It may still be winter, but the Danish Royal Family is already looking forward to the summer. They have announced their summer travel plans aboard the royal yacht, Dannebrog.
The Danish tradition of summer cruises throughout Europe began under King Christian IX, who was King of Denmark from 1863 to 1906. The family spends several months of the summer cruising, and the royal yacht is considered the official residence of the Danish monarch when they are sailing.
Queen Margrethe II will visit several different cities and regions this summer. The Queen’s summer cruise will begin on 2 May 2023. On 15 May, she will visit Allerød Municipality for a reception at Fredensborg Palace.
The first official tour will start in Bornholm’s Regional Municipality on 5 June. On the 6th, she will visit the Ertholmene archipelago and then return to Bornholm on the 7th. The yacht will then continue on to Nordsjælland and Halsnæs Municipality on 9 June to finish up Her Majesty’s first cruise.
The second cruise comes towards the end of the summer when Margrethe will visit Vordingborg Municipality on 29 August, and Randers Municipality on the 30th. The Queen’s second tour will end on 1 September with a visit to Fredericia Municipality.
The Royal Yacht Dannebrog was built in 1931 and first sailed in 1932. Queen Alexandrine, the wife of King Christian X, named the ship. It is an impressive craft that replaced a paddle steamer (also called Danneborg).
The Royal House explains,
“The ship’s hull is a riveted steel construction on transverse frames. The ship has a clipper bow and an elliptic stern. Seen from the outside, the Royal Yacht can be divided into two sections. In front of the funnel, there is space for crew accommodations, cargo and the engine. During visits to Danish and foreign ports, the covered quarterdeck is used for receptions.”
Dannebrog does not only serve as a royal residence, though. It also serves as a training base for recruits and officers of the Royal Navy.
