Crown Prince Frederick is the future king of Denmark. Danish royal family: adultery, drunkenness and quarrels over the title of Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark

Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra

The Danish monarchy, one of the oldest in the world, is one of Denmark's most enduring and popular institutions. The reigning queen, Her Majesty Margrethe II, belongs to the Glucksburg dynasty, the first representative of which ascended the throne in 1863 after the end of the Oldenburg dynasty.

Composition of the Danish Royal House
The Royal House of Denmark includes: Queen Margrethe II; her husband, Prince Consort Henrik; Crown Prince Frederik; his wife Crown Princess Mary; their children, Prince Christian and Princess Isabella; the Crown Prince's brother, Prince Joachim; his wife Princess Marie; their children, Prince Nicholas, Prince Felix and Prince Henrik; the Queen's sister, Princess Benedicte; The Queen's cousin, Princess Elizabeth.

Queen Margrethe II (b. 16 April 1940) is the eldest daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid. Having completed her secondary education in 1959, she continued her studies at the universities of Copenhagen, Cambridge, Aarhus, Sorbonne and London, where she studied archeology and political science. In 1967, Queen Margrethe married the French diplomat Count Henri de Labor de Monpezat (b. 1934). In Denmark they began to call him Prince Henrik. Margrethe and Henrik had sons, Frederik (b. 1968) and Joakim (b. 1969).

Queen Margrethe is a supporter of openness in relations between the monarch and her subjects. She gives great importance to visit all parts of the kingdom, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland, during the annual summer cruises on the royal yacht Dannebrog (named after the Danish flag). Listening to Queen Margrethe's traditional New Year's speech, every Dane feels that she is addressing him personally, and this strengthens the position of the monarchy. The Queen's literary and artistic activities range widely: she paints, creates church vestments, theater sets and costumes, illustrates books, and translates from Swedish to Danish and (in collaboration with her husband) from French to Danish.

Along with Queen Margrethe, Prince Consort Henrik pays great attention to literary activity. He received higher education in French literature and oriental languages, published several books, including a volume of memoirs “Destin oblige” (“Destin oblige”, 1996), a collection of poems “Cantabile” (“Cantabile”, 2000), illustrated with collages in performed by the queen, and a collection of poems “Whisper of the Wind” (“Murmures de vent”, 2005). Moreover, the prince is a recognized author of cookbooks and an experienced winegrower. The Queen and her husband own the vineyards and castle of Chateau de Caye in the prince's homeland in the province of Cahors (southwest France), where they usually spend the end of summer. The prince is a representative of several cultures at once, which is reflected in his wide international activities; his abilities come in handy in campaigns to promote Danish exporters.

The heir to the throne, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim (who also bear the title of Counts de Monpezat) received a substantial military training. In addition, the crown prince was trained in an elite corps of combat swimmers. Subsequently, he graduated from the Faculty of Political Science at Aarhus University, studied at Harvard University (USA), and at other universities, and was in the diplomatic service. On May 14, 2004, the wedding of Crown Prince Frederick and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson took place. Mary, who took the title of Crown Princess and Countess de Monpezat after her marriage, was born in the capital of the Australian state of Tasmania, Hobart, in 1972. Frederick and Mary have a son, Prince Christian (b. 2005), and a daughter, Princess Isabella ( born 2007). Prince Joachim owns the estate of Schackenborg in Möltønder in southern Jutland. Having acquired practical agricultural knowledge while working on a farm in Australia, Prince Joachim graduated from the academy Agriculture on Falster. In 1995, he married Alexandra Christina Manley (b. 1964 in Hong Kong), who received the title Princess Alexandra (now Countess of Frederiksborg). The marriage produced two sons, Prince Nicholas (b. 1999) and Prince Felix (b. 2002). In 2005, the couple divorced by mutual consent. In 2008, Prince Joachim married Marie Agathe Odile Cavalier (b. 1976 in Paris), now bearing the title Princess Marie, Countess de Monpezat. The couple had a son, Prince Henrik (b. 2009). Just like their parents, the children of Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim bear the title Comte (Countess) de Monpezat.

History of the Royal House
Reliable information about the origins of the Danish monarchy dates back to the reign of Gorm the Old (d. 958). The position of monarch was originally an elective one. However, in practice the choice always fell on the eldest son of the reigning monarch. In return, the king was required to sign a coronation charter, establishing the balance of power between the monarch and his subjects. In 1660-1661 Denmark was declared a hereditary monarchy; in 1665, the transition to absolutism was legally secured by the adoption of the Royal Law, which determined the order of succession to the throne (primogeniture in the male line) and the broad prerogatives of royal power. The democratic constitution, adopted on June 5, 1849, changed the status of the monarchy, turning it from absolute to constitutional. The Act of Succession to the Throne on March 27, 1953 opened the possibility of transferring the throne by female line(Queen Margrethe inherited the throne in 1972). A referendum on June 7, 2009 legitimized the provision that the throne passes to the first child of the reigning monarch, regardless of gender.

The direct line of succession to the throne of the ancient Danish dynasty was interrupted with the sudden death in 1448 of Christopher III of Bavaria, who had no children. His successor was Count Christian of Oldenburg, who was crowned King of Denmark under the name Christian I (1448). He belonged to one of the collateral branches of the original dynasty and became the founder of the royal house of Oldenburg (Oldenborg), which ruled until 1863, when the last representative of the dynasty, Frederick VII, died without leaving heirs. According to the Act of Succession of 1853, the crown passed to his relative, Prince Christian Glücksburg, a direct male-line descendant of the Danish kings. He was crowned Christian IX and founded the still ruling dynasty of Glücksburg (Glücksborg).

