MARGRETHE II made history when she ascended to the throne of Denmark and has continued to break traditions ever since.
The former Queen abdicated the crown in January 2024 after over five decades of service, passing on the role to her eldest son.
Margrethe II is the former Queen of Denmark.
She was born on April 16, 1940, and given the full name Margrethe Alexandrine Þorhildur Ingrid.
She is the daughter of Frederik IX, former King of Denmark, and Queen Ingrid.
Frederik IX died in 1972, and Queen Ingrid, who was born Princess of Sweden, died in 2000.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 Margrethe became Europe‘s longest-serving head of state and the world’s longest-serving female head.
Her motto is “God’s help, the love of The People, Denmark’s strength”.
Margrethe became Queen of Denmark in January 1972, following the death of her father.
When Margrethe was born only males could ascend the throne of Denmark but in 1953 the Danish parliament voted in favour of The Act of Succession which would allow females to become heads of state.
Margrethe was therefore the first ever female Danish sovereign.
Unlike in the UK, Denmark does not hold formal coronation celebrations.
Margrethe II’s ascension to the throne was announced from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace by the then-Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag.
Margrethe II was married to Prince Henrik of Denmark until his death in 2018.
He had served as royal consort for his wife ever since Margrethe’s accession on January 14, 1972.
Henrik, who was born near Bordeaux in France, married Margrethe on June 10, 1967.
The couple welcomed two sons during their marriage, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim.
Henrik was never given the title of King, a decision he was reportedly not too happy with.
He was once credited by Danish tabloids as saying he was “pushed aside, degraded and humiliated” by his place in the royal hierarchy.
Henrik died at the age of 83, a year after he had been diagnosed with dementia.
Margethe’s eldest son is Frederik, formerly the Crown Prince of Denmark and now the new King.
He was born on May 26, 1968, in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Growing up, Frederik earned himself the reputation of “party prince” but has since settled down with his wife Mary, who he shares four children with.
Frederik has one sibling, his younger brother Prince Joachim.
He was born just a year after Frederik, in 1969.
Like his brother, Joachim has four children.
The royal shares sons Count Nikolai and Count Felix with his ex-wife Alexandra Christina Manley, who he divorced in 2005.
He also has a son, Count Henrik, and daughter, Countess Athena, who he shares with second wife Marie Cavallier.
Margrethe II has an estimated net worth of $40million, which roughly equates to around £32m.
The Danish royals‘ main source of income is their royal provisions, known as appanages, which are granted by the Danish Parliament every year.
The yearly amount is thought to total around £9.5m and is used to cover the family’s yearly expenses.
Margrethe II is related to Queen Elizabeth through Queen Victoria and King Christian IX of Denmark.
The Danish royal is a descendant of both, meaning she is a third cousin of the late British Queen.
Margrethe is also a relative of Elizabeth II’s late husband Prince Philip.
Philip, the father of the UK’s King Charles, was born a Prince of Greece and Denmark and also shared ancestry with Queen Victoria and King Christian IX.
Margrethe II announced that she was stepping down from the throne during her New Year’s Eve speech on December 31, 2023.
She confirmed in the broadcast that she would officially give up her role as Queen on January 14, 2024, exactly 52 years to the day since she took to the throne.
In her speech, Margrethe explained that she was passing on the crown to her eldest son, Frederik, as she had become unable to undertake as many duties as she once could.
She referred to her surgery she underwent in February 2023 on her back, saying the operation that made her consider “whether now would be an appropriate time to pass on the responsibility to the next generation”.
Margrethe II had a mostly scandal-free reign and appeared to be well-liked by her people and others around the world.
She had a strong interest in archaeology and was also hailed by many fashion critics for her style.
At the time of her abdication, she held 72 Danish and 8 foreign patronages, including the Royal Danish Yacht Club and the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark.
Margrethe also has a creative streak, and has designed and embroidered several works for churches in Denmark, Greenland, Germany and England.
In 2021, an exhibition of the Queen‘s private embroideries was shown at Koldinghus Castle.
She is also a screenwriter and has worked on two adaptations of Hans Christian Andersen stories.
Margrethe has also been heavily involved with the Royal Danish Ballet as a scenographer and costume designer.
In 2022, Margrethe made headlines when she took the controversial decision to strip her son Prince Joachim’s children of their royal titles.
She said the move was to allow her grandchildren to live normal lives without royal obligations.
