Queen Mary of Denmark traded royal glamour for running shoes on Monday as she joined thousands of locals for the country's annual Royal Run, accompanied by her husband and four children. While the sporty royal outing attracted plenty of attention, it was Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine who quickly stole the spotlight, with royal watchers stunned by how tall and grown-up the 15-year-old twins now look.
Royal Family in Coordinated Athletic Gear
The Danish royal family stepped out in coordinated athletic gear for the hugely popular event in Copenhagen. Queen Mary, 54, and King Frederik X, 58, were joined by Prince Christian, 20, Princess Isabella, 19, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine. Despite their royal status, the family blended seamlessly into the crowd as they ran alongside members of the public in the sunshine-filled event.
Queen Mary's Casual Look
Mary kept things casual in an official Royal Run T-shirt, tracksuit pants, and bright pink trainers as she completed the five-kilometre course alongside daughters Isabella and Josephine. Meanwhile, Frederik once again proved himself the family's most competitive runner, completing all three race distances on offer throughout the day.
Prince Vincent's Surprise Performance
However, it was Prince Vincent who emerged as one of the surprise stars of the event after reportedly finishing first in the one-mile race. The teenager later joined his father in the gruelling 10-kilometre run, with the pair becoming the only royals to progress to the grand final.
Public Reaction to Prince Vincent's Height
While his athletic performance impressed royal fans, many couldn't stop talking about Prince Vincent's dramatic growth spurt and resemblance to his older brother. One person commented, "When did Prince Vincent get so tall? I mistook him for his older brother." Another added, "At first, I thought Vincent was his older brother Christian, the boys are so much alike." A third wrote, "Vincent wins the height competition," while another said, "Prince Vincent is a very handsome teenager. And he will surpass his father's height."
Princess Josephine Also Draws Attention
It wasn't just Prince Vincent that got royal fans talking. Many noticed how tall Princess Josephine looked, with one fan saying, "Wow she's already catching up with Isabella in stature." The comments come just weeks after royal watchers made similar observations during the family's Easter appearance, where many pointed out Vincent appeared almost the same height as King Frederik already. Others previously joked that the Danish royal children inherited their impressive height from Mary's 'Aussie genes', while others noted that their grandmother, Queen Margrethe II, is also tall, standing at 1.82 metres. One said, "Wow, the children are so tall, like Queen Margrethe." Another shared, "Their Danish grandmother is very tall."
Prince Christian's Early Departure
Crown Prince Christian, meanwhile, was forced to leave the event early due to his current military training commitments, though he still managed to complete a separate 5km race in Ringkøbing earlier in the day in an impressive 22 minutes and 22 seconds.
Queen Mary's Modest Admission
Speaking after the run, Queen Mary modestly admitted she's become 'a slow runner' these days, before joking her husband had officially won the family competition this year. "I have to admit I have become a slow runner, but I ran the whole way," she told Danish broadcaster TV2. "This year my husband wins because he is the only one who ran all the distances."
King Frederik's Light-Hearted Comment
King Frederik, who celebrates his 58th birthday this week, also joked that Prince Vincent may now be the fastest member of the family. "It'll probably be my youngest son," he said. "But he'll have to discuss that with his older brother."
Recent Visit to Australia
The family's sporty public outing comes shortly after Mary and Frederik's recent visit to Australia in March, where the King delivered an emotional speech recalling the now-famous moment he first met his future wife during the Sydney 2000 Olympics. "For me, Australia has held a very special place in my heart ever since I slipped into that bar and lost it in a conversation that has never ended," Frederik said during the Canberra state banquet earlier this year. This marked their first official visit as King and Queen following Frederik's ascension to the throne in January 2024.
Frederik discussed how meeting Mary not only changed the course of his life but also intertwined the fates of two countries that, until then, were entirely disparate. "Once upon a time, Denmark perhaps did not resonate widely in Australia. Then something changed," the King explained. "In 2004, your Mary and I were married, and with that, Denmark once again had a Crown Princess. From that moment on, everyone 'Down Under' knew of the Nordic country 'up over'." When Frederik and Mary tied the knot 22 years ago, he noted that Aussies and Danes alike suddenly 'shared' a real Princess. Frederik's heartfelt address also made special mention of the sacrifice Mary made in following her heart – leaving her beautiful home country behind and taking on the duties and responsibilities of being a Danish royal.
