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Back to where it all began! Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark attended the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday. The royal couple first met over 20 years ago during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The Danish King and Queen shared on Friday that experiencing the Olympic atmosphere together again brought "back wonderful memories" for them.
Mary and Frederik's message accompanied a photo of the two of them at the Opening Ceremony with the Eiffel Tower in the background. "Friendship, solidarity and fair play are the foundations of the Olympic spirit, which in the coming weeks will bring together nations from all over the globe for the world's biggest sporting event," they penned.
"The strong community that you feel at the Olympic Games has always meant something special to both of us, just as it brings back wonderful memories to experience the Olympic atmosphere together again," the King and Queen continued. "We are now ready at the Seine for the grand opening ceremony, where we will shortly wish our Danish athletes all the best of luck at the Olympic Games in Paris 🇩🇰."
Amber Petty, who was one of Mary’s bridesmaids, has opened up in the past about how the royal couple met. Amber previously told Sunrise, “It was an organised small dinner during the Olympics and Mary happened to be invited and most of the guests happened to be royals.”
At a gala banquet for Frederik's 50th birthday in 2018, Mary spoke about their first meeting, saying, "Sometimes we hit the target without even aiming. That is how I think of our first meeting. A stroke of good luck that became a choice."
The couple wed on May 14, 2004 at Copenhagen Cathedral and celebrated 20 years of marriage this past May. Mary and Frederik's recent milestone anniversary coincided with the start of their first state visit to Norway since becoming the King and Queen of Denmark. Frederik ascended the throne back in January. On his accession day, the monarch said, "Today, the throne passes on. My hope is to become a gathering king of tomorrow. It is a task I have approached all my life."
"It is a responsibility I take on with respect, pride and great joy. It is a deed I will make an effort to carry through the trust I encounter,” Frederik added. “I need all the support I can get. From my beloved wife, from my family, from you and from that which is greater than us. I face the future with the certainty that I am not alone.”