Just before stepping down from the throne on Sunday after 52 years, Denmark's Queen Margrethe II managed to maintain a pretty ordinary life. She is known for her poor smoking habits and has often been seen lighting a cigarette in public and has even been filmed shopping at the supermarket. In 2021, she was hired as a set designer for a Netflix fantasy film written by Karen Blixen, one of Denmark's best-known authors.
She is the third cousin of the late Elizabeth II, Europe's longest-serving leader of state and also the only woman in the world to bear the title of Queen.
Third cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Margrethe II / Photo: EPA
Margarete was born on April 16, 1940, a week after Nazi Germany invaded Denmark. The conquest made the little princess a symbol of hope for the Danes. Although she was the king's eldest child, she did not become heiress until 1953, when Denmark's constitution was amended to allow women to inherit the throne. She became queen on 15 January 1972 after her father's death.
On the day she became queen, she appeared on the balcony of the palace in Denmark and promised to be loyal to the nation. "The task my father carried for almost 25 years now rests on my shoulders. I pray to God to give me help and strength to carry this venerable legacy."
Colorful. Queen Margrethe II,
Margaret II soon became popular. She is known as the "Queen of the People" because she manages her own life and also maintains a career as an illustrator and designer. As a little girl, she was known to have a "bad temper" and once even bit her younger sister. She studied at five universities, and fields of study include prehistoric archaeology, English literature and economics.
She met her future husband, Henrik, in London while she was a student, and they both love dogs. They have two sons, Frederick the Elder, who will become King of Denmark today, and Joach.
On the wedding day,
The image of the queen is far from almost anything that can be thought of as majestic and can regularly be seen in bold and colorful costumes. But despite her popularity at home and abroad, Margaret's 52 years on the throne were not without drama.
Quite a few eyebrows were raised when Margaret II said that "life in Denmark doesn't make you Danish." Her husband, who died in 2018, insisted he did not want to be buried next to his wife. His personal secretary said at the time that "this is the result of unfair treatment of the spouse." The Danish royal family's media adviser said: "It's no secret that for years Frederik was dissatisfied with his role and the title bestowed on him in the Danish kingdom. The late Frederick's wish was honored and his ashes scattered throughout Denmark.
The Danish royal family's media adviser said at the time: "It's no secret that the prince for many years was dissatisfied with his role and the title bestowed on him by the Danish monarchy.
With the boys, photo: Reuters
Her youngest son, Joachim, also had to deal with the fact that the queen had decided to take away the title of "princes" from his four children from his first wife, and they are now referred to as counts and countesses. The reason is the Queen's desire to reduce the number of royals holding official positions. In a 2022 interview, she explained the decision: "I preferred not to leave that burden to Frederick. It's better that I did it, I'm the old woman who made the decision." The Queen insisted that the move would "benefit" her grandchildren because they could "shape their lives without being restricted".
Saying goodbye to the monarchy. Margaret II,
At the beginning of the new year, Margaret II announced that she was leaving the throne and handing over the monarchy to her eldest son. Thousands gathered in Parliament Square today to pay their respects.
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