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Professor John Donaldson, the father of the Australian-born Queen Mary, has died in Hobart aged 84 following declining health, according to a statement from the Danish royal family.
Sharing a post on Instagram via the family’s official Instagram account, Queen Mary wrote: “My heart is heavy, and my thoughts are grey. My beloved father has passed away. But I know that when the grief settles, the memories will brighten my day, and what will remain strongest is love and gratitude for everything he gave me and taught me.”
The announcement accompanied a photo taken by Queen Mary on March 23, 2026, during her most recent visit to her former home in Hobart.
Born in Scotland on September 5, 1941, Donaldson – a mathematician – migrated to Australia in 1963 after earning his degree at the University of Edinburgh.
Queen Mary had visited her father at the end of March following a royal tour of Australia, where they shared “precious” time together, the royal statement said.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date.
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