Margrethe II of Denmark
Encyclopedia
Margrethe II (born 16 April 1940) is the Queen regnant
of the Kingdom of Denmark
. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I
, ruler of the Scandinavian countries
in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union
.
in Copenhagen
. Her parents were the future Frederik IX and Ingrid of Sweden
, then Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark.
She was baptised on 14 May 1940 in the Church of Holmen
. The princess's godparents were King Christian X of Denmark
, Prince Knud of Denmark
, Prince Axel of Denmark
, King Gustaf V of Sweden
, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden
, Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden
and Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
.
Since her paternal grandfather, the then-reigning King Christian X
, was also the King of Iceland at the time, and Margrethe until 1944 was an Icelandic princess, the Princess was as a tribute to the people of Iceland given an Icelandic
name, Þórhildur, consisting of "Thor
" and the word for "battle" or "fight". The name is spelled with the thorn
letter, which is a surviving rune, and is equivalent to "th". It is sometimes anglicized as Thorhildur.
Margrethe has two younger sisters: Princess Benedikte
(born 1944), who lives in Germany
, and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
(born 1946), who lives in London
.
In mid-1960, together with the Princesses of Sweden and Norway, she traveled to the United States
, which included a visit to Los Angeles, California
, and to the Paramount Studios, where they were met by several celebrities, including Dean Martin
, Jerry Lewis
and Elvis Presley
.
branch was chosen to succeed. As she had no brothers, it was assumed that her uncle Prince Knud would one day assume the throne.
The process of changing the constitution started in 1947, not long after her father ascended the throne as Frederick IX and it became clear that Queen Ingrid would have no more children. The popularity of Frederik and his daughters and the more prominent role of women in Danish life started the complicated process of altering the constitution. That proposal had to be passed by two Parliaments in succession and then by a referendum, which was held on 27 March 1953. The new Act of Succession
permitted female succession
to the throne of Denmark, according to male-preference primogeniture, where a female can ascend to the throne only if she does not have a brother. Princess Margrethe therefore became the Heiress Presumptive.
On her eighteenth birthday, 16 April 1958, the Heiress Presumptive was given a seat in the Council of State
, and the Princess subsequently chaired the meetings of the Council in the absence of the King.
at Girton College, Cambridge
during 1960–61, political science
at Aarhus University between 1961–1962, at the Sorbonne
in 1963, and at the London School of Economics
in 1965, and is a Fellow
of the Society of Antiquaries of London
.
On 10 June 1967, Crown Princess Margrethe of Denmark
married a French diplomat, Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, at the Naval Church of Copenhagen
. Laborde de Monpezat received the style and title of "His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark" because of his new position as the spouse of the Heiress Presumptive to the Danish throne
.
Queen Margrethe is fluent in her native tongue, Danish; the native tongue of her husband, French; as well as English, Swedish and German.
under the new Act of Succession. She was proclaimed Queen from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace Square
by Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag
on 15 January 1972. The Queen chose the motto: God's help, the love of The People, Denmark's strength.
In 2008 the Queen announced that her male-line descendants would bear the additional title of Count of Monpezat, which they inherit from the Queen's husband and consort, Henri-Marie-Jean André Count de Laborde de Monpezat.
She is the 1,188th Dame
of the Order of the Golden Fleece
in Spain
and the 961st Knight/Lady of the Order of the Garter
.
does not have a majority behind him, a “Dronningerunde” (Queen's meeting) between the chairmen of each of the Danish political parties attends a meeting with the monarch.
Each party has the choice of selecting a Royal Investigator to lead these negotiations or alternatively, give the incumbent Prime Minister the mandate to continue his government as is.
In theory each party could choose its own leader as Royal Investigator, the globalistic party Det Radikale Venstre
did so in 2006, but often only one Royal Investigator is chosen plus the Prime Minister, before each election.
The leader who, at that meeting succeeds in securing a majority of the seats in the Folketing
, is by royal decree charged with the task of forming a new government. (It has never happened in more modern history that any party has held a majority on its own.)