Christian IX was nicknamed “the father-in-law of all Europe,” and it is no coincidence: his eldest daughter Alexandra was married to King Edward VII of England, his middle daughter Dagmar was married to the Russian Emperor Alexander III, and his youngest daughter Tyra (Tira) was married to Duke Ernst Augustus of Cumberland. Christian's son Wilhelm was crowned King of Greece in 1863 under the name George I, Christian's grandson Karl became King of Norway under the name Haakon VII. So Danish royal house had direct family ties with many of the ruling royal houses of Europe.

Christian IX died at the age of 87, and at the time of his accession to the throne (1906), his son Frederick VIII was 63 years old. Frederick died in 1912, during the reign of his successor, Christian X (1912-1947), during both world wars. Christian remained in people's memory as the horse-king. On horseback he crossed the former state border, to personally be present at the return of Northern Schleswig to Denmark in 1920. During the years of the German occupation of Denmark (1940-1945), despite his venerable age, he took daily horseback rides through the streets of Copenhagen, becoming for the Danes the personification of the unity of the nation.

Christian X was succeeded by his eldest son Frederick IX, who married in 1935 Swedish princess Ingrid. From this marriage three daughters were born: Margrethe (Queen Margrethe II), Benedikte (b. 1944, in 1968 married Prince Richard of Sein-Wittgenstein-Berleburg), and Anne-Marie (b. 1946, married in 1964 Constantine II, then King of Greece). Frederick IX, unlike his father, from the very beginning took for granted the king's lack of real political power. He and his family gave the monarchy modern look, adapting it to democratic institutions. His good-natured manner and the joy with which he devoted himself to family concerns perfectly reflected the post-war values ​​of the Danes. At the same time, the greatness and sense of distance inherent in the monarchy did not suffer at all. His eldest daughter, Queen Margrethe II, successfully continues this line, strengthening the popularity of the royal family and the monarchy. From what has been said, it is clear why the death of Frederick IX (1972) and Queen Ingrid (2000) was experienced as a nationwide grief.

Tasks and responsibilities of the monarch
Denmark is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the monarch does not have the prerogative to take independent political action. The Queen signs all laws, but they come into force only after being certified by the signature of one of the government ministers. As head of state, the Queen participates in the formation of the government. After consulting with representatives of political parties, she asks the leader of the party that has the support of the majority of the Folketing (parliament) deputies to form a government. When the government is formed, the queen officially approves it.

According to the constitution, the Queen is also the head of government and therefore presides over meetings of the Council of State, where laws adopted by the Folketing are signed and then come into force. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary report regularly to the Queen to keep her up to date political events. The Queen receives foreign heads of state on official visits and makes state visits to other countries. It also officially appoints officials to government positions and dismisses them.

The Queen's main tasks are to represent Denmark abroad and to be the focus of what is happening within the country. The Queen's participation in the opening of an exhibition, presence at an anniversary or the commissioning of a new bridge, and other events are some examples of Her Majesty's representative functions. Often members of the royal family open foreign events that promote Danish exports. In addition, the queen regularly gives audiences, during which subjects have the right to talk with the monarch in private for a few minutes.

Royal Orders of Chivalry
Queen Margrethe is the head of two royal knightly orders– Order of the Elephant and Order of the Dannebrog (Prince Henrik is the chancellor of these orders). The Order of the Elephant, whose history is believed to date back to the 15th century, is the most honorable. Among the first holders of the order there are mainly foreign rulers and representatives of the highest nobility. These days, the order is awarded exclusively to foreign heads of state and members of the royal family. The Order of the Dannebrog, named after the Danish flag, was established by King Christian V in 1671; in 1808, following the model of the French Legion of Honor, several degrees of distinction were introduced. Currently, the Order of the Dannebrog is awarded mainly to distinguished citizens Denmark.

The decision to award awards remains the prerogative of the head of the order, with the day-to-day work being carried out by the Chamber of Heraldic Affairs, which is part of the royal court. The range of recipients of the Order of the Dannebrog in lower degrees and other orders awarded for services to Denmark is quite wide, so it is not an exaggeration to say that these awards serve as another link between the royal house and its subjects.

The royal regalia includes the crown, scepter, orb, sword and sacred chrism vessel, as well as the chains of the Order of the Elephant and the Order of the Dannebrog, which the monarch wears on special occasions. The oldest regalia is the sword of King Christian III (1551). Since 1680, the royal regalia has been kept in Rosenborg Castle (Copenhagen).
During the period of elective royal power, regalia were used during the coronation ceremony: priests and representatives of the nobility placed the crown on the head of the king as a sign that they were entrusting royal powers to him on behalf of all the people. After the transition to an absolute monarchy (1660-1661), the coronation was replaced by the ceremony of anointing: from now on the monarch is not elected by the people, he is God's anointed.

For the anointing ceremony of Christian V in 1671, instead of the old crown in the form of an open ring, which was used to crown elected kings, a new crown in the form of a closed hoop was made. To emphasize his absolute power, the monarch himself put on the crown, after which he was anointed in the church with holy oil from a sacred vessel. With the establishment of the constitutional monarchy in 1849, the anointing ceremony was abolished. Now the accession to the throne of the new monarch is proclaimed by the Prime Minister from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace (Copenhagen) - the residence of the Prime Minister, Parliament and Supreme Court.

Royal residences
Beginning in the 15th century, Copenhagen Castle gradually became the main royal residence. OK. In 1730, Christiansborg Palace was erected in its place. After the fire of 1794, the king moved to Amalienborg Palace, which is still the main royal residence. The rebuilt Christiansborg has a royal wing where the reception halls are located. Festive dinners, New Year's balls, and public audiences of Her Majesty are held here.

