From party girl to future Queen: Old footage of Denmark's Kate-lookalike princess shows her trying her luck in modelling, enjoying nights out with friends - and taking lessons in walking like royalty

  • Photos give a glimpse into Princess Mary's life before she met Prince Frederik in 2000
  • They show her life as a university student, advertising executive and keen traveler and backpacker 
  • The photos and footage also reveal the then Mary Donaldson as an aspiring model and actress
  • Footage also shows the future Queen of Denmark attending lessons to learn how to walk and talk like a princess
  • Photos depict the former Tasmanian as a party girl and with an active social life 

Before Crown Princess Mary met Prince Frederik 15 years ago, she was very different to the graceful and immaculate role model she is today.

The fun-loving Mary Donaldson was active on the Australian social scene and lived a very normal life, studying commerce and law at the University of Tasmania before moving on to work in advertising in Melbourne and Sydney.

Photos taken in the years prior to the Princess marrying Prince Frederik in 2004, reveal a lifestyle that is a far cry from how she currently lives. 

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Aspiring model? Photos show the scantily dressed future Queen shooting suggestive glances into the lens
Aspiring model? Photos show the scantily dressed future Queen shooting suggestive glances into the lens

Aspiring model: Photos show the scantily dressed future Crown Princess Mary shooting suggestive glances into the lens in a modelling shoot

Questionable fashion: Mary Donaldson had a unique and comfortable sense of style, without needing to worry about public critique 

Questionable fashion: Mary Donaldson had a unique and comfortable sense of style, without needing to worry about public critique 

Young and innocent: The girl pictured lived an everyday life and had no idea of the fairytale future that lay ahead of her
Young and innocent: The girl pictured lived an everyday life and had no idea of the fairytale future that lay ahead of her

Young and innocent: The girl pictured lived an everyday life and had no idea of the fairytale future that lay ahead 

The photos reveal a dramatic transformation of the future Queen of Denmark, with the vivacious former law student pictured relaxed and care-free as she attended nights out with friends.

The fresh-faced girl in the photos graduated in advertising and worked as an account executive for various firms before being appointed as account director for international agency Young and Rubicam in 1999. 

Mary Donaldson also had a brief stint in acting, appearing as an extra in a TV commercial for V/Line, a regional transport company in Victoria. 

The photos also reveal Mary Donaldson dabbled in modelling and went to great lengths to prepare for her royal life.

Party girl: Mary Donaldson is pictured in a flannelette shirt drinking Australian beer VB while partying with friends 

Party girl: Mary Donaldson is pictured in a flannelette shirt drinking Australian beer VB while partying with friends 

A video shows the then 28-year-old taking lessons in walking, talking and posing for photos, shortly after meeting Prince Frederik.

The instructor, manners and style expert, trained Princess Mary and said she was 'very much into developing herself.'

'She definitely had star quality,' she told Nine News.

The footage shows a young Mary walking up and down a small room, as part of an eight week course in manners and grace.

Outgoing: Mary Donaldson appears to have had an active social life before meeting Prince Frederik, often out with friends 

Outgoing: Mary Donaldson appears to have had an active social life before meeting Prince Frederik, often out with friends 

The night everything changed: Princess Mary met Prince Frederik in 2000 at the Slip Inn during his visit for the Olympic Games 

The night everything changed: Princess Mary met Prince Frederik in 2000 at the Slip Inn during his visit for the Olympic Games 

After meeting Prince Frederik, Princess Mary worked for Belle Property as a sales director, before moving to Paris to teach English at a business school.

In 2002, she moved to Denmark permanently and was employed by Microsoft Business Solutions as a project consultant.

A career-driven woman, Princess Mary worked up until her engagement to Prince Frederik in 2003, when she officially left her prior life and career behind and became a royal. 

Academic: Mary Donaldson graduated from Tasmania University with a Bachelor of Commerce and Law 

Academic: Mary Donaldson graduated from Tasmania University with a Bachelor of Commerce and Law 

Young, wild and free: Pictures reveal Mary Donaldson was a keen traveller, shown relaxing outside and venturing the world
Young, wild and free: Pictures reveal Mary Donaldson was a keen traveller, shown relaxing outside and venturing the world

Young, wild and free: Pictures reveal Mary Donaldson was a traveler, backpacking across Europe following the death of her mother 

Career-driven: Mary Donaldson worked in advertising and became an account director at a Sydney agency in 1999
Career-driven: Mary Donaldson worked in advertising and became an account director at a Sydney agency in 1999

Career-driven: Mary Donaldson worked in advertising and became an account director at a Sydney agency in 1999

Princess Mary and Frederik married in 2004, and now share four children together and the Princess now a fluent speaker of the Danish language.

She is the involved in many awareness campaigns, including anti-bullying programs and projects for the Danish Cancer Society.

If Prince Frederik ascends the throne, Princess Mary will become the first Australian woman to be a queen consort. 

Now and then: Even after meeting Prince Frederik, Princess Mary's style in 2002 (left) remained very different to her present look (right)
Now and then: Even after meeting Prince Frederik, Princess Mary's style in 2002 (left) remained very different to her present look (right)

Now and then: Even after meeting Prince Frederik, Princess Mary's style in 2003 (left) remained very different to her present look (right)

The transformation: A glamorous Princess Mary and husband Prince Frederik pictured in 2002 (left) and last month at the wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden
The transformation: A glamorous Princess Mary and husband Prince Frederik pictured in 2002 (left) and last month at the wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden

The transformation: A glamorous Princess Mary and husband Prince Frederik pictured in 2002 (left) and last month at the wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden

Happy famiy: Princess Mary and Prince Frederik now share four kids together, with the couple likely to become the future King and Queen

Happy famiy: Princess Mary and Prince Frederik now share four kids together, with the couple likely to become the future King and Queen

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