‘Heart is heavy’: Queen Mary of Denmark’s father, 84, dies in Hobart

The father of Queen Mary of Denmark, John Dalgleish Donaldson, has died at the age of 84 in Tasmania.

The Danish Royal House shared the death of the Queen’s father in Hobart on Sunday following declining health.

The Queen penned an emotional tribute to her dad, saying: “My heart is heavy and my thoughts are grey. My beloved father has passed away”.

“But I know that when the grief subsides, the memories will brighten, and what will remain most strongly is the love and gratitude for everything he gave me and taught me,” she wrote.

Professor Donaldson was born in Scotland on September 5, 1941 and migrated to Australia in 1953.

Queen Mary visited her father in Hobart in March during their royal tour of Australia, where they had “several good and present moments” together.

In a statement from the Danish Royal Family, Professor Donaldson’s health had been declining.

“Professor John Donaldson had been increasingly affected by his age for some time,” the statement read.

A private memorial will be held for the family at a later date.