The Royal House

The Royal Family

HM The Queen

HM The Queen
Margrethe Alexandrine Þorhildur Ingrid, Her Majesty The Queen, became Queen of Denmark in 1972. Margrethe II was born on 16 April 1940 at Amalienborg Palace as the daughter of King Frederik IX (d. 1972) and Queen Ingrid, born Princess of Sweden (d. 2000)

The Queen’s motto is "God’s help, the love of The People, Denmark’s strength".

The Royal Family comprises Her Majesty The Queen’s relatives, including HRH Princess Benedikte and Her Majesty Queen Anne-Marie.

Christening and confirmation

HM The Queen was christened on 14 May 1940 in Holmens Kirke (the Naval Church) and confirmed on 1 April 1955 at Fredensborg Palace.

The Act of Succession

The Act of Succession of 27 March 1953 gave women the right of succession to the Danish throne but only secondarily. On the occasion of her accession to the throne on 14 January 1972, HM Queen Margrethe II became the first Danish Sovereign under the new Act of Succession.

In 2009, The Act of Succession was amended so that the eldest child (regardless of gender) succeeds to the throne.

A seat on the State Council

On 16 April 1958, the Heir Apparent, Princess Margrethe, was given a seat on the State Council, and she subsequently chaired the meetings of the State Council in the absence of King Frederik IX.

Wedding

On 10 June 1967, the Heir Apparent married Henri Marie Jean André, Count of Laborde de Monpezat, who in connection with the marriage became Prince Henrik of Denmark. The wedding ceremony took place in Holmens Kirke, and the wedding festivities were held at Fredensborg Palace. Prince Henrik passed away on 13 February 2018.

Children

HRH Crown Prince Frederik André Henrik Christian, born 26 May 1968, and HRH Prince Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian, born 7 June 1969.

HM The Queen and HRH Prince Henrik's wedding, 1967.
Photo: Erik Gleie ©

Education

HM The Queen attended Zahles Skole between 1946 and 1955- she was a private pupil at Amalienborg Palace from 1946 to 1949. In 1955-1956, HM The Queen was a boarder at North Foreland Lodge in Hampshire, England. Having received private lessons, Her Majesty graduated from Zahles Skole with the upper secondary examination certificate (language line) in 1959. Between 1960 and 1965, HM The Queen studied at universities in Denmark and other European countries. After having passed the examination in philosophy at Copenhagen University in 1960, HM The Queen studied archaeology at the University of Cambridge in 1960-61 and earned a Diploma in Prehistoric Archaeology. Subsequently, Her Majesty studied political science at Aarhus University in 1961-1962, at the Sorbonne in 1963 and at the London School of Economics in 1965.

Language

HM The Queen’s mother tongue is Danish. In addition, Her Majesty speaks French, Swedish, English and German.

Relation to the Defence

HM The Queen performed voluntary service with Women’s Flying Corps from 1958 to 1970 and received comprehensive training in the corps during this period. In addition to her relationship with the Danish Defence, HM The Queen has special connections to particular units of the British Defence. In 1972, Her Majesty was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of The Queen's Regiment, and in 1992, she was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of The Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment.

The Queen performed voluntary service with Women’s Flying Corps.
Photo: Polfoto ©
The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment's officer dinner in London, 2015.
Photo: Philip McCarthy ©

Politics

HM The Queen takes no part in politics and does not express any political opinions.

Tasks and duties as Head of State

Denmark has a constitutional monarchy, which means that the monarch cannot independently perform political acts. Although The Queen signs all Acts of Parliament, these only come into force when they have been countersigned by a Cabinet Minister. As Head of State, The Queen participates in the formation of a new government. 

After consultation with representatives of the political parties, the party leader who has the support of the largest number of seats in the Folketing (the Danish Parliament) is invited to form a government. Once it has been formed, the monarch will formally appoint it. Additionally, The Queen is the formal Head of the Government and therefore presides over the State Council, where the Acts that have been passed by the Folketing are signed into law. 

The Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs report regularly to The Queen to inform her of the latest political developments. The Queen hosts official visits by foreign heads of state and pays state visits abroad. The Queen receives every foreign ambassador and also formally appoints and dismisses civil servants.

The Queen's main tasks are to represent Denmark abroad and to be a figurehead at home. The Queen performs the latter task by accepting invitations to open exhibitions, attend anniversaries, inaugurate bridges, etc.

