Danish Queen. Crown Prince Frederick is the future king of Denmark. A migrant does not automatically become Danish
He had no intention of meeting the Crown Princess. But the very first meeting was the beginning of a long road of love. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Prince Consort Henrik of Denmark have been together for 50 years. Sometimes it can be difficult for them, but wisdom and patience help them cope with difficulties.
Margrethe Alexandrina Thorhildur Ingrid
Little Margarete with her parents.
She was born at Alienborg Castle in Copenhagen on April 16, 1940, to Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid. By this time, the tiny Danish kingdom had been occupied by Nazi Germany for a week. The birth of a baby among a couple of monarchs in such a difficult time for the country gave hope for the revival of a free country.
The baby’s parents believed that Denmark should have a monarch who would receive an excellent education and be distinguished by intelligence and good manners. That is why, along with studying at a regular school, the future queen had to study hard at home, following all the instructions of visiting teachers.
Young Princess Margarete.
Higher education alone is naturally not enough for a monarch, and Princess Margaret, after studying philosophy at the University of Copenhagen, studied archeology at Cambridge, social science at Aarhus and the Sorbonne, and economics at the London School.
Together with her grandfather, the Swedish king, the young princess took part in excavations near Rome. It was Gustav VI Adolf who was the first to note the girl’s far from mediocre artistic abilities.
Margarete at the excavations.
In 1953, the Danish law of succession to the throne was changed because the current king had three daughters. A change in the law allowed Margaret, as the king's eldest daughter, to receive the title of crown princess.
From 1958, Crown Princess Margaret became a member of the Council of State, which gave her the responsibility of replacing her father at meetings and representing Denmark internationally.
From that moment on, Margaret went on official visits to different countries, attended receptions and parties. One of these receptions became the meeting place for the princess and her future husband.
Henri Marie Jean André, Comte de Laborde de Monpezat
Henri Marie Jean Andre.
The future Prince Consort of Denmark was born in Indochina on June 11, 1934. When the boy was 5 years old, the family returned to France to the family residence in Cahors, where young Henri went to school. He studied at the Jesuit College in Bordeaux, and then at high school in Cahors.
In Hanoi, where the family left after his father's appointment, Henri studied at a French gymnasium, after which he became a student at the Sorbonne. Here he successfully studied law and politics, while improving his knowledge of Chinese and Vietnamese at the National School of Oriental Languages. Comte de Laborde de Monpezat's language practice took place in Hong Kong and Saigon.
Henri Marie Jean Andre in his youth.
After serving in the army and participating in the Algerian War, Henri successfully passes the exam and becomes an employee of the Asian Department of the French Foreign Ministry. Since 1963, he has held the position of third secretary at the French Embassy in London. It was in London that he would meet his future wife Margarete.
Princess Margarethe and Prince Henrik in their youth.
When Henri was told that the Crown Princess of Denmark herself would be present at the dinner party to which he was invited, he was about to resolutely refuse the invitation. It seemed to him that the princess must certainly be arrogant, arrogant, extremely capricious and very selfish.
However, reality did not at all correspond to his fantasies. At the reception, he saw a charming young lady with a charming smile, excellent manners and the ability to support any conversation.
When Henri arrived in Denmark, Margarete herself met him at the airport, not trusting anyone. She herself wanted to meet on Danish soil the one who had occupied all her thoughts lately. The tender meeting of the lovers left no doubt that things were heading towards a wedding. The very next day after Henri arrived in Denmark, on October 5, 1966, the engagement of Crown Princess Margarete of Denmark and Comte de Laborde de Monpeza was announced.
Wedding of Princess Margarethe and Comte de Laborde de Monpezat.
They were married in Holmens Church in Copenhagen on June 10, 1967. As a result of the marriage, the princess's husband received the title "His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark."
Royal co-creation
In early 1972, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark ascended the throne after the death of her father. By this time, two children were already growing up in the family: Frederic and Joakim. Prince Henrik was somewhat burdened by his second role under the queen, but he had enough patience to direct his energies to raising children and creativity. He writes and publishes collections of poetry, finding in them solace and peace of mind.
However, the queen herself, realizing how difficult it is for her husband to play a secondary role, involves him in joint creativity. Under the pseudonym of X. M. Weyerberg, translations of Simone de Beauvoir, a French writer, begin to be published in Denmark. Critics gave very flattering assessments of the quality of the translation of the books, not even realizing that under an inconspicuous pseudonym, the crowned persons of Denmark themselves were preparing for publication.
Queen Margarete II of Denmark and Prince Henrik with their sons.
However, against the backdrop of his bright and talented wife, Prince Henrik was losing. She paints pictures, illustrates books, and designs scenery and costumes for theatrical productions. But he still remains only her husband, and with the title of only Prince Consort.
As much as the Danes love and extol their queen, being proud of her talents and respecting her for her fairness and openness, they are also offended by the behavior of Prince Henrik, who is constantly offended by the lack of attention to himself.
Queen Margarethe II of Denmark and Prince Henrik.
However, the Queen of Denmark has enough wisdom and patience so that Prince Henrik does not feel left out. In 2002, the prince was not appointed to perform royal duties in Margarete's absence, entrusting them to his eldest son, Frederic. Offended by this turn, Prince Henrik went to the family estate in Cahors, but the queen immediately followed him. They spent some time together, after which they returned safely to Denmark.
And yet it is love.
And in 2016, Prince Henrik resigned as a member of the royal house and officially announced his retirement. However, Queen Margaret II herself does not care at all what status her husband is. The main thing is that there are real feelings between them.
[literary version]
MARGRETE II:
“We, monarchs, always remain with our country...”
Margrethe Alexandrina Thorildur Ingrid is from the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg dynasty.
Eldest daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid.
She was born on April 16, 1940 at Amalienborg Palace.
Since January 14, 1972 - Queen of Denmark.
STROKES TO THE PORTRAIT
Margrethe Alexandrina Thorildur Ingrid, eldest daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid, belongs to the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg dynasty. The second woman on the Danish throne.
Of all the monarchies existing in the world today, the Danish is the oldest. She is 1100 years old! The first king was called Gorm the Old and died in 940. In more than a thousand years, 54 kings have replaced the Danish throne. And among them, only two women ruled - Margrethe I, who at the end of the 14th century bore the title of ruler of three kingdoms - Denmark, Norway and Sweden, but was never a queen. And Margrethe II, who became the first woman in the history of the Danish monarchical dynasty to inherit the power of her father.
On April 16, 1940, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, exactly a week after Denmark was occupied by the Nazis, King Christian gave birth to his granddaughter Margrethe - the first-born in the family of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid. The birth of the future Danish queen was for many Danes a symbolic ray of light in the occupation darkness, the only hope for a better future.
