Margaret, second queen of Denmark. Crown Prince Frederik - future king of Denmark

Denmark is a country led by a king. A constitutional monarchy means that the sovereign reigns but does not rule. The king acts as a state symbol, but does not have a serious influence on politics. Nevertheless, the kings and queens of Denmark have ruled the country for almost a thousand years, and the current ruler, Margrethe II, is greatly respected and loved by her people. Her eldest son will inherit the throne

Birth

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Denmark was born in May 1968. He became the first-born in the family of the Danish Crown Princess Margrethe and Prince Henrik. Frederick's mother was not supposed to inherit the throne, because according to the law of the country, the crown was passed on only to a male heir. King Frederick IX of Denmark had no sons, so he was forced to change the system of succession to the throne. As a result of the transformation, women were given equal rights with men, and Margrethe became the heir. This inheritance system is still in effect in the country.

Prince Frederick was born in royal palace Amalienborg, and the baptism took place in Holmens Church. The boy was named after his grandfather, and among his godparents were royalty from other countries. They were Queen Anne-Marie of Greece and Duchess Josephine of Luxembourg.

Education

The prince, being the heir to the country, received an excellent education. As a child, Frederick, along with his younger brother Joachim, was on homeschooling, and at the age of 8 went to secondary school, where he studied among ordinary children. Then he studied for several years in a closed private boarding house in Normandy, and also graduated from high school in Copenhagen.

Frederick received his higher education at one of the best universities in the world - Harvard, where he studied social sciences. He earned a degree in political science in his homeland at the Danish University of Aarhus. In addition to his native language, the prince also speaks English, French and German.

Social activity

As a member of the royal family and the next King of Denmark, the Crown Prince has no right to influence political life countries. But he takes part in social activities, actively involved in charity work. In his youth he was first secretary at the Danish embassy in France.

The future king of Denmark is now the country's regent during the absence of his mother Margrethe II, and also participates in meetings of the Council of State and the opening of parliament. His wife is the patron of her own charitable foundation, which deals with the problems of socially isolated people. The legacy couple provide support to people affected by domestic violence, bullying or loneliness. The fund was opened with money that the country gave to the couple on their wedding day.

Frederic is a big sports fan, so he patronizes in every possible way outstanding athletes. He regularly attends various kinds of competitions, including Olympic Games, where he actively supports his country. Participated in two expeditions: to Mongolia and Greenland. In the latter he spent 4 months, being in harsh polar conditions.

Military career

Like the next king of Denmark, Frederick is an officer of all types of Danish troops. He served in the Navy and Air Force. The Crown Prince is also the commander of many regiments and platoons.

While serving in an elite naval unit of combat swimmers, Frederick received the nickname Penguin. Due to the air trapped under the swimming suit, he simply glided through the water for a long time.

Personal life

From his youth, Frederick was famous for his many lovers. Breaking off relations with his girls, the prince continually found himself on the pages of newspapers and magazines. One day he even planned to marry the Danish rock singer Maria Montel, which caused a huge scandal in Russia. There were rumors that his mother was very outraged by her son’s prank and threatened him with deprivation of his rights to the throne. It is unknown how Frederick himself reacted to this, but his relationship with Montel soon faded away.

However, now Frederick is considered an exemplary family man. He met his wife, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, 14 years ago during the Olympics in Australia. The romance proceeded quite stormily, and after 2 years the couple announced their engagement.

Frederick is the future king of Denmark, so it was assumed that he would marry a woman. But Princess Mary, née Donaldson, is not one of the aristocrats. Her father taught mathematics at an Australian university, and her mother died long before the lovers met. The princess herself received a law degree and worked in an advertising agency. After meeting the prince, she was forced to move first to Europe and then to Denmark, where Mary worked as an English teacher.

The engagement of Frederick and Mary became known in October 2003, and the wedding itself took place in May 2004. An event of this magnitude brought together many royalty in Copenhagen, as well as a large number of tourists. The wedding was broadcast live on central television. Mary Donaldson was given the title Her Royal Highness Crown Princess of Denmark on her wedding day. She also accepted the Lutheran faith and renounced becoming a full resident of Denmark.