Amalienborg is the name of a complex of four palaces built around the perimeter of an octagonal square, the center of which is the equestrian statue of King Frederick V (sculptor J.-F.-J. Saly). The complex was the center of Frederiksstaden - a residential quarter for representatives of the highest aristocracy, founded in 1749 on the occasion of the tercentenary of the Oldenburg dynasty. All four palaces served in turn as the royal residence. Nowadays, the Palace of Christian VII (originally the palace of Chief Marshal Moltke, purchased by King Christian VII after the fire in Christiansborg) is used mainly for ceremonial purposes. The Palace of Christian IX (originally built for Hans Schack, the adopted son of Chief Marshal Moltke) serves as the residence of Queen Margrethe and the Prince Consort. The Palace of Frederick VIII (built for Baron Brockdorff) after the completion of renovation work became the residence of Crown Prince Frederick and Crown Princess Mary. Previously, Frederick IX and his wife, Queen Ingrid, lived in this palace. The palaces of the Amalienborg complex and the Yellow Palace, located nearby, also house the administrative and economic services of the royal court.

The favorite summer residence of the Queen and the Prince Consort is located at Fredensborg Castle (North Zealand). This country palace in the Italian Baroque style was built by King Frederick IV in 1720-1722. on the occasion of the end of the Northern War (its name means “palace of peace”). It was here that Christian IX gathered his huge family every summer: representatives of the royal houses of Europe came here for the “Fredensborg days”. Today, the palace hosts receptions in honor of state visits and family celebrations. The Queen and the Prince Consort also have at their disposal the Marselisborg Palace (Aarhus), which was used during the royal couple's stay in Jutland. It is interesting that this palace, whose architecture plays on Baroque motifs, became a gift from the people of Denmark on the occasion of the marriage of Prince Christian (the future King Christian X) and Princess Alexandrina (1898).

The small Rosenborg Palace in central Copenhagen and Frederiksborg Palace in Hillerød, built by Christian IV in the early 17th century, were also periodically used as royal residences. Now they have been turned into museums. Rosenborg houses the treasures of the Danish crown; Frederiksborg, rebuilt after the fire of 1859, became a museum of national history. Finally, the royal residences include Grosten Palace (South Jutland), the use of which was granted by the Danish state to Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid in 1935 on the occasion of their marriage.

Royal Court
Compared to other royal houses, the Danish royal court is relatively modest: the ceremony is limited to only the most necessary and devoid of ostentatious pomp. Traditional splendor can only be seen on particularly special occasions: state visits, royal weddings, important anniversaries. The total staff of the royal court does not exceed 140 people, whose services are paid according to the so-called. civil list - the amount allocated by the state for the maintenance of the royal family and royal court. Significant funds are allocated for the needs of the royal family (approx. 90 million Danish kroner).

In a time when fundamental values ​​are internationalized and rapidly changing, the Danish Royal Family remains an important symbol of national unity and stability in a changing world. Of course, it is important that the monarchy has deep traditional roots. But this is not the only reason for her special position. The Royal House has shown the ability to adapt to modern realities without sacrificing traditional values ​​such as constancy, respect for tradition, a sense of duty and responsibility for the nation - values ​​that, from a historical point of view, have always been the pillars of the monarchy as a form of government.

Professor Knud Jespersen

Additional Information
Administration of the Royal Household
Hofmarskallatet
Det Gule Palæ
Amaliegade 18
DK-1256 Copenhagen K
(+45) 3340 1010

Hello dears.
Since we were talking about the Danish royal family at the beginning of this week, I think it would be appropriate to remember the summer of 1967, when the Crown Princess Danish Margrethe II married the French aristocrat and diplomat Henri Marie Jean André, Comte de Laborde de Monpezat. They were married in Holmens Church in Copenhagen on June 10, 1967. As a result of the marriage, the princess's husband received the title "His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark."

The future spouses met quite funny. While studying at the London School of Economics in 1965, Margrethe was invited to lunch at the French Embassy. At that time, Henri, as an embassy employee, was supposed to be present, but was very skeptical towards her - not only was she a princess, she was also Scandinavian :-) It so happened that they were placed next to each other and, to his surprise, Henri liked her . Soon they met again at a gala dinner after some wedding and everything started to work out for them. And progress has been very, very serious.
Margrethe received from Henri wedding ring from Van Cleef and Arpels with two large cushion cut diamonds (6 carats each) (most likely) located diagonally.

On October 4, 1966, the Danish parliament approved the marriage. It was noted that even Socialist candidates agreed to the marriage with the message that it did not signify their approval of the monarchy as a whole. After the marriage was approved by parliament, Danish Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag wished the couple good luck and happy marriage on behalf of the public.
The next morning, Frederick formally asked the Council of State to approve the marriage. Which is what was done.
To celebrate the approval of their marriage by Parliament and the Council of State, Margret and Henri appeared on a balcony in Amalienborg with their parents. A crowd of 5,000 happy Danes gathered to greet them.

Afterwards there was a gala dinner and press conference during which Henri showed his gratitude to the Danes, noting that he plans to become “100% Danish” after his marriage. That same evening there was a banquet for family and government officials, as well as a performance by a private orchestra conducted by King Frederick himself (he was a talented conductor - he had such a passion :-)
The ceremony was originally scheduled for May 25, 1967, but was later moved to June 10, 1967 due to the pregnancy of Margrethe's sister Anne Marie. Anne Marie gave birth on May 20 crown prince Pavlos. The religious ceremony was to take place at Holmen Church in Copenhagen. Margret was also baptized at Holmen Church.


