Royal Profile: 72 Facts About Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

1. Queen Margrethe Alexandrine Þorhildur Ingrid of Denmark was born 16 April 1940 {Source}. 
2. She was the oldest daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark{Source}. 
3. She has two younger sisters{Source}:
1. Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1944)
2. Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Princess of Denmark (1946)
4. Through her sisters, she has two brothers-in-law{Source}:
1. Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittegenstein-Berleburg (1934-2017, m. 1968-2017)
2. King Constantine II of Greece (1940, m. 1964)
5. She has the following nephews{Source}:
1. Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, Prince of Denmark (1967)
2. Gustav, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1969)
3. Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark (1969)
4. Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark (1986)
6. Queen Margrethe II is the aunt of:
1. Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark (1965)
2. Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg,Countess Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille (1970)
3. Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1975)
4. Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark (1983)
7. Through her nieces, she has the following current and former nephews-in-law:
1. Mr. Carlos Morales Quintana (1970, m 1999)
2. Count Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (1967, m 1998, divorced 2017)
3. Mr. Alexander Johannsmann (1977, m 2011)
4. Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille (1965, m. 2019)
5. Matthew Kumar (engaged 2018)
8. Throgh her nephews, she has the following unofficial and official nieces-in-law:
1. Miss Carina Axelsson
2. Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece (1967, m 1995)
3. Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark (m. 2010)
9. She has the following great nephews:
1. Prince Constantine-Alexios of Greece and Denmark (1998)
2. Count Friedrich Richard Oscar Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (1999)
3. Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece and Denmark (2000)
4. Prince Odysseus-Kimon of Greece and Denmark (2004)
5. Master Carlos Morales y de Grecia (2005)
6. Prince Aristidis-Stavros of Greece and Denmark (2008)
7. Master Konstantin Gustav Heinrich Richard Johannsmann (2010)
10. Her great-nieces include:
1. Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark (1996)
2. Miss Arrietta Morales y de Grecia (2002)
3. Miss Ana María Morales y de Grecia (2003)
4. Countess Ingrid Alexandra Irma Astrid Benedikte von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (2003)
5. Miss Amelia Morales y de Grecia (2007)
6. Miss Louisa Johannsmann (2015)
11. She was christened on 14 May 1940 in Holmens Kirke (the Naval Church). Her godparents were:
1. King Christian X of Denmark (paternal grandfather)
2. Prince Knud of Denmark (her uncle)
3. Prince Axel of Denmark (her 1st cousin 2x removed)
4. King Gustaf V of Sweden (her great uncle)
5. Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (her great uncle)
12. She was confirmed on 1 April 1955 at Fredensborg Palace.
13. She was named{Source}:
1. Margrethe: For her maternal grandmother, Princess Margaret of Connaught
2. Alexandrine: For her Paternal Grandmother, Duchess Alexandrine of Mecklenberg-Schwerin
3. Þorhildur : an icelandic name, which she was princess of until 1944.
4. Ingrid: For her mother
14. On 20 April 1947, King Christian X died and Margrethe's father ascended the throne as King Frederick IX. 
15. She speaks several languages. 
16. In addition to her native tongue of Danish, she also speaks French, Swedish, English, and German.
17. She was educated in Denmark,England, and France.
18. She began her education with tutors from the Zahles Skole, where she studied at Amalienbourg Palace. 
19. She began being educated at North Foreland Lodge in Hampshire, England for the 1955-1956 school year. 
20. After receiving private lessons, she graduated from Zahles Skole with an upper secondary exam certificate (language line) in 1959. 
21. Between 1960 and 1965, Queen Margrethe II studied at universities in Denmark and other European countries. 
22. After having passed the examination in philosophy at Copenhagen University in 1960, she studied archaeology at the University of Cambridge in 1960-61 and earned a Diploma in Prehistoric Archaeology. 
23. Subsequently, she studied political science at Aarhus University in 1961-1962. 
24. She also studied at the Sorbonne in 1963 and at the London School of Economics in 1965.
25. She performed voluntary service with Women’s Flying Corps from 1958 to 1970 and received comprehensive training in the corps during this period. 
