King Frederik and Australian-born Queen Mary have visited Australia several times since sweet music arose between them in 2000 during the Olympic Games in the Australian city of Sydney.
When the royal couple begins a six-day state visit to Australia on Saturday, it will be the first time since the ascendancy of the throne in 2024 that the couple will pay an official visit to the queen's birthplace.
According to the Danish ambassador to Australia, Ingrid Dahl-Madsen, the fact that the royals are coming to Australia after two years on the throne testifies to the strong ties between Denmark and Australia. She wrote this in a press release when the visit was announced at the end of January.
- Such an early visit testifies to the close and strong ties between Denmark and Australia. We have been like-minded for many months, the ambassador said.
During the visit, the royal couple will visit Uluru, the capital Canberra, the metropolis of Melbourne and Hobart. This means that the Australian-born queen is allowed to return to her childhood home for a while.
The queen, originally named Mary Donaldson, was raised in a suburb of Hobart, which is located on the Australian island of Tasmania.
Focus on renewable energy and green construction
The royal couple are not going alone. 55 Danish companies will be joining them during the visit, which includes a business promotion focusing on renewable energy and green construction.
The goal of the promotion is to expand the Australian market for Danish companies. This is explained by Lukas Lausen, Head of Global Trade and Investments at the Confederation of Danish Industry.
- In a world where large markets such as China and the USA are closing, it is of the highest priority for Danish companies to open new markets. That is why we are in Australia. For Denmark and Europe must take the lead in cooperating with our allies in the world, he says.
The basis for the state visit is a strategic partnership that was signed between Denmark and Australia in 2023. The partnership deals with, among other things, green transition.
At the Confederation of Danish Industry, the experience is that the partnership has been an advantage at a time when many countries are looking for new markets.
- It puts Danish companies a hair ahead of other countries because the agreement has made cooperation and trade easier, says Lukas Lausen.
At the Confederation of Danish Industry, the agreement has been particularly important for green companies, says director Brian Mikkelsen.
- The agreement has meant that many of our green companies have been able to see some opportunities in Australia, he says.
Both wind turbine manufacturer Vestas and energy companies European Energy and Ørsted are among several Danish companies that have investments in Australia. Brian Mikkelsen experiences that there is a great openness to green investments in Australia.
- At the same time, Australia is concerned about Chinese influence. They would rather have wind turbines from a friendly country like Denmark. It is a win-win. We have the products, and Australia would like to be more independent of fossil fuels and other countries' energy, he says.
Danish companies export goods worth more than 20 billion kroner per year to Australia. That makes the country Denmark's 22nd largest export market.
Lars Aagaard as the only minister
In addition to the 55 Danish companies, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard (M) is also participating in the visit. He does so as the only Danish minister.
Originally, Deputy Prime Minister Troels Lund-Poulsen (V) and Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M) were also supposed to have accompanied their ministerial colleagues.
But the call for the general election has caused the two party chairmen to stay home.
Although Brian Mikkelsen assesses that the absence of the ministers will have some significance, he believes that the significance is marginal.
- During a state visit, it is the royal couple who are in focus. Regardless of whether there are one or two ministers, it is they (the royal couple, ed.) who manage to make Denmark shine. And it can do far more than ministers and politicians, he says.
- But of course there will be some political elements in a concrete collaboration, which will be a little more difficult to handle because the relevant minister is at home and leading an election campaign.
/ritzau/
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