Erik Jenson, Bishop of Aalborg, was to conduct the religious service. This same Bishop Jenson also officially accepted Henri into the Danish People's (Lutheran) Church under the name Henrik. Before this, Henri was a Catholic.
At Margret's insistence, there were to be no special ceremonies in the church to mark the royal wedding. The ceremony was supposed to last approximately 20 minutes and consist of the same rituals and practices as any other Danish wedding. The oaths had to be pronounced in Danish.

The designer of the dress was Queen Ingrid's (Margrethe's mother) favorite - Jorgen Bender.
By the way, Margrethe’s sisters also chose the same designer. And her first daughter-in-law Alexandra followed the example of her mother-in-law. According to a long-standing tradition, brides from the Danish royal family get married in a vintage veil they inherited and sew dresses from family Irish lace.

Without lace, the dress itself is quite simple. The long-sleeved, fitted white silk features a square neckline and deep pleats at the hips, creating a flared skirt. On the front of the dress was a piece of heirloom lace that originally belonged to Margaret's grandmother, also Margaret, by the way, the former Crown Princess of Sweden. Well, the large six-meter silk train of the dress stood out, of course.

In addition, there was another interesting feature. In the Lifa area, Margrethe secured an interesting brooch - with a diamond daisy, which she inherited from her grandmother. This is no accident. The daisy is her favorite flower. She was often called that way even in childhood. Therefore, emphasis was placed on this brooch (which the Queen wears to this day). In addition, live daisies were woven into the hair of the bridesmaids, and the main flower in the bride's bouquet were the same daisies.

By the way, the bridesmaids were 4 teenagers: Christine Dahl, Countess Desiree of Rosenborg (daughter of Count Flemming), Anna Oxholm Tillish and Karina Oxholm Tillish. Each of the bridesmaids had blue dresses with short sleeves with daisy lace on the hair.

Well, the crown princess’s head was crowned with the Tiara of the Khedive of Egypt.
This diadem was presented by the Egyptian Khedive to Queen Margrethe's grandmother, Princess Margaret. Because the princess met her future husband (Swedish King Gustav) in Egypt.
By the way, all the girls from the Danish royal family choose this particular tiara for their wedding.

Henri wore a classic groom's outfit: a black tailcoat, matching trousers, a gray vest and a white straight bowtie. He also wore a ribbon with a star and the Order of the Elephant, the highest order in Denmark. Henri received the Order on his wedding day.

The wedding took place in the late afternoon of June 10, 1967. The wedding procession began at Amalienborg Palace and extended all the way to Holmen Church. Two thousand police were assigned to the streets along the procession due to protests against the royalists. Crowds lined the streets throughout the parade in the form of the royal hussars, led by Margret and Frederick, who rode in the state carriage.




Margrethe and King Frederick entered into song "Sicut Cervus", a sixth-century hymn to Psalm 43. Henri smiled as Frederick led his eldest daughter down the aisle of Holmen's church, which was decorated with white and purple bouquets of flowers.

When she reached the altar, Margret leaned down as Henri kissed her on the cheek. Along with the exchange of vows and the wife's sermon, two hymns are sung in the congregation. Margrethe admired the ring after Henri placed it on his finger, then turned to smile at his parents.


When the wedding ceremony came to an end, new couple turned to the King and Queen to bow and curtsey. Margret and Henri emerged from the church in “Toccata from Symphony No. 5” amid the cheers of gunfire and the ringing of the Holman church bell.


At the end of the service, a gun salute was performed, accompanied by a formation of jets forming the letters "M" and "H" in the sky over Copenhagen. Margret gave Henri a daisy from her bouquet as the couple climbed into the carriage and headed to Amalienborg.


The wedding coincided with the celebration of Copenhagen's 800th anniversary, which made the decorations even more festive. The streets of Copenhagen were decorated with flowers and Danish and French flags.

I hope you found it interesting :-)

On this day, back in 1972, as a result of a sad event - the death of her father Frederick IX, Margrethe Alexandrina Thorhildur Ingrid ascended the throne of Denmark, becoming Queen Margrethe II.

The father, having no sons, declared his eldest daughter as his successor during his lifetime (in 1953 the law on succession to the throne was changed; previously, succession to the throne passed through the male line and the heir was younger brother Frederica, the extremely unpopular Prince Canute).

Margrethe in 1966

As you can see, great-grandmother Margrethe II Anastasia Mikhailovna was Russian Grand Duchess, daughter of Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, son of Nicholas I.

Margrethe in 1966

The queen was 32 years old at the time of her accession to the throne. She was married and had two young sons, Frederic (four years old) and Joakim (three years old).

The queen's mother, Igrid of Sweden, outlived her husband the king by 28 years and died in 2000.

The Queen has two younger sisters - Benedicta of Denmark and Anne Maria of Denmark.


Left (January 1972)

It seems impossible to smile in such a situation. But it was necessary and she smiled.

(1972)

And yet the custom of inheriting the throne in this way is very cruel. The monarchs of the Netherlands are right when they abdicate in favor of a child and retire to nurse their grandchildren. In this case, the moment of the heir's rise is not overshadowed by grief.

[literary version]

MARGRETE II:

“We, monarchs, always remain with our country...”

Margrethe Alexandrina Thorildur Ingrid is from the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg dynasty.
Eldest daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid.
She was born on April 16, 1940 at Amalienborg Palace.
Since January 14, 1972 - Queen of Denmark.

STROKES TO THE PORTRAIT

Margrethe Alexandrina Thorildur Ingrid, eldest daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid, belongs to the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg dynasty. The second woman on the Danish throne.

