2024-01-02 07:41:59
As of: January 1, 2024 11:52 a.m
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is popular, close to the people and educated: Now the 83-year-old monarch is surprisingly abdicating on January 14th. She announced this in her New Year’s Eve address to the nation. A portrait.
During her annual live televised address to the nation, Queen Margrethe II surprises everyone, even the Scandinavian nobility experts. At the end of her speech, she thanks everyone and announces that she is abdicating: “On January 14, 2024 – 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father – I will step down as Queen of Denmark.” 52 years is a long time that would leave its mark on everyone – including her, according to the Queen, she would no longer be able to achieve as much as in the past.
Since the death of British Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, the 83-year-old queen has been Europe’s longest-serving monarch. She came to the throne in 1972. The royal family has not yet announced further details about what Margrethe will call herself in retirement and how the handover of the throne will take place in a few days.
Bird of paradise among the royals
Her compatriots especially like her because she acts like one of them. Now she looks back on 52 years of reign – and without any scandals. The Danish queen is considered a bird of paradise among the royals: she lives out her artistic streak and her colorful outfits are legendary. She said a few years ago on the occasion of her 75th birthday that she has no problems with getting older. Instead, she also sees advantages. “It’s a completely different experience. I’m not on thin ice as much anymore.” She couldn’t name the greatest moment of her life; there were so many beautiful experiences.
VIDEO: Queen Margrethe on the monarchy (min)
Studying abroad in Europe
Margrethe II was born on April 16, 1940 at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen; her full name is Margrethe Alexandrine Thorhildur Ingrid. After graduating from high school, she studied law and political science at the Sorbonne in Paris. This is followed by studies in law, political science, economics and history in Copenhagen and Aarhus. The final academic polish in the subjects of archaeology, international law and economics follows at the University of Cambridge and the London School of Economics in Great Britain.
Wedding to the French Prince Henrik
In London, Margrethe meets her husband, the French diplomat Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat. He works as a secretary in the French embassy; she is still crown princess at the time. It was love at first sight, Margrethe later admits. On June 10, 1967, the couple’s wedding took place at Holmens Kirke in Copenhagen, which became the national festival for the Danes. Count Henri has to change his name and has been called Prince Henrik of Denmark since his marriage. In 1968, Margrethe gave birth to her first son, Crown Prince Frederik. Prince Joachim is born the following year. The couple has eight grandchildren.
First Danish queen in 500 years
At the beginning of 1972, her father Frederik IX fell ill. and dies. Margrethe is then crowned queen on January 14th. A woman on the throne – that is something special in Denmark. Male rulers had ruled the country for more than 500 years. After Margrethe I, who lived until 1412, Margrethe II is the second woman on the throne of the Nordic country. Her father made this possible: Because his wife, Queen Ingrid, would not give him a son, he had the succession law changed through a referendum in 1953.
Successful and versatile artist
Characteristics
Name: Margrethe Alexandrine Thorhildur Ingrid of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Title: Queen of Denmark
Birthday: 16. April 1940
Place of birth: Copenhagen
Husband: Henri de Laborde de Monpezat (died on 13 February 2018)
Kinder: Prince Frederik, Prince Joachim
Zodiac sign: Aries
Contact: Website, Facebook, Instagram
In addition to her official duties, the monarch is creative – as a painter and in many other artistic areas. In 1977, under the pseudonym Ingahild Grathmer, she illustrated the cover of the Danish edition of Tolkien’s bestseller “Lord of the Rings”. The Queen also creates numerous Danish special postage stamps. Together with her husband she translates various novels. She also designs church vestments, theater costumes and stage sets. The monarch also often helps design her unusual outfits – this can sometimes be a brightly colored rain jacket made from a wax blanket. She is and remains a royal bird of paradise.
Marriage with dark sides and crises
Despite their shared love of art and literature, the marriage between Queen Margrethe and Henrik is in serious trouble several times. The French nobleman finds it difficult to accept the fact that he only plays second fiddle in public and, on top of that, only has the title of prince instead of king. He even said in an interview that he was humiliated by certain circles at court. The Danish compatriots also repeatedly make fun of the Prince Consort, who speaks only broken Danish and publicly dedicates love poems to his dachshunds. When the Queen chooses Prince Frederik as a substitute for illness at a New Year’s reception, a scandal ensues. Henrik, offended, retreats to his winery in France. In 2015, Henrik even stayed away from his wife’s 75th birthday celebrations.
At the beginning of January 2016, Henrik dropped the “New Year’s bombshell”: Margrethe announced in her speech that Henrik was retiring and would stay away from public appointments with the royal family in the future. In 2017, the royal family announced that the prince was suffering from dementia. Queen Margrethe’s husband dies on February 13, 2018.
Videos
2 Min
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is considered a bird of paradise among the royals. In addition to her penchant for fashion, she has another great passion – archaeology. Contribution from the show Brisant. 2 mins
Videos
2 Min
June 10, 1967: Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II – then heir to the throne – marries the French Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat. She met her prince charming in London. 2 mins
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark was born on April 16, 1940 in Copenhagen. In the interview, the monarch talks about her childhood memories of the Second World War. Video
Queen Margrethe of Denmark has been working as a designer for years. Among other things, she is very successful in designing sets and costumes for plays. Video
2 Min
Margarethe has long since made a name for herself as a painter. The monarch’s favorite motifs are the coastal landscapes of her homeland Denmark. 2 mins
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NDR Info | Information program | 01/01/2024 | 05:55 am
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