Denmark’s popular Queen Margrethe II is now Europe’s longest-serving monarch and, following the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, the only reigning queen.
Always impeccably coiffed with her white hair pulled up in a bun, the artistic and chain-smoking 82-year-old, who celebrated 50 years on the throne for unifying and modernizing the Danish monarchy, celebrated her golden jubilee celebrations on this year Weekend rolled back the death Thursday of the British head of state.
Margrethe came to live in January 1972 after the death of her father Frederik IX. at the age of 31, becoming the first woman to hold the office of reigning queen in Denmark.
She took her government name Margrethe II in recognition of Margrethe I, who ruled Denmark from 1375 to 1412 but never officially held the title.
At the time of its accession, only 45 percent of Danes supported the monarchy, most believing it had no place in a modern democracy.
However, during her reign, Margrethe managed to stay away from scandals and helped modernize the institution – for example by allowing her two sons to marry commoners.
Today, the Danish monarchy is one of the most popular in the world, enjoying the support of more than 80 percent of Danes.
At 50 years and seven months on the throne, she is now the longest-reigning monarch in Europe following the death of her third cousin, Queen Elizabeth.
She is succeeded by her first cousin, Carl XVI. Gustaf of Sweden, who has been king for 48 years.
Margrethe is also Europe’s only reigning queen, although four countries – Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden – have crown princesses.
– “Till I Drop” –
Margrethe was born in Copenhagen on April 16, 1940, just a week after Nazi Germany invaded Denmark.
She eventually became the eldest of three sisters, but when she was born Danish inheritance law prohibited women from inheriting the throne.
The law was amended in 1953 after a referendum under pressure from successive Danish governments, aware of the need to modernize society.
“She managed to be a queen who united the Danish nation in a time of great changes: globalization, the emergence of the multicultural state, economic crises in the 1970s, 1980s and again in 2008-2015 and the pandemic,” says the historian Lars Hovebakke Sorensen told AFP.
“The basis of her popularity is that the Queen is absolutely apolitical,” he said.
Margrethe celebrated the 50th anniversary of her joining in January with a downsized celebration due to Covid.
The entire celebrations had been pushed back to this weekend but were again scaled back considerably following the death of Queen Elizabeth, with a carriage procession through the streets of Copenhagen and a balcony performance being cancelled.
Affectionately called “Daisy” by her family and subjects, the Queen has managed to keep the monarchy relevant without diminishing its status.
Widowed in 2018, she has repeatedly insisted she will never step down from her duties.
“I’ll stay on the throne until I drop,” she says.
Denmark has no tradition of abdicating – and given their robust health, the question has never been seriously raised.
In May, she rode a roller coaster in Copenhagen’s famous Tivoli amusement park, hat firmly on head.
Her eldest son, 54-year-old Crown Prince Frederik, is set to succeed her in due course.
– Queen of Arts –
With bright blue eyes and a big smile, she is known for her relaxed and playful side, as well as her involvement in the Danish cultural scene.
As a painter, costume and set designer, she has worked with the Royal Danish Ballet and the Royal Danish Theater on numerous occasions.
She studied at Cambridge and the Sorbonne and is fluent in English, French, German and Swedish.
She has worked on lavish translation projects, including the 1981 Danish version of Simone de Beauvoir’s All Men are Mortal under a pseudonym in collaboration with her French-born husband, Prince Henrik.
But it is above all her paintings and drawings that have attracted the public’s attention.
She has illustrated several books, including a 2002 Danish edition of JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and her pictures have been exhibited in museums and galleries in Denmark and abroad.