Of all the monarchies existing in the world today, the Danish is the oldest. She is 1100 years old! The first king was called Gorm the Old and died in 940. In more than a thousand years, 54 kings have replaced the Danish throne. And among them, only two women ruled - Margrethe I, who at the end of the 14th century bore the title of ruler of three kingdoms - Denmark, Norway and Sweden, but was never a queen. And Margrethe II, who became the first woman in the history of the Danish monarchical dynasty to inherit the power of her father.

On April 16, 1940, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, exactly a week after Denmark was occupied by the Nazis, King Christian gave birth to his granddaughter Margrethe - the first-born in the family of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid. Birth of the future Danish Queen was for many Danes a symbolic ray of light in the darkness of the occupation, the only hope for a better future.

However, up to 13 years old, i.e. until 1953, young princess and did not suspect that she could ascend to the throne: the Danish Constitution prohibited females from occupying the throne, and for more than 600 years men enjoyed this privilege. But after two more daughters were born into the royal family, it was decided to amend the Constitution. After a popular referendum held in 1953, as a result of which women received the right to inherit the throne, Margrethe became crown princess.

Already on April 16, 1958, Margrethe took a seat in the State Council next to her father.

Based on her parents’ attitude “Denmark deserves a highly educated, intelligent monarch,” the future queen received a very good comprehensive education.

In 1959, after graduating from one of the most prestigious secondary schools educational institutions Copenhagen School Ensalis Margrethe passed the entrance exams to the University of Copenhagen, where she studied until 1960.

She studied at the School of Squadron Leaders of the Danish Women's Corps. Then she studied philosophy, economics, political science, administrative law, history and archeology at the Universities of Cambridge (1960-1961), the Danish University of Aarhus (1961-1962), the Sorbonne (1963) and the London School of Economics and Politics Sciences (1965).

Margrethe preferred to study archeology and history not in the quiet of libraries, but at excavations. First - on the territory of Denmark, later under the hot rays of the sun in Egypt and Sudan, where she worked with her maternal grandfather - the Swedish king Gustav VI Adolf. It was to him that she owed her love for archeology. But not only. Gustav Adolf was the first to notice and encourage his granddaughter's love of drawing. And she painted, in her own words, “as long as she can remember.”

Thus, from 1958 to 1964, Margrethe traveled to 5 continents, covering a total of 140 thousand kilometers.

The Danes saw their princess as a queen when, on January 14, 1972, a tear-stained young woman under a black veil stepped onto the balcony of Christiansborg Castle, and Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag proclaimed to the silent square: “King Frederik IX is dead! Long live Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II."

Queen Margrethe is constitutionally the supreme commander of the Danish Armed Forces and holds the rank of major in the Air Force. He explains his commitment to aviation by the desire to “maintain justice” - after all, before it, the Danish kings gave preference only to the army and navy.

The Queen's motto: "God's help, people's love, prosperity for Denmark!"

The Queen's main duties are to preside over meetings of the Council of State, since no law can see the light of day without the Queen's signature. She also accepts credentials from ambassadors and greets visiting heads of foreign states.

One of the Queen's main tasks, she says, is to represent Denmark well in foreign trips. Margrethe's annual travel routes stretch over tens of thousands of kilometers - from Greenland to Australia.

In 1975, the family royal yacht Dannebrog moored in Leningrad. Margrethe II was the first European queen to arrive in our country after 1917. In Moscow, she met with N.V. Podgorny, A.N. Kosygin, then visited Georgia.

The international activities of the royal couple are not only protocol. The couple created the Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik Foundation, designed to encourage interesting and unusual international projects in the fields of culture, health and business.

The Queen has many honorary titles and awards, and heads many Foundations and Academies. She is President of the Society of Old Norse Literature and Arts, founder of the Queen Margrethe II Archaeological Foundation. Under her patronage are the Royal Danish Scientific Society, the Danish Bible Society, the Royal Orphan Asylum, the Queen Louise Refugee Society, the Danish National Olympic Committee, Royal Danish Geographical Society, etc. She is a member of the Society of Antiquities of London, an honorary member of the University of Cambridge, an honorary doctor of the University of London and the University of Reykjavik, etc. He is a laureate of the Danish Literary Prize. She has been awarded the Greek Order of Salvation, the Greek Order of St. Olga and St. Sophia 1st Class, the British Order of the Garter, the Grand Star of the Austrian Order of Merit and many other awards.

Without relying on the help of advisers and referents, Margrethe herself prepares the texts of her speeches, including the traditional New Year's address to her people. Her speeches from the throne are not always laudatory - they often contain reproaches towards those who, reveling in their well-being, forget about their suffering compatriots. She does not ignore the negative attitude towards foreign workers in the country; the government sometimes becomes the target of her criticism.

According to those who worked with Queen Margrethe, she can hardly be called an “easy” leader. She is extremely observant and demanding of herself and those around her. Can't stand superficial people. Its special requirement is the reliability of the information provided.

The theme for countless jokes and friendly cartoons is Margrethe’s long-standing passion for fashionable hats of all kinds and sizes. Instead of dressing like most people royalty With understated elegance, Margrethe prefers a personally created “explosion of fantasy” style, the main element of which is hand-made hats with flowers. However, the queen cannot be accused of lack of taste - in 1990, a special international jury recognized her as the most elegant statesman in the world. Moreover, as officially announced, he is the most educated head of state in the world.

The Queen is dressed for business at the service. However, having finished with official duties, she is not averse to dancing or even going on a ski trip. She prefers to invite the Norwegian Queen Sonja as a companion.

Margrethe, or Daisy, as her subjects affectionately call her, is a heavy smoker and prefers strong Greek Karelia cigarettes, popular among the military. That, however, does not prevent her, as the chairman of the Danish Association for the Fight against Lung Diseases, from giving lectures on the dangers of smoking. When one of her listeners once drew her attention to such inconsistency, she said: “And you do as I say, and not as I do.”

