This week marks 50 years since Queen Margrethe became Queen of Denmark. And as she prepares for her Jubilee, the Danish Monarch has won high praise from two of Europe’s longest serving consorts.
Danish TV channels have been showing a number of TV programmes about the Queen’s life and work. Denmark’s largest TV channel recently broadcast a new documentary about Margrethe II. In it, the Queen of Norway and the Queen of Sweden both revealed that they have much to thank Queen Margrethe for.
As always, both the Swedish and Norwegian royal houses support the Danish. The Swedish king Carl GustaF is a first cousin of Queen Margrethe. His wife, Queen Silvia, who was born in Germany and raised in Brazil, clearly remembers how she was well received by her husband’s Danish cousin. In the documentary she says: “I first met Margrethe when I was an adult. I remember she was kind to me. I came to Sweden as a newcomer, new to the family. She had great patience with me, and I have always been able to ask her anything”.
His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden adds: “As everyone knows, she is my cousin. That is why we have a special relationship with each other. We have known each other and met each other throughout our upbringing and our whole life. Now we are both a bit older, but when we see each other it is always very nice. I have always been fascinated that she also speaks perfect Swedish, I am happy about that, because I cannot speak Danish”.
Her Majesty Queen Sonja says: “When I joined the family, Queen Margrethe was a support to me. She was probably my biggest supporter. She always helped me with practical questions about what happened and how to behave in given situations. It has continued in all years, she has been a great support”.
His Majesty King Harald adds: “I look at Queen Margrethe as my friend, a very close friend”.
Several of the anecdotes provide a different insight into Queen Margrethe as a private person. It is not only the relaxed moments that Queen Margrethe is remembered for internationally. Since taking over the throne from her father, King Frederik IX, she has been on 55 outgoing state visits and a wide range of official travels.
"; n.innerHTML = "window._taboola = window._taboola || [];_taboola.push({mode:'thumbnails-a', container:'taboola-below-article-thumbnails', placement:'Below Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix'});"; insertAfter(t, e); insertAfter(n, t) }injectWidgetByMarker('tbmarker');
