Frederik and Mary put on united front at Copenhagen awards

King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark put on a united front last night as they announced a major rebrand of their Crown Prince Couple's Awards - one year after the monarch's 'affair' scandal.

The couple - who have been plagued by rumours of marital strife over the past year - attended the annual awards, which celebrate 'outstanding performance and innovative thinking' in the arts, culture and social work sectors, in Copenhagen.

Following a series of solo engagements this week, Queen Mary posed for photos with her husband on the red carpet at the VEGA concert hall - before later taking to the stage with him to announce a new chapter in the awards' history.

For the occasion, the royal mother-of-four, 52, opted for an elegant black tuxedo jumpsuit with silk lapel by MaxMara.

Adding a pop of colour to her ensemble, Mary opted for a pair of yellow silk high heels by Manolo Blahnik - a variation of the pair made famous by Carrie Bradshaw in the Sex and the City franchise.

The stylish royal teamed her designer heels with a matching yellow satin bag with chunky embellishment, which she tucked under her arm on the red carpet.

What's more, Mary slicked back her long brown hair to show off her dangly diamond earrings and opted for a glitzy grey smokey eye.

Meanwhile, King Frederik, 56, was dapper in a navy suit and white shirt for the occasion.

During the evening, the royal couple took to the stage to present awards live on television and also spent time speaking to winners and runners up afterwards.

The awards were first established in 2004 as a wedding gift to Frederik and Mary from the Bikuben Foundation - an independent organisation that specialises in creative schemes for young people.

During last night's event, Frederik and Mary announced the Crown Prince Couple's Awards will now be known as the Royal Couple's Awards - to signify their new royal status following their ascension in January.

In a joint speech, the pair explained: 'Tonight we say goodbye to the Crown Prince couple's Awards and welcome something new. Cause it doesn't stop here for us. We have new titles, but we carry our values with us. 

'Therefore, in the future, we will also support social initiatives, art and culture, and communities that bind us together. We'll salute those who fascinate, excite and move us. 

'We want to hold on to a prize for arts and culture and a prize for social initiatives, and as something new in 2025 we will introduce a prize for communities.' 

In November 2023, pictures of Crown Prince Frederick enjoying an evening out with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casnova sent shockwaves through Denmark.

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Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova's night out in Madrid without his wife Princess Mary

The Palace have dubbed it a 'private visit' but otherwise refused to speak about the nature of the now infamous incident. Meanwhile his wife, Mary, was over 5,000km away on official royal business in New York. 

In the photos, the royal and the former daughter-in-law of the billionaire Duchess of Alba were seen walking through Madrid before heading to her apartment building, changing clothes and heading out again for the evening.

The publication of the photos resulted in Genoveva, 47, issuing a statement denying any kind of romantic relationship between herself and the royal and slamming the 'malicious' rumours.

In January, Queen Margrethe became the first Danish monarch to abdicate in over 500 years - with experts claiming the royal made the decision to 'save her son's marriage'. 

Royal commentators have told MailOnline that Margrethe 'deliberately' dropped a 'massive bombshell' at the right time to secure the future of the Danish Royal Family, and its 'greatest asset', Crown Princess Mary.

Two weeks beforehand, Australian-born Mary had been spotted in tears and shared a cryptic post about loneliness just weeks after her husband was pictured on a night out in Madrid with a Mexican socialite, sparking rumours of an alleged affair with Genoveva Casanova.

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A year on from King Frederik's 'affair' scandal, experts reveal why it will NEVER be forgotten

British royal author Phil Dampier, also an expert on European monarchies, told MailOnline: 'I think Margrethe may have worried that their marriage was in trouble and therefore she had to act.

'The Queen always thought Mary was a fantastic asset to the royal family and if she thought she might leave it would have been a disaster. She will now hope that Frederik and Mary patch up any differences and work together as the new King and Queen'.

 In his memoir The King's Word, Frederik revealed that his wife - who he describes as a 'woman of the times' - isn't afraid to challenge him.

He explained: 'As previously mentioned, my father was very patriarchal, and he tried to pass that pattern on to his two sons. 

'Here, however, I have learned a lot from having a wife who, from time to time, reminds me that of course I am not always right, and that my words are not automatically believed, just because I am the man of the house.'

Frederik said Mary is his 'partner and wing woman' with whom he has a 'super dynamic'. 

Appearing to shut down the infidelity rumours, Frederik says he and Mary have reached a 'stable point' in their lives together.

He said: 'I love marriage, my wife, our children and the whole happy base that arises for the people who manage to stay together and persevere.' 

Delving into their roles as King and Queen, Frederik admitted that they 'will approach many things differently' from his mother. He added: 'Mary and I are children of our time.'