Once the government has been formed, it is formally appointed by the Queen. Officially, it is the Queen who is the head of government, and she therefore presides over the Council of State, where the acts of legislation which have been passed by the parliament are signed into law. In practice, however, nearly all of the Queen's formal powers are exercised by the Council of State, and she is required by convention to act on its advice.
The Queen's main tasks are to represent the Kingdom abroad and to be a unifying figurehead at home. The queen performs the latter task by accepting invitations to open exhibitions, attending anniversaries, inaugurating bridges, etc. As an unelected public official, the Queen takes no part in party politics and does not express any political opinions. Although she has the right to vote, she opts not to do so to avoid even the appearance of partisanship.
In addition to her roles in her own country, the queen is also the Colonel-in-Chief
of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
, an infantry regiment of the British Army
, following a tradition in her family.
and Fredensborg Palace
in Copenhagen. Their summer residence is Gravenstein Castle near Sønderborg
, the former home of the Queen's mother, Queen Ingrid, who died in 2000.
The Queen is an accomplished painter
, and has held many art shows over the years . Her illustrations—under the pseudonym Ingahild Grathmer—were used for the Danish edition of The Lord of the Rings
published in 1977 and the re-issue in 2002. She is also an accomplished translator
and is said to have participated in the Danish translation of The Lord of the Rings
. She is also a costume designer and designs some of her own clothes.
Margrethe is a chain smoker
, and she is famous for her tobacco
habit.. However, on 23 November 2006 the Danish newspaper B.T. reported an announcement from the Royal Court stating that the queen would never again be seen smoking in public. Still, the queen does continue to smoke but in the future she will do so only privately. The announcement is probably due to the fact that the Danish parliament recently has decided on strict rules concerning smoking.
She suffers from arthritis
and has had both her knees replaced as a result.
A statement in a 2005 authorized biography about the Queen (entitled Margrethe) focused on her views of Islam: "We are being challenged by Islam these years. Globally as well as locally. There is something impressive about people for whom religion imbues their existence, from dusk to dawn, from cradle to grave. There are also Christians who feel this way. There is something endearing about people who give themselves up completely to their faith. But there is likewise something frightening about such a totality, which also is a feature of Islam. A counterbalance has to be found, and one has to, at times, run the risk of having unflattering labels placed on you. For there are some things for which one should display no tolerance. And when we are tolerant, we must know whether it is because of convenience or conviction."
|-
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
of the Kingdom of Denmark
Kingdom of Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark or the Danish Realm , is a constitutional monarchy and sovereign state consisting of Denmark proper in northern Europe and two autonomous constituent countries, the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and Greenland in North America. Denmark is the hegemonial part, where the...
. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I
Margaret I of Denmark
Margaret I was Queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden and founder of the Kalmar Union, which united the Scandinavian countries for over a century. Although she acted as queen regnant, the laws of contemporary Danish succession denied her formal queenship. Her title in Denmark was derived from her...
, ruler of the Scandinavian countries
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
.
Early life
Princess Margrethe was born on 16 April 1940 at Amalienborg PalaceAmalienborg Palace
Amalienborg Palace is the winter home of the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It consists of four identical classicizing palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard ; in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. Her parents were the future Frederik IX and Ingrid of Sweden
Ingrid of Sweden
Ingrid of Sweden was a Swedish princess and the queen consort of King Frederick IX of Denmark.-Background:...
, then Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark.
She was baptised on 14 May 1940 in the Church of Holmen
Church of Holmen
The Church of Holmen is a church in central Copenhagen in Denmark, on the street called Holmens Kanal. First built as an anchor forge in 1563, it was converted into a naval church by Christian IV. It is famous for having hosted the wedding between Margrethe II of Denmark, current queen of Denmark,...
. The princess's godparents were King Christian X of Denmark
Christian X of Denmark
Christian X was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and the only King of Iceland between 1918 and 1944....
, Prince Knud of Denmark
Prince Knud of Denmark
Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, formerly Prince of Denmark and Iceland was the second son and youngest child of King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine...