However, up to 13 years old, i.e. Until 1953, the young princess had no idea that she could ascend to the throne: the Danish Constitution prohibited females from occupying the throne, and for more than 600 years this privilege was enjoyed by men. But after two more daughters were born into the royal family, it was decided to amend the Constitution. After a popular referendum held in 1953, as a result of which women received the right to inherit the throne, Margrethe became crown princess.
Already on April 16, 1958, Margrethe took a seat in the State Council next to her father.
Based on her parents’ attitude “Denmark deserves a highly educated, intelligent monarch,” the future queen received a very good comprehensive education.
In 1959, after graduating from one of the most prestigious secondary educational institutions in Copenhagen, the Ensalis School, Margrethe passed the entrance exams to the University of Copenhagen, where she studied until 1960.
She studied at the School of Squadron Leaders of the Danish Women's Corps. Then she studied philosophy, economics, political science, administrative law, history and archeology at the Universities of Cambridge (1960-1961), the Danish University of Aarhus (1961-1962), the Sorbonne (1963) and the London School of Economics and Politics Sciences (1965).
Margrethe preferred to study archeology and history not in the quiet of libraries, but at excavations. First - on the territory of Denmark, later under the hot rays of the sun in Egypt and Sudan, where she worked with her maternal grandfather - the Swedish king Gustav VI Adolf. It was to him that she owed her love for archeology. But not only. Gustav Adolf was the first to notice and encourage his granddaughter's love of drawing. And she painted, in her own words, “as long as she can remember.”
Thus, from 1958 to 1964, Margrethe traveled to 5 continents, covering a total of 140 thousand kilometers.
The Danes saw their princess as a queen when, on January 14, 1972, a tear-stained young woman under a black veil stepped onto the balcony of Christiansborg Castle, and Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag proclaimed to the silent square: “King Frederick IX is dead! Long live Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II."
Queen Margrethe is constitutionally the supreme commander of the Danish Armed Forces and holds the rank of major in the Air Force. He explains his commitment to aviation by the desire to “maintain justice” - after all, before it, the Danish kings gave preference only to the army and navy.
The Queen's motto: "God's help, people's love, prosperity for Denmark!"
The Queen's main duties are to preside over meetings of the Council of State, since no law can see the light of day without the Queen's signature. She also accepts credentials from ambassadors and greets visiting heads of foreign states.
One of the Queen's main tasks, she said, is to represent Denmark well when traveling abroad. Margrethe's annual travel routes stretch over tens of thousands of kilometers - from Greenland to Australia.
In 1975, the family royal yacht Dannebrog moored in Leningrad. Margrethe II was the first European queen to arrive in our country after 1917. In Moscow, she met with N.V. Podgorny, A.N. Kosygin, then visited Georgia.
The international activities of the royal couple are not only protocol. The couple created the Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik Foundation, designed to encourage interesting and unusual international projects in the fields of culture, health and business.
The Queen has many honorary titles and awards, and heads many Foundations and Academies. She is President of the Society of Old Norse Literature and Arts, founder of the Queen Margrethe II Archaeological Foundation. The Royal Danish Scientific Society, the Danish Biblical Society, the Royal Orphan Asylum, the Queen Louise Refugee Society, the Danish National Olympic Committee, the Royal Danish Geographical Society, etc. operate under its patronage. She is a member of the Society of Antiquities of London, an honorary member of the University of Cambridge, an honorary doctor of the University of London and the University of Reykjavik, etc. He is a laureate of the Danish Literary Prize. She has been awarded the Greek Order of Salvation, the Greek Order of St. Olga and St. Sophia 1st Class, the British Order of the Garter, the Grand Star of the Austrian Order of Merit and many other awards.
Without relying on the help of advisers and referents, Margrethe herself prepares the texts of her speeches, including the traditional New Year's address to her people. Her speeches from the throne are not always laudatory - they often contain reproaches towards those who, reveling in their well-being, forget about their suffering compatriots. She does not ignore the negative attitude towards foreign workers in the country; the government sometimes becomes the target of her criticism.
According to those who worked with Queen Margrethe, she can hardly be called an “easy” leader. She is extremely observant and demanding of herself and those around her. Can't stand superficial people. Its special requirement is the reliability of the information provided.
The theme for countless jokes and friendly cartoons is Margrethe’s long-standing passion for fashionable hats of all kinds and sizes. Rather than dressing with understated elegance like most royals, Margrethe prefers a personally created "explosion of fancy" style, centered around her hand-made flower hats. However, the queen cannot be accused of lack of taste - in 1990, a special international jury recognized her as the most elegant statesman in the world. Moreover, as officially announced, he is the most educated head of state in the world.
The Queen is dressed for business at the service. However, having finished with official duties, she is not averse to dancing or even going on a ski trip. She prefers to invite the Norwegian Queen Sonja as a companion.
Margrethe, or Daisy, as her subjects affectionately call her, is a heavy smoker and prefers strong Greek Karelia cigarettes, popular among the military. That, however, does not prevent her, as the chairman of the Danish Association for the Fight against Lung Diseases, from giving lectures on the dangers of smoking. When one of her listeners once drew her attention to such inconsistency, she said: “And you do as I say, and not as I do.”
In Denmark, opinion polls have been repeatedly conducted to determine the popularity of the monarchy, and in particular Queen Margrethe. It turned out that never before has a monarch in Denmark enjoyed such deafening popularity - 95 percent of Danes rate her work as “brilliant” or “good.” Well, if suddenly the inhabitants of Denmark abandoned the monarchical form of government, then of all the living politicians, the most realistic contender for the highest government post in the country would still be the queen.
In any case, Margrethe would not face unemployment...
In 1981, the Guldendal publishing house published a translation of a complex psychological novel on a historical theme by the Frenchwoman Simone de Beauvoir, “All Men are Mortal.” Critics praised the skill of the “translator H.M. Weyerberg,” not suspecting that this was a pseudonym for the royal couple.
The Danish monarch is a wonderful illustrator, painter, designer, who has a large number of exhibitions in the country and abroad. Stamps are issued based on her sketches, and reproductions of the queen's paintings are sold throughout Denmark.
And finally, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is a happy mother and wife. She met her future husband Henri-Marie-Jean-André, Count de Laborde de Monpezat in London, where he worked in the diplomatic field as secretary of the French embassy.
According to the queen, it was love at first sight, love with a capital letter. “It was as if something exploded in the sky...” Margrethe recalled.
“When I saw her for the first time at a reception in London, I realized that this girl needed to be “thawed out,” the husband shares his impressions of the first meeting with the princess in his memoirs entitled “Fate Obliges.”
After the wedding, which took place on June 10, 1967, Henri converted from Catholicism to Lutheranism and received the title Prince Henrik of Denmark.