Children

Despite his reputation as a heroic lover, Frederick has been happily married for 12 years. Together with Princess Mary, they are the parents of 4 children.

The couple's first child was born a year after the wedding. It is assumed that he will subsequently inherit the throne as King Christian XI of Denmark. Following him in 2007, Princess Isabella was born, third in line to the Danish throne after her father and older brother.

In 2010, the royal court announced that Mary was pregnant again. And already at the beginning of the next year, the Crown Princess gave birth to twins (a boy and a girl), who were named Vincent and Josephine.

The kings of Denmark have ruled for a thousand years now, and Frederick will join the list in a few years. We can only hope that he will become a wonderful sovereign for his people, because for this he has everything that is needed: a good education, an active social activity and a strong family.

[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 schools educational institutions Copenhagen School Ensalis 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 Political Science (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 drew, according to her in my own words, “as long as he 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. Under her patronage operate the Danish Royal scientific society, Danish Bible Society, Royal Orphan Asylum, Queen Louise Refugee Society, Danish National Olympic Committee, Royal Danish Geographical Society, etc. 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 negative attitude to foreign workers in the country, the government is sometimes 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, you cannot blame the queen for lack of taste - in 1990, a special international jury recognized her as the most elegant statesman peace. 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 released a translation of a complex psychological novel into historical topic 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 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 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, 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 Moscow Ivan III. 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 Frederik IV. This was the first official visit of the head of Denmark in the history of Denmark Russian state. 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 King Christian IX and 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 collected his big 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 the thirty-fifth anniversary of your happy family life. I understand that all Danes know beautiful story 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 to transfer all this 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 last years, because things are getting better and better with the production of these wines, which we are both quite 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.

MARGRETE II

Full name: Margrethe Alexandrina Thorhildur Ingrid

(born 1940)

Queen of Denmark since 1972

In some countries, on the occasion of the birthday of the head of state, national flags are hung on official buildings, but this is unlikely to happen on private houses. And in Denmark they do it. And without any coercion. This happens every year on April 16, when the whole country celebrates the birthday of its Queen Margrethe II.

The popularity of royal families is greatly facilitated by the process of European integration. Borders are disappearing, state currencies, which have been replaced by the euro, have been given a long life. People are afraid of losing their national characteristics. And they see monarchs as almost the only salvation in this situation. Therefore, the Queen of Denmark, when going to an official meeting, always puts on an ancient folk costume - this flatters the feelings and pride of her subjects.

After the death of the famous Margrethe I, who united Denmark, Norway and Sweden under her banners, women in public affairs, if they were somehow significant, were only in the shadow of crowned men. For for almost 600 years only they could be the legitimate heirs to the Danish throne. Only in 1953 did the citizens of the kingdom ensure the transfer of dynastic rights also through the female line, voting in a referendum for changes in the constitution. And after 19 years, Margrethe II from the Glucksburg dynasty ascended the throne.

Margrethe, daughter of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid, was born in Copenhagen on April 16, 1940, exactly one week after Nazi Germany occupied her country. The Kingdom of Denmark did not have the strength to resist, so it surrendered almost without a fight. The baby immediately became the favorite of her compatriots, since the birth of a child in the family of the heir to the throne, when the country was under the heel of the occupiers, became a symbol of the hope of all Danes for revival.

Despite the fact that Margrethe was assigned to a regular high school for girls, home teachers made up for the shortcomings of universal education, based on the attitude of her parents: “Denmark deserves a highly educated, intelligent monarch.” After school, years of study followed at the universities of Copenhagen, Aarhus, Cambridge, Paris and London. A modern queen should understand economics, political science, history...

Margrethe chose to study history not in the quiet of libraries, but under the scorching sun of Egypt and Sudan. In excavations near Rome, the crown princess worked with her maternal grandfather, the Swedish king Gustav VI Adolf. He became the first critic of his granddaughter’s drawings, generous with compliments, and she drew, in her own words, “as long as she can remember.”

