Queen Mary rarely puts a foot wrong – but can you spot why her latest outfit has every royal watcher talking?

Queen Mary of Denmark rarely sets a foot wrong when it comes to her personal style.

But a daring sartorial choice made by the Danish Queen while attending last week’s Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen has caught the attention of style watchers for all the wrong reasons.

The Australian-born Queen, 53, nixed her usual uniform of chic flowing blouses or statement designer dresses to try something a little different for the summit held at the DR Concert Hall.

The mother-of-four made a bold fashion choice by stepping out in grey Bermuda shorts and a matching blazer, designed by Copenhagen-based fashion house Mark Kenly Domino Tan, which was cinched at the waist with a Zimmerman two-tone braided belt.

The royal completed the risk-taking look with light brown suede heels from Gianvito Rossi.

The Global Fashion Summit, presented by Global Fashion Agenda, undoubtedly attracts a fashion forward crowd, which could perhaps explain why Queen Mary pushed the boundaries outside her usual signature style wheelhouse.

But eagle-eyed style pundits believe that a myriad of fashion faux pas were committed by the Danish Queen, resulting in a look that’s been described as a ‘rare miss’.

The royal recently wore the same blazer and pants in April during a state visit to Paris. 

The mother-of-four stepped out in grey Bermuda shorts and a matching blazer designed by Copenhagen-based fashion house Mark Kenly Domino Tan

On that occasion, Mary was praised for the chic look, which saw the grey two-piece paired with Aquazzura over-the-knee stiletto boots, a high neck black top and a delightful brooch pinned to the jacket.

At the time, VOGUE Scandanavia heralded Mary’s outfit choice as a ‘slightly edgier look while maintaining her signature royal elegance’.

So why did the exact same base outfit go awry during her most recent royal appearance?

The biggest gripe amongst style watchers was the unflattering cut, colour and mid-leg length of the culotte trousers.

One comment in response to a royal fashion news outlet’s post read: ‘Queen Mary rarely makes a fashion misstep but this outfit is one. She needs to burn the culottes and give the jacket a chance with something else.’

Another weighed in: ‘Even though Queen Mary can wear just about anything, it doesn’t mean she should. No love for these culottes. The jacket is very smart.’

‘Queen Mary generally makes great fashion choices but this is a fail. The colour is insipid, the culottes are just wrong. The shoes are the only positive for me,’ added a third.

When Mary wore the same mid-length pants in Paris, their supposed unflattering elements was perhaps more prominent when styled with tall boots instead of heels. 

Queen Mary previously wore the same grey two-piece ensemble during a state visit to Paris in April, but styled it differently with Aquazzura boots, a black top and an elegant brooch

Fashion-watchers were left unimpressed by the styling or wrinkling of the royal’s outfit when she wore it to the recent fashion summit in Copenhagen

The other fashion sin pertaining to the grey culottes were the unmissable wrinkles.

‘Not one of her finest choices. Look at all the wrinkles in that material!’ one royal watcher said in response to a Daily Mail article about the outing.

‘The proportions of the shorts and stilettos don’t work and it’s so wrinkled. Looks as though she got it out of the laundry basket. A mistake,’ added a second style commenter.

‘Missed the mark this time. Outfit makes her look stocky and crinkled,’ said a third.

Another responder, who claimed to be a textiles salesperson, blamed the actual suit ‘material’ for badly letting the royal down, explaining that it ‘wrinkles horribly no matter how long you iron it before wearing it’.

Beyond the complaints about the pants, other royal fashion fans were not on board with the way the outfit had been styled and accessorised – in particular the chunky light brown and white belt. 

This styling was in stark contrast to how Mary minimally and neutrally accessorised the same suit outfit in Paris, including keeping the jacket’s original matching linen belt.

A comment on royal fashion news blog questioned the ‘pairing [of] camel accessories with grey’. They said: ‘It does lift the grey a little but I find it unusual’.

Queen Mary was greeted at the 2025 Global Fashion Summit by Federica Marchionni, CEO of Global Fashion Agenda (left), and Alice Roberta Taylor, Chief of Staff (right)

A more blunt statement was made by a royal fan on Daily Mail’s own article, declaring: ‘NEVER grey and brown together’.

Overall, the general consensus from royal style watchers fans was disappointment that the normally stylish Queen had such ‘a big miss’.

‘Mary has great taste and is the most consistently well-dressed royal lady in my view. But this is a big miss. I´m trying to find positives but honestly can´t think of much,’ surmised one commenter on the New My Royal fashion post.

‘I always like Mary’s outfits but not this one. It just doesn’t have any charm to it,’ another royal watcher said. 

‘She’s always so classy looking but that outfit is an epic fail,’ one added.

‘Nope doesn’t do anything for her and I usually like everything she wears,’ agreed another.

Mary wore the divisive outfit while attending the 2025 Global Fashion Summit, which drives the global conversation on sustainability in fashion, bringing together brands, retailers, material and tech innovators, and policymakers.

On arrival Mary, was greeted at the event by Federica Marchionni, CEO of Global Fashion Agenda, and Alice Roberta Taylor, Chief of Staff.

The royal later had the chance to chat with other industry leaders to discuss the topic of sustainability in fashion.

During her visit, Mary explored various stands at the fair and was given a tour of the venue.

The three-day fashion event took place in and around Copenhagen, which is a city respected for its trendy street style and minimalist designs.