Intriguing life of Queen Margrethe of Denmark - second career and 'bad temper'
After 52 years on the throne, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark will today formally abdicate, and Danish citizens will no doubt be looking back over her eventful, and at times surprising, reign.
The 83-year-old Royal, who will henceforth be known as Her Majesty Queen Margrethe, ascended to the throne on January 14, 1972, following the death of her father King Frederik IX. Over the course of her lengthy reign, Queen Margrethe tended towards the unconventional, being a creative, opinionated individual - who wasn't afraid to give her subjects a scolding when needed - with an imaginatively eccentric sense of style.
While monarchs so often feel aloof and beyond relatability, Queen Margrethe is in many ways considered comparitively down-to-earth, despite her glamour. A former chain smoker, who only recently quit the habit, Margrethe was regularly photographed with a cigarette in hand, and is known to shop for her own groceries at the local supermarket.
As Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark prepares to step into his mother's iconic shoes, we take a look at Margrethe's time on the throne, from her fascinating second career to her reported 'bad temper'.
Creative talents and career outside the palace
Queen Margrethe wears many hats beside her crown (Getty Images)Multi-talented Queen Margrethe has worked across several fields alongside her role as Queen, and is known for her strong creative streak. A self-taught artist, and keen painter Margrethe has a keen interest in archaology, textiles, decoupage and embroidery, and she's channelled her gifts into a very impressive career outside her Royal duties.
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A lover of ballet, Margrethe has previously designed sets and costumes for several ballets and also worked with the Tivoli Ballet Theatre since 2001. She's also not above receiving criticism for her work, telling reporters in 2007: "I know that when I have an idea that doesn't work people will tell me. And that is how it should be, since our goal is to create a performance that works, that entertains and pleases the audience and which will be a success for the theatre."
Margrethe is also a talented illustrator, whose artwork was previously printed and published in the Danish edition of J. R. R. Tolkien's classic The Lord of The Rings as well as in a British edition published by The Folio Society. According to one of Margrethe's biographers, Tolkien himself was struck by the similarities between her Art Nouveau-inspired drawings and his.
Style icon
Margrethe is widely regarded as one of the best dressed women in the world (Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima)Widely regarded as one of the best-dressed women in the world, Margrethe brings plenty of vibrant personality to her wardrobe, as well as a deep knowledge of royal history. Speaking with Vogue, Danish designer Julie Brøgger, whose brand Brøgger evoked the Queen's signature style for its spring/summer 2019 collection, recently enthused over her various iconic looks, many of which tell a story.
Brøgger said: "She outshines everybody. She doesn't care what anybody thinks. She has this dramatic vision of how you can affect the public's perception of you through your clothes. Her interest in the history of both her family and the monarchy shows in her gowns. My favourite Bender dress is a yellow silk brocade gown with a fur-edged jacket. In an interview, she said it was inspired by an old painting of a relative."
Opinionated nature and scolding over Covid
The Queen has previously shown her opinionated side (EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)While we in Britain are used to our monarchs keeping their personal beliefs out of politics, Queen Margrethe made her thoughts crystal clear when it came to those who defied lockdown rules during the coronavirus pandemic. Indeed, in the weeks before Margrethe cancelled her 80th birthday plans due to restrictions, Margrethe became the first monarch to address coronavirus in a very firm televised address to Danish citizens.
Urging people to stick to the rules, Margrethe scolded: "Sadly, not everyone is taking this seriously. Some are still hosting celebrations and birthday gatherings. This is not acceptable behaviour. It is thoughtless, and first and foremost inconsiderate."
'Bad temper'
She had a bit of a temper as a young girl (EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)According to the biography Three Sisters, the Queen had a bit of a 'bad temper' in her youth. The book, which delves into the childhoods of Margrethe and her two younger sisters Princess Benedickte and Anne-Marie of Greece, details how she once bit poor Benedikte on the arm in a fit of rage.
In one moving passage in Three Sisters, which was released to mark the sovereign's 70th birthday, Margrethe opened up candidly about what it felt like when the law of succession was changed to allow women to ascend to the throne if they didn't have brothers.
Margrethe was just 13 years old when she learned she would one day become the first female ruler of Denmark since the 15th century, a destiny which naturally came with its pressures. She shared: "Mother and father talked with me about my future as queen, but for the others, nothing will change. They talk more about it in school, and I find that very unpleasant."
