Queen Mary of Denmark has been pictured at a friend’s birthday party despite being previously warned to “cut ties” with her. The royal was visible in the background of several photographs from Caroline Fleming’s 50th birthday party, including one shared by Danish business executive Christian Stadil.
Mary was one of the high-profile guests at an Out of Africa-themed birthday party for her long-time friend Caroline. Caroline is the ex-wife of Rory Fleming, the nephew of James Bond creator Ian Fleming. The guest list was full of members of Danish high society, local celebrities, and business titans.
It was a private event and not mentioned in any official palace itineraries.
The private outing comes after reports that Mary had been warned to steer clear of her celebrity friend when she was still the Crown Princess, as she was urged to consider her future as Queen.
The friendship between Caroline and then-Mary Donaldson dates back to the early 2000s, when Mary visited Denmark from her native Australia after she began dating the then-Crown Prince Frederik.
The pair grew close instantly, and Mary became godmother to Caroline’s daughter, Josephine.
In 2017, it was reported that Caroline’s party lifestyle was a cause for concern behind palace walls, as Mary was told to keep her future role in mind and avoid any damaging associations.
At the time, Caroline’s social media was full of inappropriate images of her drinking at parties and posing topless on holidays.
A royal insider told Woman’s Day at the time that Mary had been advised to “move away” from friends who didn’t fit into the royal standard of acceptable behaviour.
“Because Mary will have such an important role as queen, she really has to choose her close friends carefully,” a royal insider said at the time.