Life in a new capacity was not easy for the Frenchman - there was a total reincarnation - a change of nationality, faith, work, name. Suffice it to say that Danish newspapers then reacted immediately to the appearance of a new member of the royal family, placing announcements on their pages like: “There is a Prince Consort. It takes work." So, in particular, the prince himself, recalling the story of his “marriage to Denmark,” laments that the “honeymoon with the Danish people” had barely ended when they began to hound him for literally everything, even for his remaining habit of smoking French Gauloises, instead of to switch to the local "Prince" brand.
Nevertheless, Prince Henrik is a far from ordinary person: he speaks Chinese, Vietnamese, English and Danish. He is an excellent pianist, pilot, and sailor. Actively participates in charitable activities.
However, it is no secret that the prince’s heart is still in his native France, where he was born on June 11, 1934 in the Gironde department near Bordeaux. Every year the family spends the summer holidays in the prince's domain, in a castle near Cahors.
The royal couple have two sons - Crown Prince Frederik (born 26 May 1968) - heir to the throne and Prince Joachim (born 7 June 1969).
Frederick, a handsome young man, would be known as King Frederick X of Denmark, the sixth member of the House of Glücksburg to inherit the throne in a direct line. At age 18, he trained in the elite Danish Army Marine Corps, competing against 75 people for a position that provided more rigorous training than the famous American Green Berets. “If I had known what I would have to experience, I don’t know if I would have gone there. There was a lot of stuff there that could make you go gray,” Frederick shares his memories. From the age of 18, Frederick has the right to replace the queen during her absence. The Crown Prince studied at the University of Aarhus, where he studied political science, and then at Harvard. They say about him that he will not miss the opportunity to drive a sports car through the streets of Copenhagen, delighting the ubiquitous paparazzi with his adventures. He is interested in extreme sports: marathons, dog sled races along the most dangerous routes, and travels a lot.
Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian - the queen's youngest son - captain of the Royal Guard reserve, graduate of the Agrarian Academy. It looks as natural at the helm of a combine harvester as it does on the capital’s parquet floors. I have been to Russia more than once. He met his wife, once a British subject Alexandra Christina Mansley, and now Princess Alexandra, in Hong Kong in 1994, when she was 31 and he was 26 years old. In 1995 the wedding took place. Chinese woman Alexandra immediately won the hearts of the Danes - an elegant businesswoman, she spends 3 hours studying the Danish language.
“I’ll tell you a story that I myself heard as a child. Every time, as I remembered it later, it seemed to me better and better: the same thing happens with stories as with many people, and they They are getting better and better over the years, and this is so much better!”
(Hans Christian Andersen)
Mikhail GUSMAN:Your Majesty turned exactly thirty this year years since you became queen. Thirty years ago, in 1972, you made your first speech to the Danes. What were you thinking about at these moments?
QUEEN:... I remember it was a very cold winter day. And I was simply amazed by how many people gathered in the palace square in front of Christiansborg to congratulate me. I made a short speech, I don't remember it all today, but I promised my country and my people, the Danes, to serve their interests , what my whole life will be devoted to in the future. My father knew that someday I would become his successor. And that day I realized that what he had prepared me for with such joy had happened. Therefore, I was not so much overcome by grief as imbued with the solemnity of the moment, because now I had to try to live up to the hopes and expectations of my father.
“In the kingdom where you and I are, there is a princess who is so smart that it’s impossible to say!”
(Hans Christian Andersen)
M.G.:You have studied a variety of sciences. All- anyway, which one is closest toyour heart?
QUEEN: I have not received a serious education in any one field of knowledge; I do not, for example, have a university diploma, but my eldest son, by the way, does. In my younger years, when I was studying, I was most attracted to archeology.
M.G.:Your Majesty, to this dayToday, royal houses are bound by close, even family ties. Here we are recently had the honor of talking with your cousin, the Swedish king Carl XVI Gustav, who, by the way, sent you greetings. He knew that we would have a meeting with you. How often do you meet with your close relatives - colleagues? around the royal house?
QUEEN: As far as European royal families are concerned, we are all related. Someone closer (for example, the Swedish king, my cousin, his father was my mother's brother). We also have very close family ties with the Norwegian king, partly through the Swedish royal house, and directly through the Danish. And, besides, we are all, naturally, very good friends, so we often meet, not only in connection with some family events, but also for other reasons... Such meetings take place exactly the same as meetings between close relatives in any family.
“It happened in Copenhagen, on East Street, not far from New royal square. A large society gathered in one house - sometimes that's all- still have to receive guests... By the way, the conversation turned to the Middle Ages, and many found that in those days life was much better than now. Yes Yes!"
(Hans Christian Andersen)
Whether life was better in the Middle Ages or not is not for us to judge. But still, I must admit that many modern traditions originated in Middle Ages!
M.G.: It is probably very interesting to note that the first agreement between Denmark and Russia was called the “agreement of love and brotherhood”. What is it in - yours, whatthe secret of such a unique relationship between countries that, being neighborsso many years, never fought? After all, between Denmark and Russia there has never beenwar, thank God!
QUEEN: The relations between our countries have a very long and complex history. There are a number of details or, one might say, historical factors, nuances, thanks to which we have always maintained peace with each other. And although it is between our closest neighbors that the most serious contradictions arise, we are very fortunate that peace has reigned in our relations for five hundred years. This is primarily due to the very intensive trade between Denmark and Russia. And trade requires peace.
Official relations between Denmark and Russia were established on November 8, 1493 thanks to a treaty signed by King Hans of Denmark and Grand Duke Ivan III of Moscow. Already at the beginning In the 16th century, the Danes opened their own trading yards in Novgorod and Ivangorod. It was beneficial for Denmark to have allies against the Swedes powerful empire in the east. And Russia had its own interest - Denmark owned the gateway to the World Ocean.
"Far- far beyond the sea lies a country as beautiful as this. Over there- then we live. But the road there is long; need to fly across the entire sea, and along the way there is not a single island where we could spend the night.”
(Hans Christian Andersen)
In 1716, to discuss a joint plan of action against the Swedes, Peter I came to the Danish king Frederick IV. This was the first official visit of the head of the Russian state in the history of Denmark. Frederick IV received the Russian Tsar and Tsarina Catherine- royally!
In the 19th century, the Russian monarchy became directly related to the Danish monarchy. Youngest daughter of King Christian IX and the Queen Louise, Princess Dagmar, under the name of Maria Feodorovna, became the wife of Grand Duke Alexander, the future Russian emperor. Alexandra III. Apparently, it was not for nothing that Dagmar’s father Christian IX was called “father-in-law” Europe"! His eldest daughter Alexandra became Queen of Great Britain, wife of King Edward VII, and his son George became King of Greece!
QUEEN: Europa's father-in-law, who was my great-great-grandfather Christian IX, used to spend the spring and autumn, as well as part of the summer, at Fredensborg Castle, which is located just over half an hour from Copenhagen. There, in Fredensborg, he usually gathered his large family from all over Europe. Empress Dagmar came, although her official name was Maria Feodorovna. I know that history, or rather our family legends, say: Alexander loved to go there and enjoy the peace in the absence of intrusive attention from security, and spend time with relatives in the park.
