Queen Mary of Denmark’s father, Professor John Dalgleish Donaldson, has died in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. He was 84 years old. “My heart is heavy, and my thoughts are grey,” the Queen said in a statement. “My beloved father has passed away. 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.”
The Danish royal family added, “Professor John Donaldson’s health has been declining over the past few years. The Queen last visited her father at the end of March, where they shared precious time together.” No further details were shared about his health or his cause of death.
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Crown Princess Mary (sitting, L) holds her daughter Princess Isabella while her spouse, Crown Prince Frederik (sitting R) holds their son, Prince Christian, as they pose July 1, 2007 with the children’s grandparents for an official photo at Fredensborg Palace. Her father, John Donaldson, stands directly behind her.
Donaldson, born in Scotland on September 5, 1941, was a Professor of Applied Mathematics. In 1963, he and his wife, Henrietta Clark Horne, emigrated to Tasmania. In Australia, they had four children: Jane Alison Donaldson (b. December 1965), Patricia Anne Donaldson (b. March 1968), John Stuart Donaldson (b. July 1970) and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson (b. February 1972).
Mary’s mother and Donaldson’s first wife, Henrietta, died in 1997. Donaldson remarried to Susan Moody in 2001.
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Donaldson, father of Danish Queen Mary, and his wife Susan Moody in 2011.
In a statement, Denmark’s Acting Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that the government “sends its deepest condolences to Her Majesty Queen Mary, His Majesty King Frederik, their children and the immediate family.” She added, “the Danes got to know John Donaldson when he proudly and warmly led his daughter up the aisle and gave Denmark its crown princess. We will never forget that.”
A private memorial service will be held for Donaldson at a later date.
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Emily Burack (she/her) is the Deputy Digital Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms.