Copenhagen: Everything was planned in detail for the festivities in honor of the Queen: the opening of the exhibition. The press conference. The gala at the Royal Theater in Copenhagen. The wake-up call at Fredensborg Palace, the greeting from the balcony of Amalienborg Palace, the reception in Copenhagen City Hall followed by a carriage ride. Across the country, the Dannebrog, Denmark’s proud national flag, should only be waved for the Kingdom’s top mother. But the red and white party in honor of Queen Margrethe II is canceled – instead, the corona crisis has Germany’s northernmost neighboring country firmly under control.
Queen remains true to herself
Despite everything, however, nothing changes in Denmark in two essential things: On the one hand, the Queen turns 80 without a big celebration this Thursday. On the other hand, even in the greatest crisis since her accession to the throne in 1972, she remains true to her unconventional and pragmatic way, as was recently expressed in a very special birthday wish: The bouquets she receives every year for her birthday should not be given to her, but to her, Margrethe demanded that many older citizens who were currently having a particularly difficult time be sent in a statement by the royal family.
However, there is no way around the ubiquitous corona pandemic for the royal round birthday in the state of Denmark: Margrethe canceled all celebrations and other birthday activities with some lead time. “We all have a special responsibility to take care of each other and to contribute to ensuring that Denmark gets through the big challenges the country is facing,” she said.
Since Margrethe acceded to the throne more than 48 years ago, nothing has shaken the daily life of the Danes as much as the new coronavirus. The borders to Germany, Sweden and Norway have been closed, restaurants, cafes, theaters and many other leisure facilities such as fitness and tanning salons have been tight for weeks.
A public ban on meetings for more than ten people makes a large birthday party in honor of the Queen practically impossible. Margrethe is aware of the exceptional situation, as she showed in an extremely rare and live televised address to her people on March 17th. “Some are still holding celebrations and special birthdays,” said the otherwise constantly smiling monarch with a serious expression. “It is thoughtless. And above all, that’s ruthless. ”
Washing flowers for others and washing hands instead of waving a flag: This April 16 will feel different for Margrethe. But not only because of the Corona crisis: it is her first milestone birthday as incumbent monarch without her husband Prince Henrik, who died two years ago. Despite the controversy that accompanied her idiosyncratic husband, who comes from France, she still misses him. “He no longer comes in the door and asks if we should do this or that. I have to decide that myself. I have to learn to live with it, and I do, ”she said half a year after Henrik’s death in 2018.
In an interview with the Swedish newspaper Expressen in late summer 2019, she revealed how she felt as she got older. “In the mirror, you can see that the years have passed and left their mark,” said Margrethe. “But I don’t feel much different than ten years ago, even if I’m an old woman.” Still, she has remained a proud queen to this day – and that should remain the case for a while: “It is a role that you have for life, ”she said.