M.G.: It is very symbolic that we are sitting with you in a room in your palace near the portrait of Maria Feodorovna, the Russian Empress, the mother of the last Tsar - Nicholas II.
QUEEN: Empress Dagmar is well remembered in Denmark. And everyone, including our family members, is glad that she is not forgotten in Russia. While still very young, she came to Russia, which she immediately felt was her new fatherland. And not only because she converted to Orthodoxy. She understood perfectly well that when getting married in a foreign country, she must try to perceive it as her own. And she did it with all her heart.
My father remembered her. After all, after the revolution, she came to Denmark and lived here the rest of her days, that is, a good nine years.
Empress Maria Feodorovna is buried in Roskilde - one of the most beautiful cathedrals. Here lie the ashes of 20 kings and 17 queens Denmark, and among them is the sarcophagus of the medieval ruler Margrethe I. Entrance to the tomb is available only to members of the royal family. We were given the high honor of the great-great-grandson of Nicholas I and second cousin of Nicholas II, prince of the imperial blood Dmitry Romanovich Romanov. He personally accompanied us to tomb of Empress Maria Feodorovna.
M.G.: Now there is a lot of talk that the Romanov family, in particular Prince Dmitry Romanovich Romanov living in Denmark, are in favor of transferring the remains of Maria Feodorovna from the crypt in Roskilde to the Peter and Paul FortressSaint- St. Petersburg. How do you feel about this?
QUEEN: Discussion of the possibility of transferring her ashes to St. Petersburg seems to us very important. And I believe that reburial will be a completely natural step if the right solution to this issue can be found.
M.G.:Both historically and geographically, of the Russian cities closest toDenmark's neighbor is St.- Petersburg. Our northern capital will soon becelebrate its tercentenary. As Denmark plans, the Danish royal courttake part in this event?
QUEEN: The Prince and I intend to visit Russia on a state visit in June 2003 - and, naturally, we will visit St. Petersburg primarily in connection with the planned celebrations.
“Storks tell many fairy tales to their chicks... It’s enough for babies to say “crible, crable, plurre”- Murre", but the chicks are older require something from a fairy tale- what more, at least that in It mentioned their own family. We all know one of the most beautiful tales known among storks.”
(Hans Christian Andersen)
M.G.: Your Majesty, this year marks thirty-five years of your happy family life. I understand that all Danes know the beautiful story of your affair with your husband, then a young French diplomat. But tell this wonderful beautiful story for Russian readers.
QUEEN: The prince and I met in London, where he worked at the French Embassy, and I came to England for several months - that’s how we met. And what happened is what can happen when two people meet. And we... no, you know, it's not so easy to talk about this. However, after a very short time we realized that we liked each other very much, that we were in love and became truly close people. I told my parents that I had met a man whom I would like to marry and who also wants to marry me. My father gave us his consent, which was necessary since the marriage of the heir to the throne is approved by the king together with the State Council. That's how thirty-five years ago - it happened in June - we got married.
Soon, Princess Margrethe and Prince Henrik had a boy - Crown Prince Frederik. Photo preserved: the future queen holding the future king in his arms. But for the mother, first of all, he son, firstborn. A year later, Prince Joachim was born to the royal couple. The sons have grown up. The eldest, Crown Prince Frederik, travels a lot, like his queen- mother in her youth, and introduces her country abroad. His fate was determined at birth, and the youngest had to find his place in life. And Joachim became... a farmer.
QUEEN: Many years ago, our good friends, who did not have children of their own, here in Denmark had a small beautiful estate with a wonderful manor and a well-established economy. And they decided over the course of several years to pass all this on to our youngest son, who was then still a little boy. We agreed... Joachim is very pleased that he, like his older brother, now has his own responsibilities. After all, the eldest son in the royal family, the eldest child (in our case, the eldest son Frederick) is the heir to the throne, and this is his duty, his responsibility. Although we are talking about the future, because no one can know when a brick will fall on my head.
From my point of view, it helped both the younger Joachim and the older Crown Prince Frederik a lot that Joachim also had his own responsibilities. And I think that both boys only benefited from this, both personally and in terms of their relationships. The sons became truly close people, their sense of responsibility grew stronger, and they became even closer friends.
Duty and responsibility are the main words for a monarch. But this one the monarch is also a wife, a mother, and now a grandmother - Prince Joachim and Princess Alexandra gave Margrethe grandchildren Nicholas and Felix! And, of course, our interlocutor sometimes wants to at least a moment to be just a woman, a caring wife and mother, a hospitable housewife, to go to the market. This is exactly what the Queen does when she comes on holiday to France, where between Bordeaux and Toulouse, in the famous town of Cahors, with her husband Prince Henrik there is a castle.
QUEEN: As for cooking, this is not my strong point. But when we are in France, the prince, my husband, often cooks himself and does it excellently.
And Prince Henrik is a famous winemaker. He has beautiful vineyards. Every year these vineyards give the royal family up to one hundred twenty thousand bottles of fine wine.
QUEEN: The Prince and I very often treat our guests to his wines at official receptions, especially in recent years, since the production of these wines is getting better and better, which we are both very proud of.
M.G.: But I know about one more hobby of yours, Your Majesty. Together with your husband, you translated a novel by the famous French writer Simone de Beauvoir into Danish. Are there Russians among your favorite writers?
QUEEN: Tolstoy's War and Peace gave me great pleasure. And Solzhenitsyn’s works made a huge impression on me, many of which are familiar to me.
M.G.: Well, if the conversation turns to literature, we, of course, cannot help but recall one great Danish writer, whose name is known throughout the world without translation. all countries of the world. Children all over the planet read it.I'm talking about the great Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, whose bicentenary in 2005 will beAll Denmark celebrates.
QUEEN: I look forward to this anniversary, when there will be a great variety of events. And I am pleased to know that this event, apparently, will be celebrated in many other countries around the world. For example, I know that his fairy tales are very popular in Russia.
“The Little Mermaid loved most of all listening to stories about people living on earth. The old grandmother had to tell her everything that she knew about ships and cities, about people and animals. Was especially interested and the Little Mermaid was surprised that the flowers on earth smelled, not like here, in sea!"
(Hans Christian Andersen)
Did you know that colorful decoupages, a type of collage, pages of the Danish edition of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and Seven Gothic Tales by the most popular Danish writer Karen Blixen, made by the hands of the Queen of Denmark herself! The fact is that painting and design are her long-time hobbies. Based on Andersen's fairy tales, Her Majesty designed the playing deck of cards that is in every Danish home.
