On 15 June, the Danish Royal Family attended events celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Dannebrog’s fall. According to the legend, the Danish flag fell from the sky on 15 June 1219 during the Battle of Lyndanisse (now Tallinn, in Estonia). The flag helped King Waldemar II win the battle as it fell on the Estonians and destroyed them.
Queen Margrethe undertook a two-day official visit to Estonia to celebrate the anniversary as well as the 100th anniversary of Estonia’s independence. On 15 June, she met with the President of Estonia before visiting the “Dannebrog – a flag fallen from the sky. Art from the Danish Golden Era” exhibition. Queen Margrethe also took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Monument of Freedom and officially opened the “Dannebrog and Estonia 1219-2019” exhibition. She then attended a flag ceremony, the “Estonia 100 and Dannebrog 800” concert and a gala dinner with Estonia’s President.
Then, on 16 June, Queen Margrethe attended a church service to mark the 800th anniversary of the foundation of Tallinn’s Cathedral before hosting a reception aboard the Dannebrog, the royal ship.
On 15 June, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary were in Vordingbrog to attend events at the remains of King Valdemar II’s castle. The couple was welcomed by Mayor Mikael Smed and the Livgardens Musikkorps played “Kronprins Frederiks Honnørmarch.” Then, they watched as the Dannebrog was hoisted to the top of the flagpole. For more than a year, archaeologists from the Danish Castle Center collaborated with Estonia’s historical museum to work on a new version of the Danish flag, imagining what it must have looked like back in 1219. It was revealed on stage by the Crown Prince. Crown Prince Frederik also visited the Goose Tower where he engraved his initials at the top of the tower just like King Frederik IX – his grandfather- did before him. Crown Princess Mary visited the old castle and had the opportunity to learn about its history.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie stayed in Copenhagen to commemorate the anniversary. They first attended a church service at Vor Frue Kirke before watching a flag parade on City Hall Square. Prince Joachim also inspected the flags, and they all sang ‘In Denmark I was born.’ Count Ingolf and Countess Sussie of Rosenborg, their nieces, and their spouses, as well as Denmark’s Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, were also in attendance.