, Prince Axel of Denmark
Prince Axel of Denmark
Axel Christian Georg, Prince of Denmark and Iceland was a Danish and Icelandic prince.Prince Axel was the second son of Prince Valdemar of Denmark and his wife, Princess Marie d'Orléans....
, King Gustaf V of Sweden
Gustaf V of Sweden
Gustaf V was King of Sweden from 1907. He was the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sophia of Nassau, a half-sister of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg...
, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden
Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden
Gustaf VI Adolf - Oscar Fredrik Wilhelm Olaf Gustaf Adolf - was King of Sweden from October 29, 1950 until his death. His official title was King of Sweden, of the Goths and of the Wends. He was the eldest son of King Gustaf V and his wife Victoria of Baden...
, Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden
Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten
Prince Gustaf Adolf Oscar Fredrik Arthur Edmund, Duke of Västerbotten was Duke of West Bothnia and the eldest son of Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife Princess Margaret of Connaught...
and Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn was a member of the shared British and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha royal family who served as the Governor General of Canada, the 10th since Canadian Confederation.Born the seventh child and third son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and...
.
Since her paternal grandfather, the then-reigning King Christian X
Christian X of Denmark
Christian X was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and the only King of Iceland between 1918 and 1944....
, was also the King of Iceland at the time, and Margrethe until 1944 was an Icelandic princess, the Princess was as a tribute to the people of Iceland given an Icelandic
Icelandic language
Icelandic is a North Germanic language, the main language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese.Icelandic is an Indo-European language belonging to the North Germanic or Nordic branch of the Germanic languages. Historically, it was the westernmost of the Indo-European languages prior to the...
name, Þórhildur, consisting of "Thor
Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
" and the word for "battle" or "fight". The name is spelled with the thorn
Thorn (letter)
Thorn or þorn , is a letter in the Old English, Old Norse, and Icelandic alphabets, as well as some dialects of Middle English. It was also used in medieval Scandinavia, but was later replaced with the digraph th. The letter originated from the rune in the Elder Fuþark, called thorn in the...
letter, which is a surviving rune, and is equivalent to "th". It is sometimes anglicized as Thorhildur.
Margrethe has two younger sisters: Princess Benedikte
Princess Benedikte of Denmark
Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, , , is the second daughter of King Frederick IX of Denmark and Ingrid of Sweden...
(born 1944), who lives in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
Queen Anne-Marie of Greece is the wife of former King Constantine II of Greece, who was deposed in referendums in 1973 and in 1974. Her title "Queen of Greece" is not recognized under the terms of the republican Constitution of Greece...
(born 1946), who lives in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In mid-1960, together with the Princesses of Sweden and Norway, she traveled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which included a visit to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, and to the Paramount Studios, where they were met by several celebrities, including Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
.
Heiress presumptive
At the time of her birth, only males could ascend the throne of Denmark, owing to the changes in succession laws enacted in the 1850s when the GlücksburgSchleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
The House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg , known as the House of Glücksburg for short, is a German ducal house, junior branches of which include the royal houses of Denmark and Norway, the deposed royal house of Greece, and the heir to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms The House...
branch was chosen to succeed. As she had no brothers, it was assumed that her uncle Prince Knud would one day assume the throne.
The process of changing the constitution started in 1947, not long after her father ascended the throne as Frederick IX and it became clear that Queen Ingrid would have no more children. The popularity of Frederik and his daughters and the more prominent role of women in Danish life started the complicated process of altering the constitution. That proposal had to be passed by two Parliaments in succession and then by a referendum, which was held on 27 March 1953. The new Act of Succession
Danish Act of Succession
The Danish Act of Succession of March 27, 1953 was accepted after a 1953 referendum in Denmark and dictates the rules governing the Line of succession to the Danish Throne. The 1953 referendum changed the act so that it became possible for a woman to inherit the throne in the event that she has no...
permitted female succession
Order of succession
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
to the throne of Denmark, according to male-preference primogeniture, where a female can ascend to the throne only if she does not have a brother. Princess Margrethe therefore became the Heiress Presumptive.
