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Margrethe II

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Queen Margrethe II of Denmark smiling for a photograph in 2012.

Margrethe II, born on 16 April 1940, was the Queen of Denmark from 14 January 1972 until her abdication on 14 January 2024. She reigned for exactly 52 years, making her the second-longest-reigning Danish monarch after Christian IV. She was a member of the Danish royal family and belonged to the House of Glücksburg, a cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg.

Margrethe became the heir presumptive to the throne in 1953 when a constitutional amendment allowed women to inherit the throne. She was the eldest child of King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, and she married Henri de Laborde de Monpezat in 1967. She had two sons, Frederik and Joachim, and succeeded her father as queen when he passed away in January 1972.

In addition to her royal duties, Margrethe had a creative career as a scenographer, costume designer, and illustrator of works by J. R. R. Tolkien. During her reign, support for the monarchy in Denmark and her personal popularity grew, reaching around eighty percent by the time she stepped down. She was succeeded by her elder son, Frederik X.

Early life and education

Margrethe (left) with her parents and sisters, 1954

Margrethe was born on 16 April 1940 at Frederik VIII's Palace in Amalienborg, the main home of the Danish royal family in Copenhagen. She was the first child of Crown Prince Frederik, who later became King Frederik IX, and Crown Princess Ingrid, who was born a princess of Sweden.

Margrethe was baptised in Copenhagen and had several godparents, including her grandfathers and uncles. She grew up with her sisters Benedikte and Anne-Marie in royal homes in Copenhagen and Fredensborg Palace. Margrethe was educated at home and later at a private school in Copenhagen. She also studied in England and took courses at several European universities, learning about history, archaeology, and political science.

Heir presumptive

At the time Margrethe was born, only boys could become the next ruler of Denmark. Because she didn’t have any brothers, people thought her uncle, Prince Knud, would be the next king.

Later, the rules were changed so that girls could also become rulers if they didn’t have brothers. This happened in 1953, and Margrethe became the next in line to be queen. She started taking part in important meetings when she was older and traveled to places like the United States and the Faroe Islands with her parents.

Margrethe received by Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and First Lady Tahia Abdel Nasser at the Abdeen Palace, Cairo, in November 1962

Marriage and family

Margrethe met a man named Henri de Laborde de Monpezat when she was studying in London. They got married in 1967. They had two sons, Frederik and Joachim. Sadly, Henri passed away in 2018 after they had been married for over fifty years.

Margrethe has many friends, including Queen Sonja of Norway, and she enjoys spending time with her dogs. She made some changes to the titles of her family members in 2022 so they could live more normal lives.

See also: Wedding of Princess Margrethe and Henri de Laborde de Monpezat

Reign

Accession

On January 3, 1972, King Frederik IX had a health issue and was taken to a hospital. Margrethe became ready to lead because of her father's health. She became queen on January 14, 1972, when her father passed away. She was the first queen to lead Denmark under new rules that let women inherit the throne. The next day, she shared her special words, “God's help, the love of the people, Denmark's strength,” from a palace balcony.

As queen, Margrethe gave up some old titles and was simply known as the Queen of Denmark.

Margrethe (seated right) chairing a meeting of the Council of State on the day of her proclamation

Constitutional role

The queen's main jobs were to represent Denmark around the world and to bring people together at home. She did this by opening events, celebrating special days, and cutting ribbons for new bridges. She also met with leaders from other countries and received gifts and awards.

Because she was the queen, Margrethe did not get involved in politics or share her political views. Even though she could vote, she chose not to, so no one would think she favored one group over another.

The queen met with Denmark’s prime minister and foreign affairs minister every Wednesday, unless they were away from the country.

Margrethe hosting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Denmark, April 2010

After elections, if the current prime minister did not have enough support, the queen would meet with leaders from each political party. Each party could choose someone to help find agreement, and the person who could get most people to agree would be asked to form a new government. Once the government was ready, the queen officially appointed them. She also signed laws at meetings called the Council of State, though most decisions were made by the government.

It was a tradition for the queen to host a special New Year’s dinner for leaders and important people. On the second day, she would meet with judges and soldiers, and on the third day, with diplomats and other important visitors.

Official duties

Margrethe supported many organizations in Denmark and other countries. She was connected to all parts of Denmark and helped tell the country’s history.

Margrethe with Michelle Obama at the White House, June 2011

She also served as an important figure for a British army regiment, continuing a tradition from 1906.

As queen, Margrethe welcomed leaders from other countries and traveled to many places with the royal family.

Residences

As queen, her main homes were Amalienborg in Copenhagen and Fredensborg Palace near Hillerød. In the summer, she stayed at Marselisborg Palace near Aarhus or Gråsten Palace near Sønderborg.

Margrethe surrounded by her family waving to crowds on her 70th birthday in April 2010

Immigration debate

In 1984, during her New Year’s address, the queen talked about how some people moving to Denmark felt unwelcome. She said it was important to treat everyone kindly and not let harsh treatment happen.

