Danish royal couple begins 90th summer tradition in Gråsten
Monday 6th July 2026 on 07:15 in
Denmark
King Frederik and Queen Mary arrive in Gråsten today, marking the 90th anniversary of the Danish royal family’s summer tradition at Gråsten Palace, according to DR.
The couple will be officially received on the town square, continuing a practice started in 1936 by King Frederik’s grandparents, then-Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid, who first took residence at the palace—a wedding gift from the Danish state the year before.
Historian and royal expert Emma Paaske notes the palace’s symbolic importance, as its use by the royal family underscored Sønderjylland’s return to Denmark after the 1920 reunification referendum. The region had previously been under German rule.
Queen Ingrid, born a Swedish princess, reportedly cherished the palace, saying it was in Sønderjylland she truly learned what it meant to be Danish. She also redesigned the palace gardens, which remain a defining feature today.
Local baker Kock will present the royal couple with the traditional Gråsten apple cake, baked once a year for the occasion. Helle Blindbæk, chair of Gråsten’s trade association, calls the royal visit’s significance “indescribable.”