On her eighteenth birthday, 16 April 1958, the Heiress Presumptive was given a seat in the Council of State
Danish Council of State
The Council of State is the privy council of Denmark. The body of advisors to the Danish sovereign, the council is a formal institution, with largely ceremonial functions. Chaired by the sovereign, the council comprises all cabinet ministers and the Crown prince or hereditary princess when he or...
, and the Princess subsequently chaired the meetings of the Council in the absence of the King.
Education and marriage
She studied prehistoric archaeologyArchaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
at Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...
during 1960–61, political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at Aarhus University between 1961–1962, at the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
in 1963, and at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
in 1965, and is a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
.
On 10 June 1967, Crown Princess Margrethe of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
married a French diplomat, Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, at the Naval Church of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. Laborde de Monpezat received the style and title of "His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark" because of his new position as the spouse of the Heiress Presumptive to the Danish throne
Throne
A throne is the official chair or seat upon which a monarch is seated on state or ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy or the Crown itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the...
.
Queen Margrethe is fluent in her native tongue, Danish; the native tongue of her husband, French; as well as English, Swedish and German.
Reign
Her father King Frederik IX died on 14 January 1972. On the occasion of her accession to the throne, Queen Margrethe II became the first female Danish SovereignMonarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
under the new Act of Succession. She was proclaimed Queen from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace Square
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace, , on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, is the seat of the Folketing , the Danish Prime Minister's Office and the Danish Supreme Court...
by Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag
Jens Otto Krag
Jens Otto Krag was a Danish politician. He was Prime Minister from 1962 to 1968 and again from 1971 to 1972....
on 15 January 1972. The Queen chose the motto: God's help, the love of The People, Denmark's strength.
In 2008 the Queen announced that her male-line descendants would bear the additional title of Count of Monpezat, which they inherit from the Queen's husband and consort, Henri-Marie-Jean André Count de Laborde de Monpezat.
She is the 1,188th Dame
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and the 961st Knight/Lady of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
.
Constitutional role
After an election where the incumbent Prime MinisterPrime Minister of Denmark
The Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government in Danish politics. The Prime Minister is traditionally the leader of a political coalition in the Folketing and presides over the cabinet....
does not have a majority behind him, a “Dronningerunde” (Queen's meeting) between the chairmen of each of the Danish political parties attends a meeting with the monarch.
Each party has the choice of selecting a Royal Investigator to lead these negotiations or alternatively, give the incumbent Prime Minister the mandate to continue his government as is.
In theory each party could choose its own leader as Royal Investigator, the globalistic party Det Radikale Venstre
Det Radikale Venstre
The Danish Social Liberal Party is a social liberal political party in Denmark. The party is a member of Liberal International and the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.-Origin:...
did so in 2006, but often only one Royal Investigator is chosen plus the Prime Minister, before each election.
The leader who, at that meeting succeeds in securing a majority of the seats in the Folketing
Folketing
The Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....
, is by royal decree charged with the task of forming a new government. (It has never happened in more modern history that any party has held a majority on its own.)
Once the government has been formed, it is formally appointed by the Queen. Officially, it is the Queen who is the head of government, and she therefore presides over the Council of State, where the acts of legislation which have been passed by the parliament are signed into law. In practice, however, nearly all of the Queen's formal powers are exercised by the Council of State, and she is required by convention to act on its advice.
The Queen's main tasks are to represent the Kingdom abroad and to be a unifying figurehead at home. The queen performs the latter task by accepting invitations to open exhibitions, attending anniversaries, inaugurating bridges, etc. As an unelected public official, the Queen takes no part in party politics and does not express any political opinions. Although she has the right to vote, she opts not to do so to avoid even the appearance of partisanship.
In addition to her roles in her own country, the queen is also the Colonel-in-Chief
Colonel-in-Chief
In the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its...
of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
"PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...
, an infantry regiment of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, following a tradition in her family.
