Queen Mary shares unprecedented insight into palatial home renovations
s you would expect of a royal couple, Queen Mary and King Frederik live in a stunning palace in Copenhagen – but it isn't their only palatial pad.
In a new interview with Vogue Living Australia, the Danish monarch's wife, 52, opened up about the renovations at her summer residence – Fredensborg Palace.
The royal pair have installed a renovated Circular Annex house surrounded by a wild garden. The new annex, which stands behind the Chancellory House, is quite the standout piece of construction as it contrasts with the white palace with its rustic wood exterior.
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A royal renovation
While one enclosed half of the building is private quarters, the other will be an 'official' area featuring a common room with meeting facilities and a kitchen. It was originally an old workshop dating back to 1890 but has long been obsolete.
"I shared my thoughts about incorporating and rethinking the use of the building and making it as sustainable as possible, both in its transformation and its operation," Queen Mary told Vogue, reflecting on her collaboration with eco-focused visionary architect Anders Lendager and carpenter-cum-contractor Kristian 'Iver' Chemnitz Iversen.
"Fortunately, he saw potential in it, as the old two-storey building had a strong and beautiful structure and was built from good, solid materials."
The annex, which has been constructed with sustainability in mind, features a table in the meeting room called The Life of the Tree as it was made from leftover wood supplied by the royal family’s carpenters.
The royal explained: "My husband and I followed the project from start to finish, getting involved in what was possible. It's fascinating to see how much can come from building with what already exists. Everyone approached the task with curiosity, always asking: 'How can we make this as sustainable as possible?'"
Fredensborg Palace in detail
Though Mary, Frederik, and their four children spend the majority of their time at Amalienborg, Fredensborg has become their haven. It is where the Danish royal family celebrates birthdays and wedding anniversaries and features one of Denmark’s largest Baroque gardens.
The Chancellory House which neighbours the latest addition to the site, functioned as King Frederik and Queen Mary's primary residence until 2010 when renovations were completed at Frederik VIII’s Palace, Amalienborg.
DISCOVER: Queen Mary and King Frederik pictured with towering kids as they relocate
Nowadays, it is this area of the Fredensborg Palace grounds that forms the family's summer residence.
