It's a second. But it is. Here is a cobra. It is the moment when King Frederick X leans over his wife. Her body language tells us that she is going to kiss him.. She, who remains more distant, turns her head to the right, towards the interior of the palace where there are no cameras to capture her gaze. There is nothing and no one. Here there was going to be a first kiss that does not happen because the Australian lawyer withdraws her face.
A moment later, Mary Donaldson prepares her smile to show off for the photographers. He, between the nerves and tears of his proclamation, appears overcome by emotions. He even blushes. She, smiling, barely opens her eyes, which are pointed at her husband. It is then, and only then, that she decides that yes, now she can kiss her. This gesture took place on the balcony of Cristianborg Palace in Copenhagen, in front of thousands of Danes who crowded the streets to greet their new monarch.
This way that Mary had of marking times tells us a lot. The queen took charge of that moment and made it her own. A detail of empowerment, feminism and strength. Not all that glitters is gold. It's not all smiles, applause and blessings for the new King. There is also a wake-up call from his wife.
Mary, a professional and modern Australian lawyer, has had to deal with and manage a very uncomfortable scenario for her when the photos of her husband with Genoveva Casanova in Madrid came to light. An unprecedented friendship that went around the world last November. Days later the lawyer left the country and went to her native Australia to be with her family and meet her father. Federico's subsequent trip to New Zealand following in the footsteps of his wife sounded like forgiveness and reunion. The prince managed to get Mary home just for Christmas. They even staged a walk together in front of Danish photographers.
Days later, on December 31, Queen Margaret announced her abdication to her son. This is the common thread of events that occurred very quickly. A sequence that ended with the King's proclamation this Sunday the 14th and the balcony scene. That gesture from Mary like 'and now you kiss me when I say'.