Husband who refused to be buried with her
Prince Henrik felt he was never acknowledged as his wife's equal in life (Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima)In 2017, Queen Margrethe's husband Prince Henrik of Denmark announced that, in the event of his death, he did not wish to be buried with his wife, as he took issue with never being acknowledged as her equal.
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Following their Royal wedding in 1967, Prince Henrik was named as the Queen's Prince Consort, but it's understood he would have preferred the title King Consort. At the time, the Royal Danish House's communications director told the tabloid BT: "It is no secret that the Prince for many years has been unhappy with his role and the title he has been awarded in the Danish monarchy. This discontent has grown more and more in recent years."
Prince Henrik and Queen Margrethe reportedly met at a London dinner party in London in 1965 while Margrethe was still a student at the London School of Economics. Describing his instant attraction to the future monarch in his autobiography, Prince Henrik, who was working at the French Embassy at the time, wrote: "I went so far to let her understand that I was in love with her. She had already understood it. Then I declared without warning that I loved her. That statement she loved."
It's believed their marriage was a happy one, however, Henrik did express discontentment regarding his unequal title and status on several occasions. In a 2002 interview with BT, Henrik expressed feeling fed up with being 'number three' in his own household after his wife and son, stating: "For many years I have been number two. I have been satisfied with that role, but after so many years in Denmark I don't suddenly want to become number three and become some kind of wearisome attachment."
Henrik passed away 'quietly' surrounded by loved ones at Fredensborg Palace on February 13, 2018, at the age of 83, after being hospitalised with pneumonia. As per his final wishes, Henrik was cremated. Half his ashes were scattered in the sea, while the other half were buried in the garden at Fredensborg Castle. It's expected that Margrethe, who reportedly accepted his decision, will still be interred at the Roskilde Cathedral.
Family trouble and alleged cheating scandal
The Danish Royal family has navigated plenty of drama in recent years (Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima)Queen Margrethe's abdication comes amid an alleged cheating scandal involving her son, Prince Frederik, who will now succeed her as heir. Frederik, 55, has been accused of cheating on his wife Princess Mary with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova, 47, who has since denied the rumours.
Genoveva, 47, was spotted attending an art exhibition with the prince in Madrid, told Spanish publication ¡Hola!: "I categorically deny the statements that suggest a romantic relationship between Prince Frederik and me. Any statement of this type not only completely lacks the truth but also misrepresents the facts in a malicious manner. This is already in the hands of my lawyers, who will take care of the pertinent steps to protect my right to honour, truth and privacy."
Unfortunately, gossip has continued to swirl despite Genoveva's denial, and some royal experts have speculated that Queen Margrethe decided to abdicate in a 'shrewd' attempt to save Prince Frederik's marriage. Speaking with the Mail Online, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams Phil Dampier reflected: "Queen Margarethe of Denmark is a shrewd operator. She has stunned the nation by announcing she will abdicate in a fortnight in favour of her son Crown Prince Frederik. Recently rumours of an affair with Mexican socialite and actress Genoveva Casanova, illustrated with what appears to be embarrassing photographic evidence which was published last November, have been extremely damaging to the Royal family."
This isn't the first time in recent years that the Royal family has found themselves at the centre of drama. In October 2022, her second son Prince Joachim expressed dismay after she stripped his four children of their prince and princess titles in a bid to 'keep with the times', In a statement explaining her 'difficult' decision, Margrethe said: "It is my duty and my wish as Queen to ensure that the monarchy continues to shape itself in keeping with the times. It sometimes requires difficult decisions to be made, and it will always be difficult to find the right moment. Carrying a royal title entails a number of obligations and duties, which will in future be the responsibility of fewer members of the royal family. This adaptation, which I see as a necessary safeguard for the future of the monarchy,I want to make in my time."
She continued: "I have made my decision as Queen, mother and grandmother, but as a mother and grandmother I have underestimated how much my youngest son and his family feel affected. It makes a big impression, and I'm sorry for that. No one should be in doubt that my children, children-in-law and grandchildren are my great joy and pride. I now hope that we as a family can find the peace to find our way through this situation ourselves.
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