Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II, Europe’s longest-serving head of state and the only queen to rule after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, celebrated her jubilee with a series of low-key events as a mark of respect for her third cousin.
It is said that Margrethe, an 82-year-old monarch who is incredibly liked and well-known for both her artistic flair and her chain smoking, made the choice herself. She had planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her ascension to the Danish throne in January, but the pandemic severely curtailed plans for the event.
Celebrations were supposed to be in full swing this weekend across the nation, but after the passing of Queen Elizabeth on Thursday, they were scaled back once further.
According to Danish media, the palace claimed that the choice was made “at the Queen’s own wish.”
Margrethe described Queen Elizabeth as “a towering figure among the European monarchs and a wonderful inspiration to us all” in a letter of sympathy to King Charles III. She will be profoundly missed by us.
Both a balcony appearance and a carriage parade through Copenhagen’s streets were cancelled, as reported by the Guardian.
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“After 50 years on the throne, Queen Margrethe is now the longest-serving living monarch in the world after Queen Elizabeth’s death,” the Danish newspaper Berlingske declared on Friday.
On January 14, 1972, Margrethe, who was 31 at the time, was crowned queen.
Only 45% of Danes at the time of her ascension supported the royal family, with the majority of them disliking the role it played in a contemporary democracy. Currently, more than 80% of the populace supports it.
Margrethe, who became a widow in 2018, is recognised with modernising the institution and promoting the union of two of her sons with lower classes. Her steadfast scofflaw status and apolitical stance have won her accolades.
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