Your Excellency Prime Minister,

In this time of great hardship caused by the ruthless bush fires, my husband and I would like to convey our warmest wishes to the Australian people as we enter a new year.

Our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and our deepest sympathy to the many families who have lost their homes - their livelihoods.  When the immediate crisis subsides and people can begin to return from where they have fled, our thoughts and concerns will remain with the affected local communities, as it will undoubtedly take great efforts and time for them to rebuild what has been lost.

The courage and unyielding efforts of the volunteer firefighters have our deepest respect and admiration.

Following from afar, it makes me proud of my Australian heritage to witness the strong sense of community and the Australian spirit of ’never giving up’ in the face of such devastation and adversity.

Warmest regards,

Mary
Crown Princess of Denmark