Personal life and interests
The official residences of the Queen and the Prince Consort are Amalienborg PalaceAmalienborg Palace
Amalienborg Palace is the winter home of the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It consists of four identical classicizing palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard ; in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's...
and Fredensborg Palace
Fredensborg Palace
Fredensborg Palace, , is a palace located on the eastern shore of Lake Esrum in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It is the Danish Royal Family’s spring and autumn residence, and is often the site of important state visits and events in the Royal Family...
in Copenhagen. Their summer residence is Gravenstein Castle near Sønderborg
Sønderborg
Sønderborg Municipality , is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark partially on the Jutland peninsula and partially on the island of Als in south Denmark, at the border with Germany. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 76,236...
, the former home of the Queen's mother, Queen Ingrid, who died in 2000.
The Queen is an accomplished painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, and has held many art shows over the years . Her illustrations—under the pseudonym Ingahild Grathmer—were used for the Danish edition of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
published in 1977 and the re-issue in 2002. She is also an accomplished translator
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
and is said to have participated in the Danish translation of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
. She is also a costume designer and designs some of her own clothes.
Margrethe is a chain smoker
Chain smoking
Chain smoking is the practice of lighting a new cigarette for personal consumption immediately after one that is finished, sometimes using the finished cigarette to light the next one. It is a common form of addiction.-Causes:...
, and she is famous for her tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
habit.. However, on 23 November 2006 the Danish newspaper B.T. reported an announcement from the Royal Court stating that the queen would never again be seen smoking in public. Still, the queen does continue to smoke but in the future she will do so only privately. The announcement is probably due to the fact that the Danish parliament recently has decided on strict rules concerning smoking.
She suffers from arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
and has had both her knees replaced as a result.
A statement in a 2005 authorized biography about the Queen (entitled Margrethe) focused on her views of Islam: "We are being challenged by Islam these years. Globally as well as locally. There is something impressive about people for whom religion imbues their existence, from dusk to dawn, from cradle to grave. There are also Christians who feel this way. There is something endearing about people who give themselves up completely to their faith. But there is likewise something frightening about such a totality, which also is a feature of Islam. A counterbalance has to be found, and one has to, at times, run the risk of having unflattering labels placed on you. For there are some things for which one should display no tolerance. And when we are tolerant, we must know whether it is because of convenience or conviction."
Danish decorations
- Order of the ElephantOrder of the ElephantThe Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional monarchy in 1849, is now almost exclusively bestowed on royalty and heads of state.- History :A Danish religious...
- Grand Commander of the Order of the DannebrogOrder of the DannebrogThe Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
- One hundred anniversary Commemorative Medal of King Frederik IX's birth
- One hundred anniversary Commemorative Medal of King Christian X's birth
- Queen Ingrid's Commemorative Medal
- Commemorative Medal for the 50-year anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Ingrid's arrival in Denmark
- Home Guard fortjensttegn
- Home Guard 25-year mark
- Civil Defense League glory sign
- Danish Reserve Officers Association Medal
Foreign decorations
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator San Martin: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium): Grand Collar of the Order of the Southern CrossOrder of the Southern CrossThe National Order of the Southern Cross is a Brazilian order of chivalry founded by Emperor Pedro I on 1 December 1822. This order was intended to commemorate the independence of Brazil and the coronation of Pedro I...
Bulgaria: Grand Cross with Cordon of the Order of the Stara Planina: Collar of the Order of the Merit of ChileOrder of the Merit of ChileThe Order of the Merit of Chile is a Chilean military decoration and was created in 1929. Succeeding the Medal of the Merit, it was created during the term of the President Germán Riesco through the Minister of War decree No. 1350 on September 4, 1906...
Commonwealth realmCommonwealth RealmA Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian OrderRoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
Commonwealth realmCommonwealth RealmA Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s: Recipient of the Royal Victorian ChainRoyal Victorian ChainThe Royal Victorian Chain is an award, instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the Monarch...
: Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra MarianaOrder of the Cross of Terra MarianaThe Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana was instituted in 1995 to honour the independence of the Estonian state. The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana is bestowed upon the President of the Republic. Presidents of the Republic who have ceased to hold office shall keep the Order of the Cross of...
: Collar of the Order of Al Kamal: Collar of the Order of the NileOrder of the NileThe Order of the Nile is Egypt's highest state honor. The award was instituted in 1915 by Sultan Hussein Kamel to be awarded by Egypt for exceptional services to the nation...
: Stranger Lady of the Order of the GarterOrder of the GarterThe Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White RoseOrder of the White RoseThe Order of the White Rose of Finland is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor,...
: Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour: Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany: Grand Cross of the Order of the RedeemerOrder of the RedeemerThe Order of the Redeemer , also known as the Order of the Savior, is an order of Greece. The Order of the Redeemer is the oldest and highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state.- History :...
GreeceKingdom of GreeceThe Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the Convention of London by the Great Powers...
: Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Olga and SophiaOrder of Saints Olga and SophiaThe Royal Family Order of Saints Olga and Sophia was an order of the Greek royal family. Reserved for women, it was the third highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state and the Crown after the Order of the Redeemer and the male-only Order of Saints George and Constantine...
: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the FalconOrder of the FalconThe Order of the Falcon or Hin íslenska fálkaorða is a national Order of Iceland, established on July 3, 1921 by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland.-History and appointments:...
Iran: Order of the Pleiades, 2nd Class: Dame Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian RepublicOrder of Merit of the Italian RepublicThe Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
: Order of the Precious CrownOrder of the Precious CrownThe Order of the Precious Crown is a Japanese order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. Originally the order had five classes, but on April 13, 1896 the sixth, seventh and eighth classes were added....
, 1st Class: Collar of the Order of the ChrysanthemumOrder of the Chrysanthemumis Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the collar of the Order was added on January 4, 1888. Although technically the order has only one class, it can either be awarded with collar , or with grand cordon...
: Collar of the Order of the Star of JordanOrder of the Star of JordanThe Order of the Star of Jordan or The Order of Hussein ibn Ali is an award and military decoration of the sovereign state of Jordan and is awarded for military or civil merit. It was founded in honour of his father, by King Abdullah I on 22 June 1949, King Abdullah ibn Hussain...
YugoslaviaSocialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaThe Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
: Grand Cross of the Order of the Yugoslav StarOrder of the Yugoslav StarOrder of the Yugoslav Star was the highest National order of merit awarded in Yugoslavia. It was divided into four classes. The highest class, the Yugoslav Great Star was the highest state decoration awarded in Yugoslavia...
: Commander Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of the Three StarsOrder of the Three StarsOrder of the Three Stars is order awarded for merits in service for Latvia. It was established in 1924 in remembrance of founding of Latvia. Its motto is "Per aspera ad astra"...
: Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the GreatOrder of Vytautas the GreatThe Order of Vytautas the Great is the Lithuanian Presidential Award. It may be conferred on the heads of Lithuania and foreign states, as well as their citizens, for distinguished services to the State of Lithuania.-History:...
: Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion: Order of Pratap Bhasker, 1st Class: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of St. Olav: Knight of the Order of the White Eagle: Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland: Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry: Grand Collar of the Order of Saint James of the Sword: Collar of the Order of the Star of RomaniaOrder of the Star of RomaniaThe Order of the Star of Romania is Romania's highest civil order. It is awarded by the President of Romania...
: Collar of the Order of Abdulaziz al SaudOrder of Abdulaziz al SaudThe Order of Abdulaziz al Saud is a Saudi-Arabian Order of merit. The order has been named after Abdulaziz Al Saud who founded the Saudi kingdom and died in 1953.-History:...
: Golden Order of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia: Lady of the Order of the Golden FleeceOrder of the Golden FleeceThe Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
: Dame Collar of the Order of Charles III: Member of the Order of the SeraphimOrder of the SeraphimThe Royal Order of the Seraphim is a Swedish Royal order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Polar Star...
