On Margrethe’s jubilee, she’s set to give the princess the best gift ever, sparking double Danish delight!
WATCH: Princess Mary and her family share video message from isolation
For the Danish royal family, 2022 is shaping up to be a big year. After all, it’s not every year that the ruling monarch celebrates half a century on the throne, or that her daughter-in-law, who’ll one day take her place, celebrates a milestone birthday.
On January 14, it will be 50 years since a then-32-year-old Margrethe succeeded her father to become Queen, while on February 5, Crown Princess Mary will turn 50 – and both popular royals will celebrate their achievements in style.
Mary tested positive for Covid in late December but won’t want the virus to scupper the celebrations. As it stands, her big birthday will be marked with a number of official events, including the opening of two new exhibitions honouring her life and work.
On the Royal House of Denmark’s website, a special page has been set up to keep loyal fans updated on jubilee celebrations, in the wake of covid restrictions forcing the cancellation of new year’s events.
As with Margrethe’s milestone, an official logo has also been created to honour Mary’s 50th, further proving her importance to the royals.
As well as official nods, her special birthday will no doubt include plenty of family fun – with husband Frederik and their four children, Christian, 16, Isabella, 14 and twins Vincent and Josephine, nearly 11, all on hand to spoil her on her big day.
Mary’s father John Donaldson, who divides his time between London and France, will also hope to be included in the celebrations, too, along with his wife Susan, covid permitting.
Mary’s three siblings, sisters Patricia and Jane, and brother John, would love to get to Copenhagen after two years of lockdowns have prevented travel.
Frederik’s also sure to pay tribute to his wife of almost 18 years.
“For me, it is in our family moments that I feel most grateful, most united, most in love,” Mary said in a moving speech during the Crown Prince’s own 50th birthday party at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen – no doubt the tables will be turned by her husband when she marks the landmark birthday.
WATCH: Queen Margrethe addresses the press
Margrethe, “Queen Daisy” to her subjects, is a much-loved monarch, and Denmark will want to celebrate their beloved ruler in style.
During the year – with the theme based on a motto the monarch adopted when she took to the throne, “God’s help, the love of the people, the strength of Denmark” – her jubilee will be marked with events the length and breadth of the country, including an exhibition at the Amalienborg museum entitled A Queen’s Jewellery Box, 50 Years on the Throne Told in Jewellery.
And with such a long, strong tradition of meeting and greeting her loyal subjects, Margrethe will want to connect with Danes far and wide, whether that ends up being “virtual” or traditional.
On January 16 a church service will be followed in the evening by a gala dinner at Christiansborg Palace that will be beamed out on Danish TV, so everyone has a chance to raise a toast.
Additionally, The Queen’s 50th Government Anniversary, as it’s more formally known, will be marked by a raft of new books, TV interviews and documentaries across the year.
In fact, last October the Danish royal court acknowledged the occasion when it shared a new Golden Jubilee portrait of Queen Margrethe, taken by Per Morten Abrahamsen, showing her resplendent in the Pearl Poire Tiara (see page 81 for more on the tiara).
The 81-year-old Queen will no doubt also celebrate privately with her family – as she continues to prepare Mary and Frederik to assume the noble mantle as Denmark’s ruling monarchs. The pair can both currently act as regent in her absence, and there will be plenty of opportunities for them to do so as the year unfolds.
Indeed, with talk of an impending coronation following the jubilee, a fully recovered Mary could also be handed the biggest of birthday gifts – the title of Queen!