In Denmark, opinion polls have been repeatedly conducted to determine the popularity of the monarchy, and in particular Queen Margrethe. It turned out that never before has a monarch in Denmark enjoyed such deafening popularity - 95 percent of Danes rate her work as “brilliant” or “good.” Well, if suddenly the inhabitants of Denmark abandoned the monarchical form of government, then of all the living politicians, the most realistic contender for the highest government post in the country would still be the queen.

In any case, Margrethe would not face unemployment...

In 1981, the Guldendal publishing house published a translation of a complex psychological novel on a historical theme by the Frenchwoman Simone de Beauvoir, “All Men are Mortal.” Critics praised the skill of the “translator H.M. Weyerberg,” not suspecting that this was a pseudonym for the royal couple.

The Danish monarch is a wonderful illustrator, painter, designer, who has a large number of exhibitions in the country and abroad. Stamps are issued based on her sketches, and reproductions of the queen's paintings are sold throughout Denmark.

And finally, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is a happy mother and wife. She met her future husband Henri-Marie-Jean-André, Count de Laborde de Monpezat in London, where he worked in the diplomatic field as secretary of the French embassy.

According to the queen, it was love at first sight, love with a capital letter. “It was as if something exploded in the sky...” Margrethe recalled.

“When I saw her for the first time at a reception in London, I realized that this girl needed to be “thawed out,” the husband shares his impressions of the first meeting with the princess in his memoirs entitled “Fate Obliges.”

After the wedding, which took place on June 10, 1967, Henri converted from Catholicism to Lutheranism and received the title Prince Henrik of Denmark.

Life in a new capacity was not easy for the Frenchman - there was a total reincarnation - a change of nationality, faith, work, name. Suffice it to say that Danish newspapers then reacted immediately to the appearance of a new member of the royal family, placing announcements on their pages like: “There is a Prince Consort. It takes work." So, in particular, the prince himself, recalling the story of his “marriage to Denmark,” laments that the “honeymoon with the Danish people” had barely ended when they began to hound him for literally everything, even for his remaining habit of smoking French Gauloises, instead of to switch to the local "Prince" brand.

Nevertheless, Prince Henrik is a far from ordinary person: he speaks Chinese, Vietnamese, English and Danish. He is an excellent pianist, pilot, and sailor. Actively participates in charitable activities.

However, it is no secret that the prince’s heart is still in his native France, where he was born on June 11, 1934 in the Gironde department near Bordeaux. Every year the family spends the summer holidays in the prince's domain, in a castle near Cahors.

The royal couple have two sons - Crown Prince Frederik (born 26 May 1968) - heir to the throne and Prince Joachim (born 7 June 1969).

Frederick, a handsome young man, would be known as King Frederick X of Denmark, the sixth member of the House of Glücksburg to inherit the throne in a direct line. At the age of 18 he was trained in the elite corps of the Danish army naval paratroopers, having withstood a competition of 75 people for a place where the training is more rigorous than that of the famous American “Green Berets”. “If I had known what I would have to experience, I don’t know if I would have gone there. There was a lot of stuff there that could make you go gray,” Frederick shares his memories. From the age of 18, Frederick has the right to replace the queen during her absence. The Crown Prince studied at the University of Aarhus, where he studied political science, and then at Harvard. They say about him that he will not miss the opportunity to drive a sports car through the streets of Copenhagen, delighting the ubiquitous paparazzi with his adventures. Gets carried away extreme species sports: marathon, racing dog sledding on the most dangerous routes, travels a lot.

Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian - the queen's youngest son - captain of the Royal Guard reserve, graduate of the Agrarian Academy. It looks as natural at the helm of a combine harvester as it does on the capital’s parquet floors. I have been to Russia more than once. He met his wife, once a British subject Alexandra Christina Mansley, and now Princess Alexandra, in Hong Kong in 1994, when she was 31 and he was 26 years old. In 1995 the wedding took place. Chinese woman Alexandra immediately won the hearts of the Danes - an elegant businesswoman, she spends 3 hours studying the Danish language.

“I’ll tell you a story that I myself heard as a child. Every time, as I remembered it later, it seemed to me better and better: the same thing happens with stories as with many people, and they They are getting better and better over the years, and this is so much better!”

(Hans Christian Andersen)

Mikhail GUSMAN:Your Majesty turned exactly thirty this year years since you became queen. Thirty years ago, in 1972, you made your first speech to the Danes. What were you thinking about at these moments?

QUEEN:... I remember it was a very cold winter day. And I was simply amazed by how many people gathered in the palace square in front of Christiansborg to congratulate me. I made a short speech, I don't remember it all today, but I promised my country and my people, the Danes, to serve their interests , what my whole life will be devoted to in the future. My father knew that someday I would become his successor. And that day I realized that what he had prepared me for with such joy had happened. Therefore, I was not so much overcome by grief as imbued with the solemnity of the moment, because now I had to try to live up to the hopes and expectations of my father.

“In the kingdom where you and I are, there is a princess who is so smart that it’s impossible to say!”

(Hans Christian Andersen)

M.G.:You have studied a variety of sciences. All- anyway, which one is closest toyour heart?

QUEEN: I have not received a serious education in any one field of knowledge; I do not, for example, have a university diploma, but my eldest son, by the way, does. In my younger years, when I was studying, I was most attracted to archeology.

M.G.:Your Majesty, to this dayday the royal houses are closely connected, moreover family bonds. Here we are recently had the honor of talking with your cousin, the Swedish king Carl XVI Gustav, who, by the way, sent you greetings. He knew that we would have a meeting with you. How often do you meet with your close relatives - colleagues? around the royal house?

