Festivities Begin Marking Queen Margrethe’s Jubilee

Earlier today, festivities held to mark HM Queen Margrethe II’s fortieth anniversary as the Danish monarch began in Copenhagen.

The Queen, accompanied by TRH Prince Henrik, Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary and Prince Joachim, was welcomed to a reception at Folketinget. As usual, the royal family arrived in reverse-presedence order: Prince Joachim was first to arrive, and was escorted inside by Marianne Jelved, the third chairman of the parliament. The Crown Prince Couple were next to arrive, and were escorted by the second chairman, Søren Espersen. The Chairman of the Parliament, Mogens Lykketoft, escorted the Queen and Prince Henrik inside. Both Queen Margrethe and Crown Princess Mary were presented with bouquets of flowers, bearing red ribbons with the Queen’s jubilee insignia.

Once inside Folketinget, the royal family listened to a speech by Chairman Lykketoft, in which he said that Queen Margrethe had earned the “highest respect” from all her governments and the ministers who had been in the Privy Council. “On behalf of democracy, I would like to thank you for the way you have managed your responsibility and the royal family as an institution. Parliament wishes Your Majesty a happy anniversary,” he concluded, before leading parliament in a nine ‘Long Live the Queen’ hurrah. The royal family then went to sign the Folketinget guest book.

Later in the afternoon, Queen Margrethe partook in a press conference at Christian IX’s Palace. Prince Henrik joined her for a quick photo session beforehand. The brief photo session produced some lovely images of the couple, who have been married for forty-five years this June, with Prince Henrik giving his wife an affectionate kiss on the forehead.

During the press conference, Queen Margrethe – who answered questions in Danish, English, Swedish and French – discussed a wide range of topics: her forty years as monarch, advice she has given her heir, recent polls on the support for the monarchy, Greenland’s development, her job and her intial thoughts when taking over from her father in 1972.

VIDEO: Queen Margrethe II 40th Jubilee Press Conference

“I was very insecure as a young Queen, but it soon improved. I have tried to keep ears and eyes open and use intuition {these past forty years},” the Queen said, before again putting emphasis on her belief that being monarch is for life: “In my eyes, it’s part of the very position you have, to inherit a monarchy. It’s a task you have taken over and you keep it as long as you live. As did my father [King Frederik IX] and farfar [King Christian X].”

It was also announced today by the Royal Court that an interview with the Queen will be broadcast on CNN over the weekend to mark the jubilee.

Click here to read more about the festivities as they continue over the next few days.

Filed under Denmark
Tagged Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Margrethe II of Denmark, Margrethe II's Ruby Jubilee, Parliament, Photo Session, Press Conference, Prince Henrik the Prince Consort, Prince Joachim of Denmark.