In addition, the Queen is interested in stage design and theatrical costume. For the television production of Andersen's fairy tale “The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep,” the sets and costumes were made according to personal sketches Queen Margrethe II.
M.G.:Due to your interest in theatrical costumes, I would like to give you,Your Majesty, a book about the history of Russian costume and Russian theatricalsuit.
QUEEN: What a wonderful gift! Very interesting. Thank you very much, thank you.
M.G.: Your Majesty, at the end of conversations, we always ask the same question: what does power taste like? And what, in your opinion, is the purpose of the monarchy in our days?
QUEEN: I don’t like the wording “taste of power”; this expression hurts my ears. In my opinion, the main purpose of the monarchy is to maintain continuity, especially since we are talking about a time when it is sometimes difficult for a person to find his roots, to find some kind of support, and in this case the roots of the country, embodied in the monarchy, come to the fore, for we monarchs always remain with our country.
“The help of God, the love of the people, the strength of Denmark” - with this motto thirty years ago Margrethe II ascended the throne. And everything came true! Denmark one of the three richest countries in the world. It has been decided in this country housing issue, no corruption, the lowest level in Europe unemployment. Isn't this a fairy tale?
In Danish schools there are no grades, and this is the philosophy: knowledge should to be not ostentatious, but durable. The special pride of the Danes is respect to its history, its language. Children know their ancestry by age 13 knee You can go into any house in the center of Copenhagen and ask who lived there, for example, in 1795. And they will bring you carefully preserved books, where everything will be written. And this too has What- it's fabulous.
The Danish royal family has been receiving a lot of media attention lately, especially as Prince Henrik (83) decided not to be buried next to his wife, Queen Margrethe (77).
But this is not the first time that members of the royal family of a neighboring country have become the heroes of sensational materials in the media.
Already in the same year when the prince married Queen Margrethe, in 1967, he had no luck with the media. The fact is that in a long interview with Berlingske Tidende he stated that women should not work full-time and that the husband was the head of the family.
Of course, he was sharply criticized for such a statement, but in the same interview he also told what he thinks about raising children, in particular, comparing children and animals.
“Children are like dogs or horses. If you want to have a good relationship with them, you need to train them. I’ve been slapped in the face myself, there’s no big harm in that,” he told the newspaper.
The 83-year-old prince retired last year, which affected his appearances with the queen. The last time the Danish prince surprised was in March, when the Danish royal couple were expecting the Belgian King Philip (57 years old) and Queen Mathilde (44 years old) on a state visit.
“He is looking forward to the state visit and there will certainly be one,” Queen Margrethe assured on Belgian television ahead of the visit.
But he wasn't there.
According to the Danish Berlingske Tidende, he left his wife alone during a three-day state visit to travel to Barcelona.
Prince Henrik has repeatedly made it clear that he feels insulted by not holding the title of king. Earlier, the 83-year-old Prince Consort also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that he was “living in the shadow of his wife.”
Bitten by dogs
The prince is known as a humorous and positive person. The energetic prince is very fond of animals, especially dogs, reports a Danish newspaper BT.
But for the royal family and court, the prince’s love seemed to mean more than just something pleasant.
The fact is that the royal gardener was bitten three times until he bled by Henrik’s now deceased dog Evita. Gardener bitten had to take tetanus injections (sic in the original - editor's note) and sit on sick leave.
In 2013, a gardener at Fredensborg Castle was also bitten. This time it was the dog Querida who was at fault.
Worthy man
Se og Hør magazine royal family expert Anders Johan Stavseng says that the prince has always graced the Danish royal family.
“Most people think he's a little resentful that he didn't get the title of king, even though his wife is a queen, and he has some reasons for that,” Stavseng explains, citing our own Queen Sonja as an example.
“She was automatically promoted to queen when Harald became king. Queen Margrethe could easily give her husband the title of king if she wanted.”
“Despite everything, Margrethe rules,” he continues.
Stavseng thinks Prince Henrik will likely be described as a worthy man who fought back in the name of equality.
Danish newspaper Extra Bladet took the same position several years ago and, according to Stavseng, consistently calls Henrik King Henrik every time he is mentioned.
Another expert on the royal family believes that it is normal for a prince to stand out a little, and in general: honor and praise to him for daring to start a fight with his wife and the sedate Danish royal house.
“It should not be forgotten that Queen Margrethe’s sons were not even allowed to marry Danish women - both had to look for wives outside Denmark,” he explains.
Claimed he was unfaithful
Several members of the Danish royal family, led by Prince Henrik, are eagerly discussed in the press.
Notably last year, during a feud between Crown Prince Frederik, 49, who is married to Australian Mary, 45, and the Danish illustrated weekly Her&Nu, who reported that Frederick cheated on his wife with an elite Danish prostitute.
The scandalous allegations, according to the newspaper Ekstra Bladet, belonged to a well-known sexologist among the stars named Jakob Olrik, who published a book in which an anonymous prostitute talks about sleeping with many famous men.
The woman, who is also the writer’s former lover, claims that she regularly received 50 thousand crowns from the heir to the Danish throne for sex.
Context
Integration is not meatballs for you
Berlingske 10/26/2016A migrant does not automatically become Danish
Berlingske 10/26/2016Monarchy is a guarantee of stability
Aftenposten 02/22/2017For Sweden - at all times
Aftonbladet 04/17/2016 The Danish royal family reacted sharply to the accusations against the crown prince.“The Royal Family always carefully considers how to respond to what is written about them in the media. This also applies to specific cases where offensive and untrue statements based on rumors and speculation are spread,” PR chief Lene Balleby wrote to Metroexpress.
Was sent home by his wife
While on holiday in Skagen in 2008, the crown prince also caused a media frenzy. Then, allegedly, the prince got so drunk that his wife Mary eventually sent him home, according to the Danish magazine Se og Hør.
They say that Mary and Henrik arrived in Skagen at about half past one, but after an hour and a half, Frederick was allegedly completely drunk and started dancing.
Mary could not stand this behavior from the Crown Prince, and after another hour and a half she realized that she had had enough.
She asked him to pack his things and go home.
Lateness
It's no secret that etiquette in royal circles is of great importance. Therefore, many were surprised when Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary arrived late to the New Year's banquet in 2012, and after the couple hosting the banquet, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik.
Both reporters and television viewers reacted to the late appearance of the crown prince and his wife, reports a Danish magazine Se og Hor.
After which many began to speculate: why the couple was late - until public relations chief Lene Balleby discovered the reason.
“Oh my God, the explanation is that this can happen even in the best families, even they are late.”
Dubious Bridesmaid
In 2006, it became known that Australian Mary Donaldson, the current wife of the Crown Prince, and then the girl to whom he was engaged, chose a rather dubious person as a bridesmaid at the royal wedding.
The fact is that her best friend Amber Petty had an affair with a very rich businessman Mark Alexander-Erber, who was previously associated with the Bandidos. Plus, when he and Petty began their affair, he was married and had small children.
