THERE'S something about MARY

AS THE AUSTRALIAN PRINCESS CELEBRATES HER MILESTONE 50TH BIRTHDAY, SHE PROVES TO BE MORE THAN READY FOR THE THRONE

- Kylie Walters

Born into an “ordinary” family Down Under, the early life of Mary Donaldson couldn’t get much further away from the upbringing of her future husband, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. But it appears that joining the oldest surviving constitutional monarchy in the world may have always been a part of her destiny.

Shortly before meeting her “Prince Charming” in 2000, the then-28-year-old marketing executive visited a tarot card reader who told Mary she’d soon fall in love with a man from overseas, move abroad and become famous. “So I left there and thought, ‘Well, yes, that was a lot of fun, but nothing more,’’’ she recalled to Danish royal biographer Jens Anderson.

Twenty-two years later, the princess has barely put a foot wrong. And as she prepares to celebrate her milestone 50th birthday on February 5, her two decades of hard work and loyal dedication has proved to even the toughest of critics, her mother-in-law, she is more than up to the task of becoming queen.

AGEING GRACEFULLY

Getting older is no big deal for Mary, who has found confidence in it. “Age has given me a sense of being a more whole person,” the crown princess told Danish magazine Eurowoman about reaching the 50 milestone. “To rest more in myself. To dare more.”