QUEEN: As far as European royal families are concerned, we are all related. Someone closer (for example, the Swedish king, my cousin, his father was my mother's brother). We also have very close family ties with the Norwegian king, partly through the Swedish royal house, and directly through the Danish. And, besides, we are all, naturally, very good friends, so we often meet, not only in connection with some family events, but also for other reasons... Such meetings take place exactly the same as meetings between close relatives in any family.

“It happened in Copenhagen, on East Street, not far from New royal square. A large society gathered in one house - sometimes that's all- still have to receive guests... By the way, the conversation turned to the Middle Ages, and many found that in those days life was much better than now. Yes Yes!"

(Hans Christian Andersen)

Whether life was better in the Middle Ages or not is not for us to judge. But still, I must admit that many modern traditions originated in Middle Ages!

M.G.: It is probably very interesting to note that the first agreement between Denmark and Russia was called the “agreement of love and brotherhood”. What is it in - yours, whatthe secret of such a unique relationship between countries that, being neighborsso many years, never fought? After all, between Denmark and Russia there has never beenwar, thank God!

QUEEN: The relations between our countries have a very long and complex history. There are a number of details or, one might say, historical factors, nuances, thanks to which we have always maintained peace with each other. And although it is between our closest neighbors that the most serious contradictions arise, we are very fortunate that peace has reigned in our relations for five hundred years. This is primarily due to the very intensive trade between Denmark and Russia. And trade requires peace.

Official relations between Denmark and Russia were established on November 8, 1493 thanks to a treaty signed by King Hans of Denmark and Grand Duke Ivan III of Moscow. Already at the beginning In the 16th century, the Danes opened their own trading yards in Novgorod and Ivangorod. It was beneficial for Denmark to have allies against the Swedes powerful empire in the east. And Russia had its own interest - Denmark owned the gateway to the World Ocean.

"Far- far beyond the sea lies the same wonderful country, How this. Over there- then we live. But the road there is long; need to fly across the entire sea, and along the way there is not a single island where we could spend the night.”

(Hans Christian Andersen)

In 1716, to discuss a joint plan of action against the Swedes, Peter I came to the Danish king Frederick IV. This was the first official visit of the head of the Russian state in the history of Denmark. Frederick IV received the Russian Tsar and Tsarina Catherine- royally!

In the 19th century, the Russian monarchy became directly related to the Danish monarchy. Youngest daughter of King Christian IX and the Queen Louise, Princess Dagmar, under the name of Maria Feodorovna, became the wife of Grand Duke Alexander, the future Russian emperor. Alexandra III. Apparently, it was not for nothing that Dagmar’s father Christian IX was called “father-in-law” Europe"! His eldest daughter Alexandra became Queen of Great Britain, wife of King Edward VII, and his son George became King of Greece!

QUEEN: Europa's father-in-law, who was my great-great-grandfather Christian IX, used to spend the spring and autumn, as well as part of the summer, at Fredensborg Castle, which is located just over half an hour from Copenhagen. There, in Fredensborg, he usually collected his big family from all over Europe. Empress Dagmar came, although her official name was Maria Feodorovna. I know that history, or rather our family legends, say: Alexander loved to go there and enjoy the peace in the absence of intrusive attention from security, and spend time with relatives in the park.

M.G.: It is very symbolic that we are sitting with you in a room in your palace near the portrait of Maria Feodorovna, the Russian Empress, the mother of the last Tsar - Nicholas II.

QUEEN: Empress Dagmar is well remembered in Denmark. And everyone, including our family members, is glad that she is not forgotten in Russia. While still very young, she came to Russia, which she immediately felt was her new fatherland. And not only because she converted to Orthodoxy. She understood perfectly well that when getting married in a foreign country, she must try to perceive it as her own. And she did it with all her heart.

My father remembered her. After all, after the revolution, she came to Denmark and lived here the rest of her days, that is, a good nine years.

Empress Maria Feodorovna is buried in Roskilde - one of the most beautiful cathedrals. Here lie the ashes of 20 kings and 17 queens Denmark, and among them is the sarcophagus of the medieval ruler Margrethe I. Entrance to the tomb is available only to members of the royal family. We were given the high honor of the great-great-grandson of Nicholas I and second cousin of Nicholas II, prince of the imperial blood Dmitry Romanovich Romanov. He personally accompanied us to tomb of Empress Maria Feodorovna.

M.G.: Now there is a lot of talk that the Romanov family, in particular Prince Dmitry Romanovich Romanov living in Denmark, are in favor of transferring the remains of Maria Feodorovna from the crypt in Roskilde to the Peter and Paul FortressSaint- St. Petersburg. How do you feel about this?

QUEEN: Discussion of the possibility of transferring her ashes to St. Petersburg seems to us very important. And I believe that reburial will be a completely natural step if the right solution to this issue can be found.

M.G.:Both historically and geographically, of the Russian cities closest toDenmark's neighbor is St.- Petersburg. Our northern capital will soon becelebrate its tercentenary. As Denmark plans, the Danish royal courttake part in this event?

QUEEN: The Prince and I intend to visit Russia on a state visit in June 2003 - and, naturally, we will visit St. Petersburg primarily in connection with the planned celebrations.

“Storks tell many fairy tales to their chicks... It’s enough for babies to say “crible, crable, plurre”- Murre", but the chicks are older require something from a fairy tale- what more, at least that in It mentioned their own family. We all know one of the most beautiful tales known among storks.”

(Hans Christian Andersen)

M.G.: Your Majesty, this year marks thirty-five years of your happy family life. I understand that all Danes know beautiful story your affair with your husband, then a young French diplomat. But tell this wonderful beautiful story for Russian readers.