Silver, Ruby and Golden Jubilees

Margrethe celebrated 25 years as queen in 1997 with a special service and dinner. In 2012, she celebrated 40 years with events including a concert and a banquet. In 2022, she celebrated 50 years, though some plans changed after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

Sitting reign record

In July 2023, it was recognized that Margrethe had served as Denmark’s longest-reigning queen while on the throne.

Abdication

In December 2023, Margrethe announced that she would step down as queen on January 14, 2024, the same day she had become queen 52 years earlier. She explained that her health had made it harder to carry out her duties. Her son, Frederik, became king. After stepping down, she was called “Her Majesty Queen Margrethe” and could help as a leader when needed. In October 2025, she visited Rome, Italy, for a special event to celebrate ties between Denmark and Italy.

Health issues

Queen Margrethe II has faced several health challenges over the years. She had operations on her right knee because of injuries and wear. In 1994, she was treated for a type of illness. In 2003, she had a long operation for back pain.

In February 2022, the Queen caught a illness and recovered after a short time at home. Later that year, she caught the same illness again after a special event and also recovered quickly.

In February 2023, the Queen had major back surgery and felt better soon after. She returned to her duties in April that year.

She was known for smoking but stopped in 2023. In September 2024, she fell and hurt her wrist and neck, needing a special brace for a while. In May 2025, she was briefly in the hospital with a cold. In May 2026, she had a successful operation for heart pain and was recovering well.

Public image and style

Margrethe has worn beautiful clothes designed by famous designers like Erik Mortensen, Jørgen Bender, and Birgitte Taulow. In 2013, a newspaper called her one of the fifty best-dressed people over 50. When she turned 80, a fashion magazine praised her style.

Margrethe wearing her famous yellow and floral raincoat, which was sewn out of a waxy outdoor tablecloth

A survey in 2012 showed that many people in Denmark still support having a queen, with about 82% in favor. Margrethe has also appeared on special holiday stamps twice—once when she was a child and again when she became queen.

She was part of artist Andy Warhol’s famous portrait series in 1985, along with other queens from different countries.

Tributes

A musical named Margrethe about Queen Margrethe II had its first show in June 2023 at The Royal Danish Theatre, led by conductor Mikkel Rønnow. A drama series about her life, made by Søren Sveistrup, will start on TV2 in 2027.

When she stepped down as queen in 2024, people all over the world honored her for her service.

Personal interests and artistic work

Margrethe II loved dancing and continued taking ballet lessons even after becoming queen. She first went to see a show at the Royal Danish Theatre with her father in 1945.

She has a strong interest in archaeology and has taken part in digs in places like Italy, Egypt, Denmark, Sudan, and South America. In 1952, she visited her first dig site at Illerup Ådal with her grandmother, Queen Alexandrine. She shared this passion with her grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, visiting many digs together.

Margrethe has created beautiful designs for church clothes and decorations since the 1970s. She has also enjoyed using a craft called découpage, where she cuts out pictures and words to make new designs. She has made many embroidery pieces, designed movie sets and costumes, and even painted pictures. In 2000, she illustrated a book of poems, and she helped design covers for special editions of The Lord of the Rings.

Honours

See also: List of honours of the Danish royal family by country

National

Foreign

Awards

Scholastic

Honorary degrees

Fellowships

Honorific eponyms

Awards

  • Denmark: Queen Margrethe II's Science Award  (2015)

Geographic locations

  • Denmark: Margretheholm (1945)
  • Denmark: The Queen's Boulevard (1979)
  • Greenland: Queen Margrethe II Land in Northeast Greenland was named in her honour on 16 April 1990 on the occasion of her 50th birthday

Objects

  • Denmark: The Margrethe Bowl designed by her uncle, Sigvard Bernadotte, for Rosti in 1947

Structures

  • Denmark: Margrethe's Church in Valby (1968)
  • Denmark: Queen Margrethe II's Bridge (2026)

Honorary military appointments

CountryDateSchoolDegree
 England1975University of CambridgeDoctor of Laws (LLD)
 England1980University of LondonDoctor of Laws (LLD)
 Iceland1986University of IcelandDoctor of Laws (LLD)
 England1992University of OxfordDoctor of Laws (LLD)
 Scotland2000University of EdinburghDoctor of Laws (LLD)
CountryDateSchoolPosition
 England1975London School of EconomicsHonorary Fellow
1989Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge
1992Girton College, Cambridge
 Sweden2026Lund University

Images

Princess Margrethe of Denmark posing for a formal portrait in 1966.
Portrait of Margrethe II of Denmark and Prince Henrik from their engagement in 1966.
Stamps from the Faroe Islands issued in 2012, featuring designs that honor cultural and historical themes.
Princess Benedikte and Queen Margrethe II attending the opening of Parliament in Denmark.
Portrait of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark wearing a traditional Faroese costume, featured on a Faroese postage stamp from 1997.

Related articles

Greenland
Archaeology
Faroe Islands

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