After the death of Queen Elizabeth II of England, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark became the only queen of a European country at present, and she is also the longest reigning monarch in Europe today. A decision by Queen Margrethe II hit the headlines a few days ago when she announced that four of her grandchildren would be stripped of their prince and princess titles.
Cancel the titles of four grandchildren
On September 28, the Danish royal family issued a statement: “From 2023, the descendants of Prince Joachim can only use the titles of Countess and Countess of Monpeza, and no longer use the titles of Prince and Princess of Denmark. title.” Prince Joachim, the second son of Margrethe II, was married twice and had four children: the eldest son and the second son were married to his ex-wife, Countess Alexandra Wenyali. The two divorced in 2005; the youngest son and youngest daughter were born to him and his current wife, Princess Mary.
A statement from the Danish royal family stated that in order to allow these four children to live a life closer to ordinary people, Margrethe II followed the practice of other European royal families in recent years and canceled the royal titles of the four grandchildren. .
Prince Joachim said in an interview: “They can’t understand what’s going on now… I only found out about it five days ago, they told me about the plan in May, but the decision was that the children were 25. The title will change at the age of one.” This incident sparked speculation about the relationship between Margaret II’s two sons. There is a view that, in addition to the reduction of royal family members, brotherly discord may be another reason.
However, a few days after the announcement, Queen Margrethe II issued a statement on Denmark’s official social media account, in which she wrote: “As queen, I have made this decision, but as a mother and grandmother, I underestimated the impact on my youngest son and his family. I am sorry for that.”
Margrethe II had two sons with her late husband, Prince Henrik. Crown Princess Mary Donaldson has four children; the second son, Prince Joachim, and his family have lived in Paris, France since 2019, and there have been rumors that they have been “exiled”. However, the decision to cancel the royal titles of the four grandchildren is in line with Margaret II’s style of conduct.
Queen’s cousin
Born in 1940, Margrethe II was the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark at the time, and her mother was Princess Ingrid of Sweden. In early 1947, her father, Frederick, succeeded to the Danish throne as Frederick IX. Since he had no son, the Danish government amended the Act of Succession to the Throne in 1953 to allow women to inherit the throne, and Margaret, the eldest daughter, became Crown Prince. In 1972, after the death of Frederick IX, Margaret became Queen of Denmark.
The royal families of European countries have intermarried for quite a long time, and the members of the royal families are more or less related. The same is true for Margaret II and the late Queen Elizabeth II. They are both descendants of Queen Victoria, known as the “grandmother in Europe”. Although the age difference is more than ten years, they are of the same generation. They are distant cousins after three generations.
Both are queens, and the relationship between the two is also good. Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8 this year, and Denmark celebrated the 50th anniversary of Margaret II’s accession to the throne on September 11. At the request of Queen Margaret II, the celebration was held in a low-key manner to show respect for her cousin Queen Elizabeth II. On September 19, Margaret II went to London to attend the funeral of Elizabeth II.
When she was young, Margaret II almost received the best education in Europe. She studied at the University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University in Denmark, and then went to the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, Cambridge University and the London School of Economics. She speaks five languages and holds degrees in philosophy, archaeology, political science and economics, as well as a Juris Doctor. Margaret II was very interested in archaeology. She followed her grandfather to conduct archaeological excavations and research in Denmark and Italy, and was also a member of the London Society of Antiquities. In addition, Margaret II served in the army and was trained in the Defense Flying Regiment.
Love smoking more love art
These halos can hardly conceal Margaret II’s talent and achievements in art. She is also a painter and designer and has illustrated books under a pseudonym, including the Danish edition of The Lord of the Rings. She has designed postage stamps, gowns and stage costumes, and worked as a set designer for films. She often wears her designs at state-level receptions.
The works of art created by her have been exhibited in museums in Denmark and abroad, and the hundreds of works exhibited over the years are all paintings created by her in her spare time. She paints detailed landscapes as well as flamboyant collages and abstractions. Margaret II once said that she only suffered from stage fright when she displayed her art, but never felt this way when she was head of state. His dual identity is remembered by everyone.”
Margaret II is 1.8 meters tall and has blond hair. She dresses elegantly when she attends events, but she is very close to the people in private. She is often photographed by the media wearing cheap clothes, shopping in the market, and even trying food in the supermarket. There are also a lot of photos of her laughing and laughing in public regardless of her image, which makes the Danish people feel that the Queen is very real. It is reported that when Margaret II came to the throne, only 45% of the Danish people expressed their support for the royal family, but now this proportion has risen to 80%.
Surprisingly, Margaret II likes to smoke, and she is very addicted to it, and she is often photographed smoking. A reporter once asked her: “As a queen, do you think it is inappropriate to smoke in public?” She replied, “I think it’s okay”, and immediately lit a cigarette. Even so, when the Danish law banned smoking in public places, Margrethe II also made changes. The place where she smoked became a small corner of the palace, and she has not been photographed smoking for many years.
Since the beginning of this year, Margaret II has been infected with the new crown virus twice: the first time was in February, and the second time was just after attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September. But Margaret II appears to be in good health and was photographed riding a roller coaster at an amusement park in Copenhagen in May. She said she would not abdicate, “As long as I am alive, I will stay here, and my mission is lifelong.”
