Queen Mary and King Frederik set for ‘huge pay rise’ after change of reign

Queen Mary and King Frederik set for ‘huge pay rise’ after change of reign

Watch: King Frederik joins Queen Margrethe at parliament

GB News
Hannah Ross

By Hannah Ross


Published: 28/03/2024

- 22:51

Queen Margrethe of Denmark formally abdicated the throne in January 2024

  • In 2023, King Frederik and Queen Mary earned over £1.5million for their royal duties
  • The amount is set to increase as Frederik and Mary take on their roles as King and Queen of Denmark
  • The government is still deciding the “exact” amount that the royals will be paid

Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark are set for a 'huge pay rise' after their change of reign in 2024.

King Frederik and Queen Mary earned more than £1.5million last year for fulfilling their duties for the Danish royal household.


A finance report published by the Danish Palace reported that of that sum, £257,260 was put aside as a direct “grant” for the then Crown Princess Mary.

In January, King Frederik ascended to the throne after the former monarch, Queen Margrethe II, abdicated.

Queen Mary and King Frederik

King Frederik X ascended the throne with Queen Mary in January

Getty

The Danish royal couple’s joint income, which is covered by the state, also covers the “dependent” members of the Royal Family.

Most of this income went toward the Royal Family’s housing and staff costs.

After these costs were paid, they were left with just under £330,378 to spend as they wished on travel, clothing and other personal expenses.

The King and Queen of Denmark are expected to receive an even higher salary for 2024.

Queen Mary and King FrederikQueen Mary and King Frederik posing with their four childrenReuters

The Daily Mail reported that in 2023, Queen Margrethe was granted £6.7million, with a further private allowance of £1.4million, pointing to a substantial “pay rise” for the new monarchs.

In a 2023 survey for Danish newspaper Berlingske, 52 per cent of Danes thought that Queen Margrethe was correctly paid and 30 per cent thought that she was overpaid.

In a move to keep costs low, Queen Margrethe stripped the royal titles of the children of her youngest son, Prince Joachim, in 2022.

The Danish Press has said that the “exact” pay for the couple has not been confirmed by the government yet as it plans to change the royal’s appanage system.

Queen Mary and King Frederik

Queen Mary and King Frederik earned over £1.5million in 2023

PA

New legislation will reveal how much money the royal household will be given and how it will be divided between living expenses and money to use “as they please.”

Unlike the British Royal Family, the Danish royals are exempt from paying tax.

It comes as King Frederik and Queen Mary jet off on a foreign holiday with their four children.

Queen Margrethe has stepped in as head of state as the family travelled abroad during their Easter holidays for some rest.

\u200bKing Frederik, Queen Mary, Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Princess Josephine, and Prince Vincent

The King and Queen of Denmark are on an Easter holiday with their children

Getty

A Palace spokesperson told the Danish publication Her&Nu that Queen Margrethe, 83, will act as head of state in the Danish monarch’s absence.

The location of the Royal Family’s holiday has been kept under wraps; the only information shared is that they will travel outside of Denmark.

The King and Queen of Denmark will be spending time away from their children in the coming months as they undertake their first foreign state tour as Danish monarchs.

The royal couple is expected to travel to their Scandinavian neighbours in May on their first official visit.

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