Princess Mary makes a striking appearance in velvet off the shoulder gown as Queen Margrethe announces abdication

Princess Mary donned a stunning maroon velvet gown with am off the shoulder neckline just before Queen Margrethe announced her abdication from the throne - with Mary poised to become the next Queen of Denmark.

Royal changes are afoot in Denmark, as Queen Margrethe just announced her abdication from the throne on 31 December, 2023. The now Princess Mary of Denmark will step up to take her place as Queen - and the Danish royal stepped out in a velvet gown the day prior to Margrethe's announcement that perfectly suited the momentous occasion. 

For the annual, traditional new year reception held at Amalienborg Palace, Princess Mary and Prince Frederik appeared in style, wearing their finest clothes for this yearly royal event. Princess Mary wore a glamorous velvet gown from designer Birgit Hallstein - a couture designer that Mary often dons on her fanciest occasions. This specific crimson velvet dress is a re-wear for the Princess, but her sartorial chops shone through as she styled it in a fresh way. 

Mary wore some opulent jewels for this event, firstly sporting a notable tiara made of Danish rubies. She also wore some dangling silver earrings, as well as a heavy royal chain that Prince Frederik also sported with his traditional suiting. 

In the past, the future Queen has worn this same dress nearly six times, styling it slightly differently with each wear over the past two decades. Just two years ago, the Princess wore this same gown and styled it nearly identically, with the exception of a pair of sparkling stud earrings instead of dangling silver ones. She also added a subtle necklace with sapphires when she wore it in 2022.

Queen Margrethe announced her abdication from the throne on 31 December, which came as a shock to all. She will officially step down from the monarchy on 14 January, marking a reign of 52 years on the throne. 

"I will leave the throne to my son, Crown Prince Frederik," the Queen announced on live television. She said on the broadcast that she came to this decision following a back surgery she had earlier this year. "The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future - whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation," she recounted.

As opposed to British royal tradition, there will be no formal coronation service for Prince Frederik. His accession will simply be announced on the day, with Princess Mary stepping up to be Queen Consort alongside her husband.