Decked out in a ravishing floor-length gown, Queen Mary was the belle of the ball when she attended a state dinner on Sunday 15 March in Canberra.
Eagle-eyed royal fashion watchers, however, noted there was something strikingly familiar about Mary's beautiful ensemble.
The formal black-tie event, held on the second day of their six-day royal tour of Australia, saw Queen Mary don a gown by her go-to designer Jesper Høvring, while King Frederik wore a formal naval suit jacket and bow tie for the occasion.
In line with the Danish royal family's ethos of sustainability, the Aussie-born queen already has a firm reputation for re-wearing her favourite fashion pieces - and this event was no exception.
But in this instance, Queen Mary, 54, was not only re-wearing a gown she'd previously worn many years ago in Australia, no less - it's a fashion piece with a history spanning over 25 years, having been updated and modernised over the years.
The first time the gown was reported to have been worn by Mary was in 2010. On that occasion, the then-Crown Princess Mary wore the dress while attending the wedding of Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria.
At that time, the dress bodice featured a bustier design with sheer lace draped over the shoulders and décolletage.
A year later, the same dress made its first appearance on Aussie soil during the Danish royal couple's November 2011 state visit to Australia. Only this time, the top section of the dress had been reimagined into a simple one-shoulder design.
It's not the first time that Queen Mary has worn this Jesper Høvring dress in Australia. She previously wore it in its former one-shoulder form during the royal couple's 2011 state visit.
The latest update of the dress, with the addition of the one-shoulder lace overlay, was seen when Queen Mary attended a royal wedding in Jordan in 2023.
Queen Mary and Princess Catherine were among a large contingent of royals at the 2023 wedding of Jordan's Crown Prince Hussain and Princess Rajwa.
That time, Mary and Frederik were all dressed up to attend a Melbourne charity dinner held in honour of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation. The new incarnation of Mary's gown saw the sheer lace removed and, in its place, the same teal fabric had been added to the left side of the bodice, carrying up and over the shoulder, creating an asymmetrical silhouette.
Fast forward over a decade, and it's clear Mary's gown hasn't just been gathering dust in the palace closet.
In 2023, Queen Mary and King Frederik were among a large guest list of royals to attend the wedding of Jordan's Crown Prince Hussain and Princess Rajwa.
For the occasion, Mary again reached for her trusty floor-length teal formal dress. But now, it had been reworked with a chic new lace overlay.
The previous one-shoulder alteration remained intact, but now also featured a delicate and feminine lace and beaded overlay.
The new addition encased the bodice and draped up and over the shoulder, falling in an almost cape-like structure over the back of the left arm.
Not only does this dress remain a seminal royal fashion piece, but its evolution to encompass both Mary's personal style and modern style trends means it remains effortlessly relevant.
Mary's preference for re-wearing her beloved pieces continued on the current royal tour when they arrived in Melbourne on 17 March.
At Government House on March 17, Queen Mary looked radiant in red as she was greeted by Victorian Governor Margaret Gardner and state premiere Jacinta Allen.
Royal fashion watchers know that Mary often reaches for her trusty red Raquel Diniz frock for engagements, and has been pictured wearing it on at least seven different occasions.
The royal couple's first stop at Government House saw Mary looking radiant in red as she was greeted by Victorian Governor Margaret Gardner and state premiere Jacinta Allen and signed the visitor's book.
Once again, those in the fashion know immediately recognised her trusty Raquel Diniz frock.
The sleek red dress with its keyhole neckline, cinched waist and flowing knee-length skirt, has been a favourite of Mary's, worn on at least seven different occasions.
Recent instances include in 2023 during a home country celebration of Christiansfeld's 250th city anniversary in Southern Jutland , and then again in 2024 during a state visit to Sweden when she met Queen Silvia.
Unlike the ballgown, there have been no changes to the design of this dress. Yet, Mary continuously refreshes the look through subtle changes to her accessories, like her jewellery and shoes, as well as her hairstyle.
For example, when Mary wore the dress to meet Queen Silvia in 2024, she opted for a low and sleek chignon, gold earrings, and a statement brooch, which together added formality to the look.
In Australia, however,Mary’s look was toned downwith loose blow-dried hair, simple brooch, earrings and bracelet. It was still extremely polished - but more reflective of the less formal occasion compared to meeting with royalty.
Earlier in the tour, fashion watchers noted Mary also re-wore a popular outfit she'd donned just a year before.
While meeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Parliament House on March 16,Queen Mary re-worethe combination of a pastel pink, faded linen Max Mara blazer, matching white vest and trousers
Mary last wore the exact same outfit back in 2025,at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. On that occasion,she opted to wear the look with the same accessories though she added a bright red nail for a pop of colour.
The current royal tour,running from 14 March to 19 March,marks the couple’s first visit to Australia since ascending the throne in 2024.It’s also historic for being Denmark’s first official state visit by a reigning monarch to Australia in more than four decades.
In a bygone era,a royal wearing the same outfit repeatedly was seen as a fashion faux pas.
But in today’s environmentally-conscious world - particularly in line with the Danish royal family’s sustainability ethos - circular fashion has become the norm for royals like Queen Mary,who prefer to invest in quality pieces and re-wear them on multiple occasions.