Sunglasses and hat on her head, she contemplates the horizon. His eyes get lost in this postcard-worthy setting. The sun’s rays make the water sparkle while the mercury easily reaches 30 degrees. A stark contrast to the autumn weather in Copenhagen where she had been 24 hours earlier. On October 2, 2024, Queen Mary of Denmark begins her four-day official visit to Brazil. His first, solo and abroad, since his accession to the throne last January. For her return to the largest country in South America – she has already been there in 2012 and 2016 – she will first stop in Manaus, in the northwest of Brazil.
Learn about the daily struggles of the Amazonas
To discover the State of Amazonas, nothing better than a walk on the Amazon. At the front of the boat, the wife of King Frederik Until now, she had never had such an experience. Mary from Denmark also sees pink dolphins which are part of the “symbolic animals of the Brazilian Amazon”, indicates the VisitBrasil website. These freshwater mammals venture near the boat, as if to welcome it. The objective of this excursion is above all to inform the Queen about “the challenges of the region and the possible solutions in the fight against environmental crime”, underlines the Court. A daily struggle in this region of the country.
The queen is then expected at the Amazon Museum in Manaus where she meets the general director of the place, the Italian archaeologist Filippo Stampanoni, in office since last January. As Amalienborg Palace reminds us, MUSA is located “in a 100 hectare area of the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve, an original dry forest area of the Amazon rainforest”. Accompanied by her guide, Mary of Denmark climbs the 242 steps of an observation tower.
Perched 42 meters high, it observes the vast green expanse. Here and there, plumes of smoke billow into the sky, evidence of illegal logging. “Where are the fires closest? We see smoke,” asks the queen. “It’s on the other side,” replies Filippo Stampanoni, guiding Mary to another side of the platform. “There is not that much smoke today”, specifies the general director of MUSA. “You had a little rain yesterday,” says his guest. “Yes, exactly! But normally you can see many lights,” adds Filippo Stampanoni.
In the evening, Mary of Denmark has an appointment at the Teatro Amazonas in Manaus. Upon her arrival near the imposing building inaugurated on December 31, 1896, she was received by the governor of Amazonas, Wilson Lima. The facade of the theater was lit up in red and white in homage to the Dannebrogthe Danish flag. Mary, on the other hand, does honor to her host country with her green skirt and yellow pocket square. “How long are you here?” asks Wilson Lima. “We are leaving again on Sunday,” replied the queen as she climbed the stairs leading to the Teatro Amazonas.
If her visit officially ends this Saturday, Queen Margrethe’s daughter-in-law will benefit from some time to herself before returning to Copenhagen. In front of the entrance, several dozen people are gathered behind barriers. Smartphone in hand, they want at all costs to immortalize Mary’s arrival in their city. It’s not every day that an opportunity like this presents itself! As they pass by, Frederik X’s wife does not fail to greet them. On both sides of the Atlantic, his admirers are there.
The Danish queen can’t hold back an “oh!” of wonder upon receiving, from the hands of Wilson Lima, a miniature version of the theater. In return, she offers the governor a pitcher by designer Georg Jensen, “a very Danish gift”, Mary is quick to point out. Then comes the time for them to go to their dressing room and discover the show Stories my father told (Stories that my father told, in French, editor’s note), a play which notably highlights the elderly and the cultural history of the Amazon region. Enough to end this first day in style.
From manatees to ants
The next day, October 3, Mary of Denmark went to the National Institute for Amazon Forest Research in Manaus. A new, unique experience awaits him there. In a small pool, two manatees aged six months and almost a year old are impatiently waiting to eat their meal. This mission is entrusted to the queen. Armed with a bottle, she feeds one of the two mammals. “I need to hold him a little tighter,” Mary says. “The other one is pushing him,” she adds, visibly amused. She passes the baton for a few moments and takes the opportunity to stroke the animal’s head, while listening to the explanations of her companions. “They were hungry, weren’t they?”, says the queen. Once the manatees are satisfied, they can return to play.
Margrethe’s daughter-in-law from Denmark then moved to the Bioeconomy Center which was founded 22 years ago. “It aims to promote sustainable development in the Amazon region,” recalls Amalienborg Palace. For its part, the Danish magazine Picture-Magazine explains that Queen Mary has “seen and heard many examples of how the innovative and sustainable use of forest products can create export and business opportunities for local people.”
At midday, Mary is preparing to enjoy a lunch like no other. Head to the Biatuwi restaurant in Manaus, which is the first establishment in Brazil specializing in indigenous food. Looking at the small cups placed in front of her, the queen wonders. Suffering from presbyopia, she cannot distinguish foods correctly. He is then handed a phone with a photo of his entrance. What is his surprise to discover that they are… ants! Mary will not fail to immortalize her unusual lunch and share it with her loved ones.
The rest of the Queen’s visit continues on October 4 and 5, in Brasilia, the federal capital. The program includes a meeting with President Lula, a dinner on gender equality with the United Nations Population Fund of which Mary is the godmother and a visit to the city’s botanical garden with the United Nations Population Program. environment that it also sponsors.