The situation for the future Danish Crown Princess did not get better, since it became known that her friend would have to serve time in prison.
And yet, Stavseng explained Dagbladet that the crown prince is a very nice person.
“Although he comes under media scrutiny for his behavior, it just proves that he is a completely ‘normal person,’” he said.
“Everyone has one or two speeding fines on their conscience, everyone has gotten drunk at a party at least once. Anything else would be abnormal,” he adds.
Cheated with a photographer
Over the course of his 48-year life, the crown prince’s younger brother, Prince Joachim, also suffered from the media.
In 2005, he shocked many when he and his then-wife, Princess Alexandra (children Prince Nicholas, 17, and Prince Felix, 15), announced they were separating after nine years of marriage.
The couple met at a party in Hong Kong at the end of 1994, and in May of the following year the prince fell on his knee and proposed marriage to Alexandra during a romantic holiday in the Philippines.
And six months later the wedding took place.
Alexandra quickly became a favorite of the Danish people, known for her charity work and her ability to dress fashionably. But when the couple separated, Alexandra, who had to give up the title of princess, quickly found happiness with photographer Martin Jørgensen, who is 14 years younger than her.
They allegedly fell in love during a trip to Thailand - at that time Alexandra was married to Prince Joachim.
Got drunk at the club
In 2004, the ignorant Prince Joachim invited Martin to Schackenborg to take photographs for the program “My Home is My Castle”, which was supposed to be shown in connection with Alexandra’s 40th birthday.
In 2005, when Alexandra again took Jorgensen with her to China as a photographer, it gradually began to dawn on the Prince of Denmark that he was losing her.
magazine royal family expert Se og Hor explained Dagbladet that Joachim and Alexandra remained friends, but that before the divorce became a fact, photographs of the prince, who was clearly not himself, went around all of Europe.
For several years after breaking up with Alexandra, Prince Joachim had fun, was attracted to young girls, rushed around in a car with children sitting in the back seat, until in 2008 he decided to settle down with Marie Cavallier.
“Now he has finally calmed down and found happiness again with his French princess Marie,” says Anders Johan Stavseng.
The prince was reported to the police
In 2004, Prince Joachim was reported to the police because of his driving recklessness. The photographs showed that the prince was driving along Lyngbyveien at a speed of 140 km/h when the speed limit was 90. The photographer who reported the prince to the police believes that it is quite possible that the speed could reach up to 170 km/h.
Prince Joachim repeatedly “played king” on the road. In 1988, he was in a terrible car accident but survived. In 1992, the prince and his girlfriend were stopped by the police as they were returning from a party. She did not have a license and was suspected of driving while intoxicated. In 1997, he was driving on the highway at a speed of 160 km/h.
Just two months before the wedding, Joachim again became the hero of a scandal when he was spotted drunk in one of the Copenhagen clubs for homosexuals.
But the wedding took place anyway, and so far the marriage of the Danish prince and his wife has been very successful. They have a son, Prince Henrik (8 years old), and a daughter, Princess Athena (5 years old).
Shocking smoking
And the journalists did not ignore the queen herself. When the Danish royal family vacationed at the idyllic Gråsten slott in Denmark in 2015, Margtete shocked many by smoking two cigarettes during a press meeting.
The fact that the Queen was smoking near her grandchildren caused the international press to widen their eyes.
“Put out the cigarette butt, grandma! The stubbornly smoking Queen of Denmark Margrethe takes a puff in front of Crown Princess Mary’s little children so actively that even her eyebrows are raised,” the British newspaper wrote at the time. Daily Mail.
The Queen was repeatedly observed with a cigarette in her hands. In 2001, the matter went so far that Belgian professor Hugo Keteloot blamed the queen for indirectly contributing to the increased mortality rate among young female smokers in Denmark, wrote one online source.
Prince Henrik was so offended by these statements that at a meeting with representatives of the press later on the same day when the Belgian professor made his allegations, he took his wife under his protection:
“I believe, and I can speak out on this topic, since I myself quit smoking, that you should not fall under the influence of political correctness. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard, because political correctness leads to neo-Puritanism, and no one wants that.”
“Let people die from smoking if that's what they want. This is their own business. I say this because I quit smoking. By the way, Queen Ingrid, who died at 90, smoked more than her daughter, so this doesn’t prove anything,” he added.
InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively of foreign media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial staff.
He had no intention of meeting the Crown Princess. But the very first meeting was the beginning of a long road of love. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Prince Consort Henrik of Denmark have been together for 50 years. Sometimes it can be difficult for them, but wisdom and patience help them cope with difficulties.
Margrethe Alexandrina Thorhildur Ingrid
She was born at Alienborg Castle in Copenhagen on April 16, 1940, to Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid. By this time, the tiny Danish kingdom had been occupied by Nazi Germany for a week. The birth of a baby among a couple of monarchs in such a difficult time for the country gave hope for the revival of a free country.
The baby’s parents believed that Denmark should have a monarch who would receive an excellent education and be distinguished by intelligence and good manners. That is why, along with studying at a regular school, the future queen had to study hard at home, following all the instructions of visiting teachers.
Higher education alone is naturally not enough for a monarch, and Princess Margaret, after studying philosophy at the University of Copenhagen, studied archeology at Cambridge, social science at Aarhus and the Sorbonne, and economics at the London School.
Together with her grandfather, the Swedish king, the young princess took part in excavations near Rome. It was Gustav VI Adolf who was the first to note the girl’s far from mediocre artistic abilities.
In 1953, the Danish law of succession to the throne was changed because the current king had three daughters. A change in the law allowed Margaret, as the king's eldest daughter, to receive the title of crown princess.
From 1958, Crown Princess Margaret became a member of the Council of State, which gave her the responsibility of replacing her father at meetings and representing Denmark internationally.
From that moment on, Margaret went on official visits to different countries, attended receptions and parties. One of these receptions became the meeting place for the princess and her future husband.
Henri Marie Jean André, Comte de Laborde de Monpezat
The future Prince Consort of Denmark was born in Indochina on June 11, 1934. When the boy was 5 years old, the family returned to France to the family residence in Cahors, where young Henri went to school. He studied at the Jesuit College in Bordeaux, and then at high school in Cahors.
In Hanoi, where the family left after his father's appointment, Henri studied at a French gymnasium, after which he became a student at the Sorbonne. Here he successfully studied law and politics, while improving his knowledge of Chinese and Vietnamese at the National School of Oriental Languages. Comte de Laborde de Monpezat's language practice took place in Hong Kong and Saigon.
After serving in the army and participating in the Algerian War, Henri successfully passes the exam and becomes an employee of the Asian Department of the French Foreign Ministry. Since 1963, he has held the position of third secretary at the French Embassy in London. It was in London that he would meet his future wife Margarete.