: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Good Hope: Dame of the Order of the Royal House of ChakriOrder of the Royal House of ChakriThe Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri was established in 1882 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam to commemorate the Bangkok Centennial...
: Dame of the Order of the RajamitrabhornOrder of the RajamitrabhornThe Most Auspicious Order of the Rajamitrabhorn is the highest royal order of Thailand. It was established on 11 June 1962 by King Rama IX to be bestowed upon foreign Heads of State. Members of the order are entitled to use the postnominals ร.ม.ภ.-Insignia:The decoration consists of a single class...
Family
The Queen and The Prince Consort have two children and seven grandchildren:- His Royal Highness Frederik André Henrik Christian, Crown Prince of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, born on 26 May 1968. He was married on 14 May 2004 to Mary Elizabeth DonaldsonMary, Crown Princess of DenmarkMary, Crown Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, is the wife of Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark...
, who was born on 5 February 1972. They have four children:- His Royal Highness Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John of Denmark, Count of MonpezatPrince Christian of DenmarkPrince Christian Valdemar Henri John of Denmark, Count of Monpezat , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. He is the elder son of Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, the Australian born Crown Princess Mary. He is a grandson of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and her husband Prince Henrik...
, born on 15 October 2005. - Her Royal Highness Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe of Denmark, Countess of MonpezatPrincess Isabella of DenmarkPrincess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. She is the daughter of Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, the Australian-born Crown Princess Mary....
, born on 21 April 2007. - His Royal Highness Prince Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander of Denmark, Count of MonpezatPrince Vincent of DenmarkPrince Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander of Denmark, Count of Monpezat , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. He is the third child and youngest son of Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, the Australian-born Crown Princess Mary. He is also the sixth grandchild and youngest grandson of Queen...
, born on 8 January 2011. - Her Royal Highness Princess Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda of Denmark, Countess of MonpezatPrincess Josephine of DenmarkPrincess Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. She is the fourth and youngest child of Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, the Australian-born Crown Princess Mary, and the seventh and youngest grandchild of Queen Margrethe II of...
, born on 8 January 2011.
- His Royal Highness Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John of Denmark, Count of Monpezat
- His Royal Highness Prince Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian of Denmark, Count of MonpezatPrince Joachim of DenmarkPrince Joachim of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. He is the younger son of Queen Margrethe II and Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark....
, born on 7 June 1969. He was married on 18 November 1995 to Alexandra Christina Manley, who was born on 30 June 1964. They divorced on 8 April 2005. He was married on 24 May 2008 to Marie Agathe Odile CavallierPrincess Marie of DenmarkMarie Agathe Odile, Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, is the second wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark.-Early life:...
, who was born on 6 February 1976. He has three sons:- His Highness Prince Nikolai William Alexander Frederik of Denmark, Count of MonpezatPrince Nikolai of DenmarkPrince Nikolai William Alexander Frederik of Denmark, Count of Monpezat , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. He is the elder son of Prince Joachim and his former wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg...
, born on 28 August 1999. - His Highness Prince Felix Henrik Valdemar Christian of Denmark, Count of MonpezatPrince Felix of DenmarkPrince Felix Henrik Valdemar Christian of Denmark, Count of Monpezat , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. He is the younger son of Prince Joachim and his former wife, Alexandra Christina, Countess of Frederiksborg...
, born on 22 July 2002. - His Highness Prince Henrik Carl Joachim Alain of Denmark, Count of MonpezatPrince Henrik of DenmarkPrince Henrik of Denmark, Count of Monpezat is a Danish prince and a member of the Danish Royal Family.-Danish prince:Prince Henrik is the third and youngest son of Prince Joachim. The prince is Joachim's first child with his second wife, Princess Marie of Denmark...
, born on 4 May 2009.
- His Highness Prince Nikolai William Alexander Frederik of Denmark, Count of Monpezat
Ancestry
External links
- The Queen's Homepage
- The Official Website of The Danish Monarchy
- The Ancestry of Henri de Laborde de Monpezat
- Illustrations - Lord of the Rings
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