festival, the Greenlandic Christmas Stamp Fund and the Hearing Association.
The royals will also only commit to a five-year period as patrons of any group – once that period is up, the charity or organisation will have to apply to be considered again.
“The time constraints mean there will be a continuing opportunity for the Royal Family to take on new patronages as the partnership develops,” the royals said.
The charity was founded in memory of two girls killed in the Port Arthur massacre, one of the darkest days in the history of Mary’s home state of Tasmania. Mary is pictured at an event for the Alannah & Madeline Foundation in November 2011.
This is the first time since he took the throne that a political issue has overshadowed the couple’s alleged romantic differences.
Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen, a Danish royal expert and historian, said the restructuring would upset many and have a huge financial effect on organisations that have been isolated.
However, he believes the new King and Queen are opting for fewer patronages so they can put more effort into each one.
“Now they have to live up to this. The royals have to show that when you are a member of the Royal House, you really participate in the protectorates. And the fact that they have a limited duration is a new promise that there will be activity,” he said. BT
As crown princess, Mary had 36 patronages to her name. Now, as queen, she has only 23, some of which have never before been represented by the crown.
The Queen added the Danish Hospital Clowns, a group she has previously posted about on Instagram, and WeShelter, which focuses on particularly disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in the country.
She has also chosen to represent the Danish Independent Research Fund and maintain her engagement with the UNEP Biodiversity Board and the Danish Nature Fund.
The Queen has received patronage from the Royal Danish Academy of Music, the Danish Cancer Society and Diakonissestiftelsen, a healthcare organisation founded in 1863 by Queen Louise on behalf of Queen Margrethe.
After Hobart-born Mary assumed the title of Queen of Denmark in January, there was a controversial “reassessment of existing royal patronages” that angered some of her Danish constituents and resulted in her leaving the Australian charity.
Only 16 groups from his previous portfolio survived the drastic changes.
King Frederick’s portfolio has also changed dramatically: he has retained only eight of his former patronages, although the total has only dropped from 32 to 27.
The King has taken over 14 of his mother’s patronages, including the American-Scandinavian Foundation, the Danish Bible Society, the Danish Sports Confederation (DIF), Greenland House and the Royal Danish Geographical Society.
She also chose to become a “patron of the North Atlantic House in Odense and Projekt Koltur in the Faroe Islands, both with the aim of promoting knowledge of the Kingdom’s culture and nature, as well as the Danish Architecture Centre, the Brain Prize and the Léonie Sonning Music Prize, which each in their own way focus on Danish design, science and culture in an international context.”
The King is expanding his involvement in the green agenda as a sponsor of the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial Meeting.
Her mother, Queen Margaret, saw her portfolio cut from 81 to 20 groups and organisations.
Prince Joachim will represent just 24 groups and organisations, down from the previous 40. Princess Benedicta will also serve on a reduced portfolio, from 44 to just 25.
Princess Mary, Joachim’s wife, will take on more responsibilities and has agreed to become patron of the Prince Henrik School and the Stop Wasting Food charity.
He will also take over King Frederik’s patronage of the Danish Dyslexia Association and Queen Mary’s patronage of Hjernesagen, an organisation for people affected by brain injuries.
Queen Mary has maintained a close connection with her homeland and was last in her native Australia for the Christmas holidays with her family last year.
All patronages were suspended on 14 January when Queen Mary and King Frederick ascended to the throne.
Since then, the royal household has been discussing how they should be divided and who they should work with.
King Frederick and Queen Mary are keen to make it clear that they will continue to work beyond their patronages and that while each royal’s list of patronages reflects their passions and interests, “it is far from a complete picture.”
The majority of the 400-500 points on the Royal Family’s annual official programme consist of visits to institutions, organisations, companies and authorities that are not part of the patronage portfolio.