It was love
When Henri was told that the Crown Princess of Denmark herself would be present at the dinner party to which he was invited, he was about to resolutely refuse the invitation. It seemed to him that the princess must certainly be arrogant, arrogant, extremely capricious and very selfish.
However, reality did not at all correspond to his fantasies. At the reception, he saw a charming young lady with a charming smile, excellent manners and the ability to support any conversation.
When Henri arrived in Denmark, Margarete herself met him at the airport, not trusting anyone. She herself wanted to meet on Danish soil the one who had occupied all her thoughts lately. The tender meeting of the lovers left no doubt that things were heading towards a wedding. The very next day after Henri arrived in Denmark, on October 5, 1966, the engagement of Crown Princess Margarete of Denmark and Comte de Laborde de Monpeza was announced.
They were married in Holmens Church in Copenhagen on June 10, 1967. As a result of the marriage, the princess's husband received the title "His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark."
Royal co-creation
In early 1972, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark ascended the throne after the death of her father. By this time, two children were already growing up in the family: Frederic and Joakim. Prince Henrik was somewhat burdened by his second role under the queen, but he had enough patience to direct his energies to raising children and creativity. He writes and publishes collections of poetry, finding in them solace and peace of mind.
However, the queen herself, realizing how difficult it is for her husband to play a secondary role, involves him in joint creativity. Under the pseudonym of X. M. Weyerberg, translations of Simone de Beauvoir, a French writer, begin to be published in Denmark. Critics gave very flattering assessments of the quality of the translation of the books, not even realizing that under an inconspicuous pseudonym, the crowned persons of Denmark themselves were preparing for publication.
Wisdom and patience
However, against the backdrop of his bright and talented wife, Prince Henrik was losing. She paints pictures, illustrates books, and designs scenery and costumes for theatrical productions. But he still remains only her husband, and with the title of only Prince Consort.
As much as the Danes love and extol their queen, being proud of her talents and respecting her for her fairness and openness, they are also offended by the behavior of Prince Henrik, who is constantly offended by the lack of attention to himself.
However, the Queen of Denmark has enough wisdom and patience so that Prince Henrik does not feel left out. In 2002, the prince was not appointed to perform royal duties in Margarete's absence, entrusting them to his eldest son, Frederic. Offended by this turn, Prince Henrik went to the family estate in Cahors, but the queen immediately followed him. They spent some time together, after which they returned safely to Denmark.
And in 2016, Prince Henrik resigned as a member of the royal house and officially announced his retirement. However, Queen Margaret II herself does not care at all what status her husband is. The main thing is that there are real feelings between them.
And yet kings can easily afford to marry for love. Margrethe II still loves her husband, and the Norwegian love story confirms that even the throne cannot replace real feelings.
On the eve of their visit to Moscow, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and His Royal Highness Prince Henrik gave an exclusive interview to First Deputy General Director of ITAR-TASS Mikhail Gusman for ITAR-TASS, Rossiyskaya Gazeta and the Rossiya 24 TV channel.
Mikhail Gusman: Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, thank you very much for the opportunity to meet you again. We are meeting on the eve of your state visit to Russia. You, Your Majesty, were in Russia many years ago. But this was another country - the Soviet Union. Today is your first visit to Russia. With what feelings do you travel to our country, to Russia? What do you expect from this visit?
Queen Margrethe II: We are looking forward to our state visit to Russia. It's been many, many years since I've been to Moscow, but my husband visited there a year ago. I have many friends who have been there in recent years, and we know that there has been a lot of development and great changes in the country.
This is known in general, but many people have told me how interesting it is to see how this country is now flourishing, how Moscow is developing, how even more buildings in St. Petersburg have been restored and returned to their original colors and appearance. And this cannot but please those who, like me, like ancient buildings. The opportunity to visit Russia at this time is of great importance to both of us. In this way we will be able to promote the establishment of ties between our countries that have known each other for a long time, right from the time they took notice of each other in ancient historical times, and it will be interesting for us to meet with the current Russia that I know about now only by hearsay.
Guzman: Your Royal Highness, as I know, you have already been to Moscow several times and you will have a special program in Moscow. What do you find most interesting in the upcoming program in Russia?
Prince Henrik: I have been to Russia several times since our official visit many years ago. During these trips I saw great developments taking place, especially industrial and social developments. And therefore, a large delegation of Danish industrialists who were interested in further establishing contacts with the Russians was created to travel with us. For this reason, I will participate in many meetings and symposia to see the prospects and gain hope for the further development of our economic relations.
Guzman: Your Majesties' official program is very eventful. But I also know: there will be a fairly large unofficial program. What do you find most attractive and most interesting in this informal part?
Queen Margrethe II: We plan to follow the walking routes that foreigners usually take and see the Kremlin cathedrals. This is what my great-great-aunt remembered, what she talked about when she was in Denmark, this was a dear memory for her and others during the Danish period of her life. And my father knew them. After your revolution, many Russians lived in Denmark and died here, and my father knew them well. And I think that she and her aunt loved each other very much. She was such a charming old lady. And a wonderful person. So for me, the fact that a few years ago you transported her coffin to St. Petersburg for reburial meant a lot! Because I understand what it would mean to my father. The unofficial part of our visit will take place in St. Petersburg after two days of official events. And we look forward to the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Empress Maria Feodorovna, who is known to us as Dagmara. She was my father's great-aunt, who knew her well. After the revolution, she fled to Denmark and lived here until her last days. As I said, my father knew her well and loved her, and I think the feelings were mutual. My father told me a lot about her, so for me she is not just a historical figure, she was a person whom I knew and knew well, and it will be very interesting for me in St. Petersburg also because, as I know, a lot has been done, to restore the buildings in which she lived in Russia for many, many years.
Guzman: Your Majesty, you often spend your holidays doing art. Maybe you can tell us something that you know in the field of Russian art, that you especially appreciate?
Queen Margrethe II: Well, many years ago, when I was doing some illustrations, I found that there were things that could inspire me a lot. These are illustrations for Russian fairy tales by the artist Bilibin. I'll show them to you, I think they must be very famous. I had a book in English - a collection of Russian fairy tales. It belonged to my mother. She loved her very much and was very attached to Russia. But this book was translated into English, and the tales were beautifully illustrated by Bilibin. It was the first time in my life that the illustrations were so clear. They were very simple. That's why I loved this book so much. It's not that I would recognize Bilibin's work if I saw it. But I know that in some ways the way he illustrated this book is what I like best. And, for example, last year I saw an exhibition that took place in London, it was dedicated to Diaghilev - stage models and costume designs for ballets. There I saw something similar, and it inspired me to a very high degree. I was absolutely in awe.
Guzman: Looking into history, we will see that the experience of Russian-Danish relations is unique for Europe. Russia and Denmark never actually fought. What, in your opinion, is the secret of this disposition of our countries, our peoples towards each other?