In 2011, The Queen received the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt was also present at the audience, which took place in Christian VII’s Palace, Amalienborg.
Photo: Scanpix ©
State visit in Indonesia, 2015.
Photo: Polfoto ©

Prizes

In 1989, HM The Queen was awarded the Mother-Tongue Society’s prize, and Her Majesty received the Adeil Order in 1990.

  • The Royal Yacht entering Rønne Harbour in connection with the summer cruise 2012.
    Photo: Christian Meyer, Kongehuset ©
  • State Council, 2012.
    Photo: Steen Brogaard ©
  • The Queen visiting Kulturmuseet in Vejle in connection with the summer cruise 2015.
    Photo: Jesper Sunesen, Billed-Bladet ©
  • The Queen at the opening of Aarhus Festuge, 2014.
    Photo: Polfoto ©
  • The Queen at the presentation of Dronning Ingrids Forskerpris, 2012.
    Photo: Kim Dahl, Effectphoto ©
  • The Queen on summer cruise in Faaborg, 2012.
    Photo: Scanpix ©
  • The Queen at the presentation of the "Queen’s watch", 2014.
    Photo: Thomas Lekfeldt ©
The Queen's artistic work

Since 1970, HM The Queen has been actively engaged in a number of artistic modes of expression: painting, church textiles, watercolours, prints, book illustrations, découpage works, scenography and embroidery. Many of these artistic works have been shown in connection with exhibitions in Denmark and abroad.

The Queen’s artistic works are represented at the following art museums: Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery of Denmark), ARoS Aarhus Art Museum, and Køge Art Gallery Sketch Collection (sketches for church textiles).

