Iceland’s President, His Excellency Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson, hosts the visit, which takes place in Reykjavík and marks the 100th anniversary of Iceland’s sovereignty.

The Queen’s visit includes a full program centered on Iceland’s history, development and feelings of national identity. The visit begins with an exhibition about the history of the creation of the Icelandic flag. Afterwards, the Icelandic government hosts a ceremony marking the independence anniversary in front of the government building at Lækjargata, where the effectuation of the Danish-Icelandic Act of Union was proclaimed on 1 December 1918.

In addition, The Queen visits Iceland’s national gallery and the exhibition “Blossoming”, which recounts Iceland’s creation and development as an independent nation. Language, science, art and culture are the themes for a visit at the Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages, a research center at the University of Iceland. The institute also houses the story of the center’s founder, the former president Vigdís Finnbogadóttir.   

The visit rounds off with a gala performance in the concert and opera hall Harpa in Reykjavik. 

An overall theme of the visit is the close relationship between Denmark and Iceland. One of The Queen’s first names, Þórhildur, is also evidence of The Queen’s personal connection with the country, which in 1940, the year of The Queen’s birth, still had a personal union with Denmark and with the Danish king as head of state for both countries.

The last time The Queen visited Iceland was in 2013 in connection with the 350th anniversary of the birth of scholar and collector of manuscripts Árni Magnússon, who founded the Arnamagnæan Manuscript Collection, and the last visit of HM The Queen and Prince Henrik to Iceland was in 1998.

President Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson visited Denmark in October this year, when he participated in Denmark’s official celebration of the 100-year anniversary of Iceland’s sovereignty. In addition, the President and First Lady Eliza Jean Reid took part in HRH The Crown Prince’s 50th birthday in May and paid a state visit to Denmark in January 2017.