After about a year and a half, Queen Margarethe of Denmark is set to hold audiences for the public again beginning in September.
On Thursday, the Royal Danish House released a press release announcing that the Queen would resume her receptions for members of the public after the summer, following a hiatus due to the global health emergency and subsequent shutdown.
Some restrictions will still apply, such as prior registrations and limited numbers. Specifically, access to audiences will be reserved for medal winners or order recipients, and priority will be given to those who were awarded these honours after the 1st of July.
According to the press release, audiences will resume on a somewhat regular occurrence, happening once or twice a month. In addition, every audience will appear in advance on the Royal Household’s website, more specifically on their agenda page, so that the general public can be aware of the monarch’s activities.
The audiences will take place at Christiansborg Palace, the centre of Danish power. The palace is the third structure with this name, and all three have been built in the same location. The current version of the building was built between 1907 and 1928, and it is currently synonymous with “politics” and “power” since it houses all three branches of government: the Supreme Court (judicial power), the Danish Parliament (legislative power) and the Prime Minister’s office (executive power). The Danish sovereign still uses many rooms to exercise their public functions, even though their residence is generally considered Amalienborg Palace.
Audiences are a way for sovereigns to honour and celebrate members of the public for their outstanding contributions to society, whatever form they may come, and helps them not lose their connection to the general public.
