Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark have begun their official visit to Sydney with a tour of the Opera House.

The royal couple were greeted by a healthy crowd of well wishers as they arrived for a tour as part the Opera House’s 40th birthday.

There were numerous Danish flags in the crowd and they were waved not just to celebrate the royal couple but the Opera House’s Dane designer Joern Utzon.

“I’m Danish. My daughter is Danish, she was born down here, so I wanted her to see the Crown Prince couple,” one woman in the crowd said.

“We are from Denmark, so we are very proud of them. We are here for a holiday and to celebrate the Opera House,” said another.

After greeting the crowd the couple were taken on a private tour inside the Opera House and viewed an exhibition of Danish contemporary design.

This afternoon they met with New South Wales Governor Marie Bashir.

The visit to Sydney is also a return to the city where the royal couple’s romance was born.

The Crown Prince and his Tasmanian-born wife met at a Sydney hotel during the 2000 Olympic Games.