This week marked another milestone for the glamorous Queen Margrethe II: she became the longest running monarch in Danish history.
Queen Margrethe, who ascended the throne on the death of her father on 14 January 1972, surpasses the record previously held by Christian IV, who ruled for 51 years and six months. Although technically on the throne from 1588-1648 (60 years), his reign only officially began in August 1956 as he was legally a child for the first years on the throne (and thus the court was ruled by others on his behalf).
It marks another milestone in what has already been a significant year for the queen. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Margrethe II, 83, became Europe’s longest-serving head of state and the world’s longest-serving female monarch.
Two months after undergoing the procedure, Queen Margrethe made an appearance at the doors of Fredensborg Castle
However, the last 12 months have also been difficult. The Danish queen underwent ‘extensive’ back surgery at the start of the year and has found herself in the headlines after stripping four of her grandchildren of their royal titles.
Born on 16 April 1940, Margrethe was the first of the then Crown Prince Frederick and Crown Princess Ingrid (later King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid)’s three daughters. Her sisters are Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, 76, who recently lost her husband Constantine II, and Princess Benedikte of Denmark, 78.
Queen Margrethe will be represented by her son and daughter-in-law Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary
When she was a teenager, a change in the constitution in 1953 led to Margrethe becoming heir presumptive to her father, the first time a woman would take precedence over male relatives (it would have otherwise been her uncle, Prince Knud, who inherited the throne). As such, when she ascended to the throne in 1972, she was only the second ever Queen of Denmark, the first being Queen Margrethe I of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The current queen has the nickname ‘Aunt Daisy’ as her name, Margrethe, is similar to a Danish flower, and it’s also the national flower of Denmark.
Queen Margrethe II spent her childhood in Copenhagen, living in apartments at Frederick VIII’s Palace at Amalienborgm, and was educated at a private school in the city, even spending a year abroad at North Foreland Lodge in Hampshire in the UK. Clearly an enthusiastic scholar, she went on to study prehistoric archeology at Cambridge University, as well as political science at Aarhus University. She even found time to study at the Sorbonne and London School of Economics. Unsurprisingly, she is fluent in five languages, including Danish, English, French, Swedish and German.
Is something rotten in Denmark? Queen Margrethe II stripped four grandchildren of their titles and the country turned on its popular monarch. Now, the royal family’s website has been updated to reflect the change, which came into effect on 1 January, and the queen has spoken of her ‘hurt’. Inside the February 2023 issue, Mette Dahlgaard reveals what went on behind palace gates
In the 1960s, she became something of a jet-setting princess, visiting Los Angeles, and specifically Paramount Studios, with her royal cousins Princess Astrid of Norway and Princess Margaretha of Sweden. While there, she met a handful of celebrities, including Elvis Presley, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
Margrethe shared key similarities with the late Queen Elizabeth II. The Danish queen became Europe’s longest-serving head of state and the world’s longest-serving female monarch on the death of Her Majesty (her Golden Jubilee was in 2022). And, like the Queen, she enjoyed a long marriage. Queen Margrethe was married for over 50 years to the French diplomat, Henri de Laborde de Monpezat. The couple first met in London at an official dinner at the French Embassy, keeping their relationship secret from the media until their engagement. Henri proposed with a romantic ‘moi et toi’ style ring, featuring two large square-cut diamonds, one to represent each of them.
The couple were wed on 10 June 1967, with the bride wearing a gown by Jorgen Bender, featuring lace from her grandmother, Princess Margaret of Connaught, and the Khedive of Egypt tiara. The ceremony lasted just 20 minutes at the bride’s request, wanting to be no different from ‘normal’ couples, and the groom learned his vows in Danish. The couple have two children together, Crown Prince Frederik, 54, and Prince Joachim, 53. Prince Henrik served as Margrethe’s royal consort from her accession in 1972 until his death in 2018.
Prince Joachim, the younger son of Queen Margrethe II, will move to America in the latest development in the Danish royal family saga
In addition to her role as a constitutional monarch, Margrethe has also pursued a career of sorts in the art world. In 2021, it was announced that she was a set designer for the fantasy film, Ehrengard, while she previously worked on the costumes for the stage shows of The Nutcracker and The Snow Queen. She even illustrated the Danish editions of Lord of the Rings, with author J.R.R. Tolkien impressed by her style. Considering her love of the arts, it’s no surprise she is also known for eccentric dress sense, frequently wearing brightly coloured and printed ensembles.
Having largely been popular with the Danish public during her reign (with approval ratings for the monarchy typically above 80 per cent), Queen Margrethe made headlines last year over her decision to slim down and modernise the Danish monarchy by stripping her younger son Prince Joachim’s four children, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik, and Athena, of their prince and princess titles – a move that came as a shock not only to her country, but to her own family. She subsequently apologised for any hurt caused, but nonetheless stressed her ‘duty and… wish as Queen to ensure that the monarchy continues to shape itself in keeping with the times’. Prince Joachim subsequently announced his plan to move to Washington D.C. with his second wife, Princess Marie, to take up a new position at the Embassy of Denmark there.
Margrethe endured more turbulence earlier this year when she had to undergo ‘extensive’ back surgery in February. She is now in the midst of a ‘lengthy’ rehabilitation process, but the Danish royal house has stressed that the operation was successful and she is recovering well. Her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, was initially acting as regent in his mother’s place. In April, she made her first public appearance since the procedure, holding a walking stick as she waved to the crowd at Fredensborg Castle.
