On 14 January, the 50th anniversary of the reign of Queen Margaret of Denmark, she became the second-longest-reigning monarch in Europe after Queen Elizabeth II. As the first queen of Denmark, Margaret reversed the Danish people's indifference and even opposition to the monarchy, making the Danish royal family one of the most popular royal families. Due to the impact of the epidemic, the 50th anniversary celebration originally scheduled for the 15th cannot be continued and is expected to be postponed until September this year. In 2020, also because of the epidemic, the public was unable to celebrate Queen Margaret's 80th birthday.
▲ Margaret
Under the epidemic: the celebration is postponed, and the relatives are absent
In Denmark, the number of covid-19 infections continues to reach record highs. On 17 December 2021, the Danish government announced the closure of theatres, museums and other cultural and entertainment venues. On the same day, the Danish royal family also announced that Queen Margaret's 50th anniversary celebrations would be postponed until the end of summer so that the public could participate.
It is understood that the celebrations will include a changing of the guard in the square of Amalienborg, queen Margaret and members of the royal family will appear on the balcony to receive cheers from the people, and then the queen will ride through the capital in a carriage, have lunch at Copenhagen City Hall, watch a performance at the Royal Theatre, hold a celebration at Copenhagen Cathedral, and have a dinner at Christiansborg. Unfortunately, none of these juggling celebrations will take place on the 50th anniversary of January 15.
Margaret and her sisters
On 14 January, Queen Margaret laid a wreath at her parents' grave, accompanied only by her sister, Princess Benedikte, her two sons, including Crown Prince Frederick, and their spouses. Margaret's parents' cemetery is located at Roskilde Cathedral in western Copenhagen, which has been the burial place of the Danish royal family since 1559. After the ceremony, Margaret also met with government officials and attended a reception in Parliament.
Although the 50th anniversary of Margaret's accession to the throne on the 14th is very simple, due to the epidemic, Margaret's other sister, Anne Marie, the former queen of Greece, was unable to participate in this commemorative event. On 8 January, Anne Marie's 83-year-old husband, Constantine II, tested positive for COVID-19 and was hospitalized. Constantine II was the last Greek king, abdicating in 1973.
▲ Former Greek king and queen Anne Marie
Margaret: The unifying force of Denmark
On 14 January 1972, Margaret's father, King Frederick IX, died of a sudden illness. Prior to King Frederick IX, the Danish throne was inherited only by men. However, with the rise of feminism and the fact that Frederick had no male heir. In 1953, after a referendum, Denmark amended its constitution, when more than 85 percent of voters voted to allow women to inherit.
When Margaret ascended the throne, the Danish monarchy was in a state of flux. Journalist Gitte Redder once wrote in a book about the Danish royal family: "When she became queen, only 45% of Danes supported the monarchy. They do not believe in monarchies under modern democracy. "This has changed dramatically today. In a 2014 poll, 82 percent of respondents opposed the abolition of the monarchy. Similarly, a 2018 Voxmeter poll also found that more than three-quarters of Danes support a monarchy, while only 14.6% want Denmark to become a republic.
Queen Margaret's popularity is inextricably linked to her personal charm. Margaret was born on April 16, 1940, a week after Nazi Germany occupied Denmark during World War II. As an infant, she became a symbol of the hope of many Danes during the war years. After ascending the throne, she gradually modernized the monarchy while maintaining her status as monarch. She has always been the face of an open and hard-working monarchy, allowing her two sons to marry commoners, and she herself has been involved in many Danish cultural events, occasionally answering reporters' questions with a mischievous smile. To show that the monarch is not on top of the world, Margaret also gave interviews to 20 Danish public members and recently celebrated her 50th anniversary on a television special. Her subjects affectionately called her "Daisy."
In a documentary, Margaret says her father once taught her to welcome the love of her subjects: "You have to accept it. More than just waving. Ten years ago, while celebrating her 40th anniversary on the throne, Margaret also looked back on her role and the future of the Danish monarchy, noting: "You don't work to keep your position, you work to keep your country, you give your life to your country." ”
Margaret in 1983
Margaret in 1987
Historian Lars Hovebakke Sorensen argues that "the foundation of her (Margaret's) popularity is absolutely apolitical." In an era of great change, she succeeded in becoming the queen who unified Denmark: in the face of the economic crisis of the 1970s, 1980s, 2008 and even 2015, and now the epidemic, she has enabled the emergence of a global, multicultural nation. ”
Queen of Art
Outside of the Queen's official duties, Margaret would paint, draw, illustrate books, make church textiles and embroidery. As a painter and costume and set designer, she has created costumes and sets for ballets on numerous occasions in Tivoli Gardens, an amusement park in central Copenhagen. Margaret excelled at delicate and minimalist landscape paintings, as well as gorgeous collages and abstract paintings. Her paintings and drawings have earned her high praise.
Margaret and her paintings
Margaret's paintings have been exhibited in some of the most famous museums and galleries in Denmark and abroad. In 2012, Margaret's largest art tour was on display at Copenhagen's famous Arken Museum, when around 130 watercolors were on display – a huge honor for an amateur artist. Recently, Margaret had a new project: making collages for a film directed by Danish Oscar-winning director Bille August. The film is based on the story of a fairy tale kingdom and is expected to be released in 2023.
Margaret in painting
In addition to her personal drawings, Margaret excelled at translating books and drawing illustrations. Fluent in Danish, Swedish, French, English and German, she has worked on several elaborate translation projects. In 1981, under the pseudonym Ingahild Grathmer, she collaborated with her husband, Prince Henrik, on a translation of Simone de Beauvoir's All Men are Mortal. She has also illustrated several books, including the famous 2002 Danish edition of The Lord of the Rings.
▲ Margaret designed the stage "Snow Queen"
"My main and most important task is to become Queen of Denmark and Head of State." Margaret said in a recent television interview, "But I'm grateful that I can also express myself artistically." Queen Margaret, who expressed herself artistically, would also appear at state receptions wearing her own works, such as a raincoat made of tablecloth-type wax fabric, which she called a "happy" raincoat. Agence France-Presse believes that Margaret's intellect and diverse talents have made her a popular role model for the Danes.
▲ Margaret's happy raincoat
News and image source: Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Express, Deutsche Welle, 7News
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