The Danish royal palace announced Sunday that John Donaldson, father of Queen Mary of Denmark, has passed away in Tasmania at the age of 84.
Palace officials confirmed Donaldson’s death occurred in Hobart but provided no additional circumstances surrounding his passing. The announcement noted that his health had been deteriorating in recent years, with Queen Mary making her final visit to see him in late March.
Born John Dalgleish Donaldson in Scotland on September 5, 1941, he worked as a professor specializing in applied mathematics.
Queen Mary ascended to the Danish throne in January 2024 following two decades serving as crown princess. Her husband became King Frederik X of Denmark after his mother, Queen Margrethe II, stepped down from the throne.
The royal couple’s relationship began when they encountered each other at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, leading to their wedding ceremony in 2004.
In Sunday’s palace statement, Queen Mary expressed her grief, saying “my heart is heavy.”
“But I know that when the grief settles, the memories will brighten my day, and what will remain strongest is love and gratitude for everything he gave me and taught me,” she continued.
Donaldson’s first wife, Henrietta Clark Donaldson, passed away in 1997. He later wed Susan Moody in 2001.
According to the palace announcement, the family plans to conduct a private memorial ceremony for Donaldson “at a later date.”