From 1958 to 1964, Margrethe traveled to five continents, covering a distance of 140 thousand km. One day in London she met the secretary of the French embassy, ​​the brilliant officer Henri Jean-Marie André, Comte de Laborde de Monpezat. A few years later, on June 10, 1967, the Crown Princess, with the consent of the Danish parliament, married a former French diplomat. After the wedding, the Comte de Monpezat received the title of prince and the Danish name Henrik. The following year, the couple had their first son, Crown Prince Frederik, and in 1969, their second son, Prince Joachim.

Margrethe ascended the throne on January 14, 1972 at the age of 31 after the death of her 74-year-old father. That morning, Prime Minister Kragh led a young woman in a black dress onto the balcony of Christiansborg Palace and announced to the silent square: “King Frederick IX is dead. Long live Queen Margrethe II! Since then, it has continued the traditions of one of the most ancient European monarchies, whose founders in the middle of the 10th century. were King Gorm and his wife Tura. Since that distant time, the 1000-year-old Danish monarchy has never experienced the vicissitudes of popular anger in the form of all kinds of revolutions.

The Queen's motto: "God's help, the love of the people, the prosperity of Denmark." More than once she noted that she was trying to fulfill the duties of head of state “with a warm heart.” This is why they love her, although she is absolutely far from politics. Some, however, believe that the queen has only one drawback - she is a heavy smoker. The Danes even recently argued with their Swedish neighbors about this. Stockholm television presenter Hagge Geigert, for example, stated that national symbol It's not appropriate to smoke in public. In response, the Danish writer Ebbe Reich recalled that the king of Sweden also smokes, but quietly. And the evening newspaper "B.T." added that he does this “like a schoolboy in the toilet.”

The queen was also helped to win the sympathy of her subjects by her undoubted Creative skills. Together with her husband, she translated several novels by the French writer Simone de Beauvoir into Danish. According to her, translating the complex psychological novel “All Men are Mortal” helped them “pass the long winter evenings in the royal palace.” Critics highly praised the skill of the translator X. M. Weyerberg, under whose name the crowned couple hid for the time being.

But Margrethe II is best known as an artist: under the pseudonym Ingahild Gratmer, she illustrated several books. In addition, the queen completed 70 drawings for the Danish edition of J.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, designed television plays, ballets, religious festivals, and also came up with “Christmas stamps”, which the Danes stick in addition to the usual ones on envelopes with New Year’s greetings.

In addition to quite active official representative activities as the head of Denmark, Margrethe II is energetically involved in the cultural, educational and charitable sphere. She is a significant figure in the humanitarian field not only in her country, but also within the Northern region as a whole. The Queen receives $6.75 million a year from the state. This money goes to support the royal family, whose very modest fortune - $15 million - is invested in securities.

During one of the surveys public opinion Most Danes recognized that the monarchy in its current form serves as a guarantor of democracy in the country. And the point is not only that the royal house is a direct connection with history, on the strong roots of which national pride grows. The Queen herself plays a leading role here. Her speeches from the throne and addresses to the people do not always make hearts tremble with joy. They often contain reproaches towards those who, reveling in their own well-being, forget about their suffering compatriots. She does not ignore the negative attitude towards foreign workers in the country. Even the government may become the target of her criticism.

The scale and charm of Margrethe II’s personality contributed to the fact that even now the prestige of the crown in Denmark is very high, especially in comparison with the royal courts of its large and small neighbors, shaken by all sorts of scandals and sensations from the gossip column. In 2002, all of Denmark widely and solemnly celebrated the 30th anniversary of the reign of the successor of the Glucksburg dynasty, which was closely connected in the past with the house of the Romanovs.

In mid-June 2003, Margrethe II intends to visit Russia on a state visit and take part in events celebrating the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg. This visit is associated with a historical and noble mission of pacification. Recently, an official proposal was received from Moscow to Copenhagen to rebury the remains of the Danish princess Dagmar, mother of Nicholas II, Empress Maria Feodorovna, in the imperial tomb of the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg. She ascended the throne with her husband Alexander III in 1881, after spending 15 years in Russia as Grand Duchess. After the revolution, Maria Feodorovna returned to Denmark, where she rested in 1928, and her remains rest in the royal tomb in the cathedral in Roskilde. In her will, she asked to be buried in Russia when “the right time comes.” Apparently, that time has come.