Queen Mary, King Frederik and kids support family member at Christmas ballet

Queen Mary, King Frederik and three of their kids—Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine—enjoyed a festive night out at Tivoli Gardens. The Danish royals visited Tivoli’s Concert Hall on Saturday evening to attend the premiere of the restaging of The Nutcracker. Frederik's mother, Queen Margrethe, is behind the production's costumes and set design.

“I take great joy in contributing to the ballet production of The Nutcracker. Even now, in our sixth staging, it’s still inspiring for the whole team to work on small adjustments and refinements that elevate the overall experience. One example is the new costumes for the three dancing spinning tops, which have been added to the second act. It’s been an exciting project," Queen Margrethe, 84, has said of contributing to The Nutcracker, which is part of "Christmas in Tivoli."

Meanwhile, Peter Bo Bendixen, who is the artistic director of the Tivoli Ballet Theatre, has said, "This year, audiences can expect new surprises, including three costumes by HM Queen Margrethe for the dancing spinning tops in the second act. Combined with Mikki Kunttu’s innovative lighting design, Queen Margrethes set and costumes, Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, and the Tivoli Ballet Theatre’s talented dancers, this production promises an unforgettable experience that elevates this classic Christmas ballet.”

The audience broke into applause when Queen Margrethe and Peter took to the stage after the performance with the ballet dancers and the rest of the production team on Nov. 30. In addition to her older son Frederik, daughter-in-law Mary and their kids—excluding Crown Prince Christian—Queen Margrethe's two sisters, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece and Princess Benedikte of Denmark, were in the audience, along with her grandson Count Felix and Queen Sonja of Norway.

Queen Margrethe, who abdicated after 52 years on the throne this past January, is set to continue as set and costume designer at Tivoli Gardens in 2025, when the Christmas ballet The Snow Queen is revived.

Queen Margrethe is an honorary member of the Association of Danish Scenographers. Netflix's 2023 movie Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction featured set design and costumes by Queen Mary's mother-in-law.  

According to the Danish Royal House, "Queen Margrethe has been strongly interested in the worlds of theatre and especially ballet, inspired particularly by Frederik IX's enjoyment in this regard," since her childhood. "Early on, Princess Margrethe went with her parents to the Royal Theatre, where in 1948 she attended August Bournonville’s ballet Napoli, which made a deep impression on the Princess," per the Royal House. As an adult, King Frederik's mother became involved in ballet as a scenographer and costume designer.

The Nutcracker at Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens runs until Dec. 29.