Danish Queen celebrates 50 years on the throne
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark celebrates her 50th anniversary on the throne this Friday. On 14 January 1972, she succeeded her father, King Frederik IX, as the country's monarch, becoming the first woman on the Danish throne in over 500 years. The press congratulates her and explains why the 81-year-old is so popular among the people.
Loved and respected
Nordschleswiger writes in praise:
“Margrethe II has become an authority who is respected, even loved, as a moral compass by her Danish compatriots. There are numerous examples of how she has won the affection of her compatriots for herself and the royal family with her words and deeds. It's worth mentioning that the Danish actor and comedian Ulf Pilgaard, who had made fun of the Queen for years, was taken by surprise at his farewell performance when the Queen herself came out from behind the curtain to thank him. ... Margrethe II can proudly claim for herself the words that adorn the equestrian statue of King Frederik VII in Christiansborg Palace Square: 'The people's love, my strength'.”
The whole country is to be congratulated
The monarch is an important part of the Danish self-image, Jyllands-Posten stresses:
“All of these years she has been very much aware that she is first and foremost there for the people and the country. ... Thanks to her popularity she also took it upon herself to rebuke us from time to time - as in the coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, when she called it 'thoughtless' and 'inconsiderate' for people to come together for celebrations. ... Anachronism or not, in these restless times the royal family stands for continuity and deep historical roots that are an important part of the Danes' national identity. Whether it will remain so is unclear, but that it is so now is largely thanks to Queen Margrethe. ... Congratulations to the Queen - and to Denmark.”