INSIDE QUEEN MARY'S FIRST YEAR

Following 12 months of what she calls "new decisions and change", Queen Mary is riding high, but she is still an Aussie girl at heart.

- JULIET RIEDEN

In a simple white shirt and khaki skirt she may be the Queen of Denmark but Mary looks very much like the adventure-loving girl from Tassie. The shot was taken in Brazil on a thrilling solo trip in October last year. The aim of the tour was to strengthen the bond between Denmark and Brazil, especially in areas of sustainability, biodiversity, climate change and the fight against violence against women.

Mary was in her element as she headed into the Amazon rainforest, sampled ants in a local restaurant dish and petted a rescued manatee calf while visiting the National Institute of Amazonian Research in Manaus. This is the sort of travel Mary loves, surrounded by the natural world, learning about the pressures on the environment and advocating for women's rights. It ticked every box!

She was also clearly relishing the opportunity to be an ambassador as Queen of Denmark on the world stage, a job that she has already made her own and one that has seen her popularity soar. When I read the Danish media, talk to locals and follow the popularity polls, it's clear the nation is super proud of its new Queen.

Down Under we are proud of her too. Amid all the new responsibilities and the regal ceremony, it's been especially touching to see that Mary hasn't forgotten her roots.

In July she made a private trip to the Paris Olympics to cheer on athletes. Queen Mary made a beeline for the athletes' Olympic Village to touch base with the Aussie team and was in the crowd watching Mollie O'Callaghan, Ariarne Titmus, Lani Pallister and Brianna Throssell snatch the gold medal in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay. After the race, Mary rushed down to deliver a pontaneous hug.