Queen Margrethe II: There may be many theories about how we have been able to maintain peace with each other for many centuries. This could be because we live in the same part of the world, and because we, in fact, had no contradictions, and one can only rejoice at this. Usually, contradictions arise with neighbors, but at the same time, it is easier to find compromises with neighbors.
Prince Henrik: We have many contacts with the peoples of the Baltic, and we obviously sympathize with each other, we have never fought with each other, and this also means something.
Guzman: Your Royal Highness, Your wife, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe, has, in my opinion, more Russian ancestry than any other head of state in Europe. As far as I know, there is no Russian blood in your family history, and yet I have a question for you: what does Russia mean to you?
Prince Henrik: Russians are of great importance because they are a strong nation, a great and powerful people, who were perhaps feared, perhaps loved, but who have always been part of our common history. I can consider Russians and Russia as part of good friends in Europe and at the same time as a great nation.
Guzman: At the beginning of today's meeting, Your Majesty, you recalled some of your Russian relatives. Which of them comes to your mind first of all? With whom, let’s say, do you mentally communicate more often?
Queen Margrethe II: It must be said that the closest relative related to Russia, or rather, the closest family ties connecting us with Russia, pass through my father’s grandmother, nee princess of Mecklenburg in Germany. Her mother, born in Russia, was Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna, whom my father knew well and highly valued. She died long before I was born, and she was a person I knew a lot about. I knew that she really was from Russia. As for the rest, this is the empress whom we called Dagmara. She and I have common roots, she was the sister of my great-grandfather.
Guzman: Your Majesty, in January 2012 it will be 40 years since you ascended the throne. And this will, as I understand it, be a celebration for the Danes of the 40th anniversary of your royal reign. Looking back on this journey, what seems most significant to you? What would you like to remember now over these past 40 years?
Queen Margrethe II: It is hard to say. And it's really hard for me to realize that it's been 40 years since I became queen. Sometimes it seems to me that I became her a long time ago, and sometimes it seems to me that this happened only the day before yesterday, when my father died and I took his place. Generation follows generation, and it is difficult to name any specific event that seems significant. (addressing her husband) Can you remember anything special that you remember during these years? It's hard to name something specific.
Prince Henrik: For us, these are ordinary family events; our children got married and gave birth to grandchildren. For us, this is the most important thing, because we know that everything goes on, the race continues.
Guzman: Your Majesty, how do you see the significance of the monarchy in modern Denmark?
Queen Margrethe II: I think that one of the main goals of the monarchy is that it is able to unite people, unite the country. We represent modern traditions, but at the same time we are the living embodiment of history. And, as I personally think, the fact that we are all growing, that we were all once children, is very important. This happened to everyone, including my parents, my father, myself, and also my aunts. And as we grow up, we understand that we have a responsibility to the world and to our country. And anyone who lives in the country, of course, bears a huge responsibility to their country. And my husband and I are in a special position - we represent our country. And in a sense, we represent the history of our country. We have a huge responsibility. And I think this is a very significant responsibility. This is difficult, and this is what our lives are full of, and this means our sincere desire to live up to expectations.
Guzman: I have a question for you, Your Royal Highness. How do you see the importance of the monarchy in modern Denmark?
Prince Henrik: I think, if I have to sum it up, it's continuity. The monarchy has its roots in a thousand-year, no, more than two-thousand-year history. But this is history, and it must continue, because the monarchy has its basis in history, and this basis is the family, why not, if the family is talented, and it is important that one generation succeeds another and so on in the future. She is a symbol of continuity, a symbol of history and, I would say, a symbol of stability, because we are politically independent, we are not chosen, and that is good. So we symbolize continuity. In addition, we represent the family, we are a symbol of the family, a symbol of the pinnacle of power. In fact, we do not have power, but we are representatives of power, a symbol of power. Thus, we follow the dictates of time, and we live on the cutting edge of the moment of time. As heirs to the monarchy, we cannot live in the 21st century as monarchs lived in the 18th or 19th centuries. We live as representatives of the monarchy in our time. And we have our responsibilities precisely because we are a symbol of power and a symbol of our country.
Queen Margrethe II: It's right. I think we can say that Crown Prince Frederik (Crown Prince, the Queen's son. - Author's note) had the same opportunities that I had as a child. He grew up here in the country, in the royal family and with the same task. His royal roots are not only in the country, but also in the activities that he will eventually lead. He will be with us on our upcoming trip to Russia, and that makes me very happy. We enjoy traveling with him.
Guzman: Your Majesty, you once uttered the following slogan: “With love in God, love of the people.” How did this slogan come about? What meaning do you put into it today?
Queen Margrethe II: I made my motto the same way as my father and my grandparents did - I chose it myself. I thought about this for a long time when my father was still alive, before his death. For a long time I couldn’t make a decision, but I really wanted something from what was in my father’s motto - “With God for Denmark.” I really wanted to keep the word “God” in my motto, because such an activity is beyond my ability alone. In Denmark there was a king who gave the country (the Constitution) the Basic Law in 1849 - it was Frederick VII. His motto was “The love of the people is my strength.” In my opinion, it was a wonderful motto, and I believed that more important than my strength was the Strength of Denmark, this should be understood, and I understand it this way: with God's help and with the people's love, Denmark can be strong, but that is also what I must help Denmark become strong with the help of people's love. The motto turned out to be a bit long, but I tried to express in it things that are important to me, and it seems to me that I understand it the same way now, despite the fact that almost 40 years have passed.
Guzman: Your Majesty! Our conversation will be watched by millions of television viewers. We are meeting with you on the eve of your state visit to our country. Russians are waiting for you with an open heart. May I ask Your Majesty and You, Your Royal Highness, to directly address Russian television viewers, millions of Russians, and say a few words to them?
Queen Margrethe II: We are looking forward to our visit to Russia. It will be interesting to see your country again, as well as Moscow and St. Petersburg. We wish all the best to the Russian people and your entire country.
Guzman: I don’t know, Your Majesty, to what extent protocol allows an ordinary citizen to compliment the Queen, but this is the third time we are meeting you, and I would like to say that you look beautiful.
Queen Margrethe II: Thank you very much, I'm touched.
Guzman: And before thanking you for the conversation, let me present you with our modest souvenirs - a traditional Palekh box made by our masters.
Queen Margrethe II: Very beautiful, thank you very much, that’s very kind of you. Thank you very much.
Guzman: And this book is “Palaces of St. Petersburg” for you, Your Highness. I know that you are a big fan of our Northern capital. Let me hand it to you.
Prince Henrik: We will be glad to see Russia again and contribute to the deepening of friendship between the Russian people and the Danish people, as well as to expanding our knowledge about the ancient history of Russia and its modern history.
Queen Margrethe II: Thank you for this conversation too.