QUEEN: The prince and I met in London, where he worked at the French Embassy, ​​and I came to England for several months - that’s how we met. And what happened is what can happen when two people meet. And we... no, you know, it's not so easy to talk about this. However, after a very short time we realized that we liked each other very much, that we were in love and became truly close people. I told my parents that I had met a man whom I would like to marry and who also wants to marry me. My father gave us his consent, which was necessary since the marriage of the heir to the throne is approved by the king together with the State Council. That's how thirty-five years ago - it happened in June - we got married.

Soon, Princess Margrethe and Prince Henrik had a boy - Crown Prince Frederik. Photo preserved: the future queen holding the future king in his arms. But for the mother, first of all, he son, firstborn. A year later, Prince Joachim was born to the royal couple. The sons have grown up. The eldest, Crown Prince Frederik, travels a lot, like his queen- mother in her youth, and introduces her country abroad. His fate was determined at birth, and the youngest had to find his place in life. And Joachim became... a farmer.

QUEEN: Many years ago, our good friends, who did not have children of their own, here in Denmark had a small beautiful estate with a wonderful manor and a well-established economy. And they decided to transfer all this to our youngest son, who was then still a little boy. We agreed... Joachim is very pleased that he, like his older brother, now has his own responsibilities. After all, the eldest son in the royal family, the eldest child (in our case, the eldest son Frederick) is the heir to the throne, and this is his duty, his responsibility. Although we are talking about the future, because no one can know when a brick will fall on my head.

From my point of view, it helped both the younger Joachim and the older Crown Prince Frederik a lot that Joachim also had his own responsibilities. And I think that both boys only benefited from this, both personally and in terms of their relationships. The sons became truly close people, their sense of responsibility grew stronger, and they became even closer friends.

Duty and responsibility are the main words for a monarch. But this one the monarch is also a wife, a mother, and now a grandmother - Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra gave Margrethe grandchildren Nicholas and Felix! And, of course, our interlocutor sometimes wants to at least a moment to be just a woman, a caring wife and mother, a hospitable housewife, to go to the market. This is exactly what the Queen does when she comes on holiday to France, where between Bordeaux and Toulouse, in the famous town of Cahors, with her husband Prince Henrik there is a castle.

QUEEN: As for cooking, this is not my strong point. But when we are in France, the prince, my husband, often cooks himself and does it excellently.

And Prince Henrik is a famous winemaker. He has beautiful vineyards. Every year these vineyards give the royal family up to one hundred twenty thousand bottles of fine wine.

QUEEN: The Prince and I very often treat our guests to his wines at official receptions, especially in last years, because things are getting better and better with the production of these wines, which we are both quite proud of.

M.G.: But I know about one more hobby of yours, Your Majesty. Together with your husband, you translated a novel by the famous French writer Simone de Beauvoir into Danish. Are there Russians among your favorite writers?

QUEEN: Tolstoy's War and Peace gave me great pleasure. And Solzhenitsyn’s works made a huge impression on me, many of which are familiar to me.

M.G.: Well, if the conversation turns to literature, we, of course, cannot help but recall one great Danish writer, whose name is known throughout the world without translation. all countries of the world. Children all over the planet read it.I'm talking about the great Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, whose bicentenary in 2005 will beAll Denmark celebrates.

QUEEN: I look forward to this anniversary, when there will be a great variety of events. And I am pleased to know that this event, apparently, will be celebrated in many other countries around the world. For example, I know that his fairy tales are very popular in Russia.

“The Little Mermaid loved most of all listening to stories about people living on earth. The old grandmother had to tell her everything that she knew about ships and cities, about people and animals. Was especially interested and the Little Mermaid was surprised that the flowers on earth smelled, not like here, in sea!"

(Hans Christian Andersen)

Did you know that colorful decoupages, a type of collage, pages of the Danish edition of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and Seven Gothic Tales by the most popular Danish writer Karen Blixen, made by the hands of the Queen of Denmark herself! The fact is that painting and design are her long-time hobbies. Based on Andersen's fairy tales, Her Majesty designed the playing deck of cards that is in every Danish home.

In addition, the Queen is interested in stage design and theatrical costume. For the television production of Andersen's fairy tale “The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep,” the sets and costumes were made according to personal sketches Queen Margrethe II.

M.G.:Due to your interest in theatrical costumes, I would like to give you,Your Majesty, a book about the history of Russian costume and Russian theatricalsuit.

QUEEN: What a wonderful gift! Very interesting. Thank you very much, thank you.

M.G.: Your Majesty, at the end of conversations, we always ask the same question: what does power taste like? And what, in your opinion, is the purpose of the monarchy in our days?

QUEEN: I don’t like the wording “taste of power”; this expression hurts my ears. In my opinion, the main purpose of the monarchy is to maintain continuity, especially since we are talking about a time when it is sometimes difficult for a person to find his roots, to find some kind of support, and in this case the roots of the country, embodied in the monarchy, come to the fore, for we monarchs always remain with our country.

“The help of God, the love of the people, the strength of Denmark” - with this motto thirty years ago Margrethe II ascended the throne. And everything came true! Denmark one of the three richest countries in the world. It has been decided in this country housing issue, no corruption, the lowest level in Europe unemployment. Isn't this a fairy tale?

In Danish schools there are no grades, and this is the philosophy: knowledge should to be not ostentatious, but durable. The special pride of the Danes is respect to its history, its language. Children know their ancestry by age 13 knee You can go into any house in the center of Copenhagen and ask who lived there, for example, in 1795. And they will bring you carefully preserved books, where everything will be written. And this too has What- it's fabulous.