Exhibitions
  • Køge Art Museum of Sketches and The Glass Museum, Ebeltoft, both 1988
  • Millesgaarden, Stockholm, 1989
  • Blaafarveværket, Norway, 1991
  • Baron Boltens Gaard, Copenhagen, 1991
  • Gammel Holtegaard, 1993 and Herning Art Gallery, 1993-1994
  • Schloss Bourglinster, Luxembourg, 1994
  • Aarhus Art Building, Marienlyst Palace, Helsingør, and the Danish Central Library, Flensburg, all 1998
  • The National Museum, Reykjavik, (church textiles), 1998; Gallery J.M.S. (together with Dorte Foss), Oslo, 1999
  • Sofiero Palace, Hälsingborg, together with works of the late Crown Princess Margareta, 2002
  • The Karen Blixen Museum (découpage works), Rungsted, 2002 and Blaafarveværket, Norway, 2003
  • The Didrichsen Art Museum, Helsinki, 2002-2003
  • Yamanashi Hemslöjd, Tokyo, Japan, 2003
  • Brandts Klædefabrik, Odense, and Waldemarsudde, Stockholm, together with works of the late Prince Eugen, 2003-2004
  • Museo Stibbert, Firenze, Italy, 2006
  • The Bakkehus Museum, Copenhagen, together with HRH The Prince Consort, 2007
  • Vitskøl Convent, Vendsyssel, 2007
  • Børglum Convent, Vendyssel, 2008
  • The Museum of Religious Art, Lemvig, 2009
  • H.C. Andersen’s House, Odense, 2009
  • Museo Franz Meyer, Mexico, The Meridian International Center, Washington, DC, USA; Prince Gong’s Palace, Beijing, China and The Skovgaard Museum, Viborg, 2010; Tokyo, Japan, 2011
  • ARKEN, Ishøj, Eremitagen, Sankt Petersborg, Rusland, and Palazzo Massimo, Rome, all 2012
  • ARoS, Aarhus 2013
  • Altarpiece for Skei Fjellkirke and Østre Gausdal, Norway, 2001
  • Chasubles for the Chapel at Fredensborg Palace 1976
  • Chasubles for the Chapel at Kronborg Castle and for Angmagssalik/Tasiillaq Church, Greenland both 1985
  • Bishop's capes for Helsingør Diocese 1986
  • Bishop's capes, chasubles and antependia for Haderslev Cathedral 1987-1988
  • Bishop's capes for Viborg Diocese 1989
  • Chasubles for Aarhus Cathedral 1993-1995 
  • Bishop's capes for Aarhus Cathedral 1999
  • Design for a wedding rug for Fredensborg Palace church 1999
  • Bishop's capes for Aarhus Cathedral 2006
  • Chapsules for St. Mary Church, Sønderborg, 2007
  • Chapsules for Vemmetofte Convent church, 2008
  • Chasubles for Holmens Kirke 2012
  • TV Theatre’s production of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, “The Shepherdess and the Chimney-Sweep”, 1987 (costumes)
  • The ballet, “A Folk Tale”, The Royal Theatre, 1991 (scenography and costumes)
  • Film about H.C. Andersen’s “The Snow Queen”, 1999-2000 (scenography (découpage works) and costumes)
  • The ballet pantomime, “Love in the Dustbin”, based on fairy tales by H.C. Andersen, The Tivoli Pantomime Theatre, 2001 (costumes)
  • Karen Blixen’s “The Sailor-Boy’s Tale”, Svalegangen’s puppet theatre, 2004 (découpage works and sketches)
  • ¨Tommelise¨, based on H.C. Andersen’s fairy tale, The Pantomime Theatre, 2005 
  • ¨Twelve by the Mail¨, The Court Theatre, 2006 (scenography and costumes)
  • ¨The Tinder Box¨, The Pantomime Theatre, 2007 
  • ¨The Steadfast Tin Solider¨, The Court Theatre, 2007 (scenography and costumes)
  • ¨The Swineherd¨, The Pantomime Theatre, 2009
  • The film, ¨The Wild Swans¨, based on H.C. Andersen’s fairy tale, 2009 (découpage, scenography and costumes) 
  • The ballet The Nutcracker, Tivoli 2012 (scenography and costumes
  • Danish-language version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of The Rings” republished with illustrations by HM The Queen, 2002
  • “Historierne om Regnar Lodbrog” (The Tales of Regnar Lodbrog), 1979
  • “Bjarkemål” (The Song of Bjarke), 1982
  • Poul Ørum’s “Komedie i Florens” (Comedy in Florence), 1990.
  • Prince Henrik’s “Cantabile”, 2000 (illustrated with découpage works)
  • National and Family Bible, 2000 (vignettes)
  • “Snedronningen. Et eventyr af H.C. Andersen” and “The Snow Queen. A fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen”, both 2000 (découpage works)
  • Karen Blixen’s “Syv fantastiske fortællinger” and “Seven Gothic Tales”, both 2003 (découpage works)
  • The Prince Consort's "Frie hjul" 2008
  • "De vilde svaner" by H.C. Andersen, 2009 (découpage works)
  • The Danish Yacht Safety Board, 1986
  • The Danish Red Cross. 1988
  • Costume sketches for “A Folk Tale” for the Danish Red Cross, 1991
  • Save the Children, 1994
  • Stentrykkets Venners Kunstnerlegat (artist’s grant by friends of lithography), 2000
  • The Christmas postage stamp, 1970
  • Illustrations for calendars for The Handicraft Society,1978 and 1984
  • The Christmas Spoon of the Year, 1984
  • The Greenland Christmas postage stamp, 1983
  • The special postage stamp “The Fifth of May 1945-85”, 1985
  • Postage stamps for The National Association for the Mentally Handicapped, 1988
  • A calendar for The Sclerosis Society, 1990
  • Watercolours for The Co-operative Association, 1991
  • Watercolours for Save the Children; Christmas cards for the World Wildlife Fund, 1991, 1994 and 1998
  • Post cards for The Danish Seamen’s Church, 1992
  • Illustrations for a DanChurchAid calendar, 1993
  • Playing cards for The Danish Refugee Council, 1994
  • Cards for UNICEF, 1996
  • A Christmas Heart for Save the Children, 1997
  • Motives for Christmas cards for the World Wildlife Fund, 1998
  • A poster for the collection “Help the Balkans”, 1999
  • A calendar for The Danish Cancer Society, together with Bjørn Nørgaard’s tapestries, 2003
  • A jubilee poster for The Danish Stroke and Aphasia Association and a porcelain dish for Børnehjælpsdagen (Child Welfare Day), both 2004
  • Simone de Beauvoir’s “Tous les hommes sont mortels” into Danish under the assumed name of H.M. Vejerbjerg (HM The Queen together with HRH Prince Henrik) 1981
  • Stig Strömholm’s “Dalen”, “Fälten” and “Skogen”, 1988-1989
  • Eric Linklater’s “The Wind on the Moon” (with cover illustration), 1991.
  • HM The Queen.
    Photo: Polfoto ©
  • Photo: Henning Bagger, Scanpix ©
  • A painting by HM The Queen.
    Photo: Polfoto ©
  • "The Nutcracker".
    Photo: Polfoto ©
  • Bishop's cape for Viborg Diocese, 1989.
    Photo: Polfoto ©
  • ¨Twelve by the Mail¨.
    Photo: Polfoto ©
  • The Christmas postage stamp, 2003.
    Photo: Polfoto ©
  • Decoupage work and sketches for Svalegangen’s puppet theatre.
    Photo: Polfoto ©