26. The Queen is the supreme commander of the Danish Defence Forces.
27. In addition to her relationship with the Danish Defense, she has special connections to particular units of the British Defense. 
28. In 1972, Her Majesty was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of The Queen's Regiment.
29. In 1992, she was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of The Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment, a role she still occupies.
30. Due to Denmark being a constitutional monarchy, she does not have any political powers other than to sign acts of parliament, after of which the acts only come into force when they have been countersigned by a Cabinet Minister. 
31. Her main act for Denmark is to act as a figurehead, and to represent Denmark abroad.
32. In 1989, Queen Margrethe was awarded the Mother-Tongue Society’s prize {Source}
33. She also received the Adeil Order in 1990{Source}.
34. At the time of her birth, only males could ascend the throne of Denmark, owing to the changes in succession laws enacted in the 1850s when the Glücksburg branch was chosen to succeed.
35. As she had no brothers, it was assumed that her uncle Prince Knud would one day assume the throne.
36. The Act of Succession of 27 March 1953 gave women the right of succession to the Danish throne but only secondarily. 
37. On the occasion of her accession to the throne on 14 January 1972, HM Queen Margrethe II became the first Danish Sovereign under the new Act of Succession. 
38. On 16 April 1958, the Heir Apparent, Princess Margrethe, was given a seat on the State Council, and she subsequently chaired the meetings of the State Council in the absence of King Frederik IX.
39. On 10 June 1967, the future Queen of Denmark married Henri Marie Jean André, Count of Laborde de Monpezat, who in connection with the marriage became HRH Prince Henrik of Denmark. The wedding ceremony took place in Holmens Kirke, and the wedding festivities were held at Fredensborg Palace. 
40. Together, they have two sons:
1. Crown Prince Frederik André Henrik Christian of Denmark (1968)
2. Prince Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian of Denmark (1969)
41. She also has a former daughter-in-law, as well as two current daughters-in-law:
1. Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg (1964, 1995-2005)
2. Crown Princess Mary of Denmark (1972, m 2004)
3. Princess Marie of Denmark (1976, m. 2008)
42. Queen Margrethe II has the following grandsons:
1. Prince Nikolai William Alexander Fredrick of Denmark (1999)
2. Prince Felix Henrik Valdemar Christian of Denmark (2002)
3. Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John of Denmark (2005)
4. Prince Henrik Carl Jochim Alin of Denmark (2009)
5. Prince Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander of Denmark (2011)
43. Her granddaughters include:
1. Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe of Denmark (2007)
2. Princess Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda of Denmark (2011)
3. Princess Athena Marguerite Françoise Marie of Denmark (2012)
44. In 2012, she celebrated her Ruby Jubilee. 
45. The only one to surpass her in reign length (of whom she has since surpassed) was her greatx2 grandfather, King Christian XI, who reigned from 15 November 1863–29 January 1906 (approximately 42 years, 2 months, 15 days), while Margarethe's reign has been (as of today, her 80th birthday: 48 years, 3 months, 2 days).
46. The official residences of the Queen are Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen and Fredensborg Palace. 
47. Their summer residence is Gråsten Palace near Sønderborg, the former home of the Queen's mother, Queen Ingrid, who died in 2000.
48. She is godmother to:
1. King Williem-Alexander of The Netherlands (1967)
2. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway (1973)
3. Prince Carl Phillip of Sweden (1979)
4. Princess Theodora of Greece & Denmark (1986, her niece)
49. She shares a birthday with Grand Duke Henri who was born on her 15th birthday.
50. She shares a birthday with Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg, who was born on her 52nd birthday.
51. She shares a birthday with Princess Eléonore of Belgium, who was born on her 68th birthday.
52. In 1960, together with the princesses of Sweden and Norway, she travelled to the United States, which included a visit to Los Angeles, and to the Paramount Studios, where they met several celebrities, including Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis and Elvis Presley.
53. Through her mother, she was the niece of:
1. Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten (1906-1947)
2. Sigvard Oscar Fredrik Bernadotte, Prince Bernadotte, Count af Wisborg (1907-2002)
3. Prince Bertil, Duke of Halland (1912-1997)
4. Carl Johan Arthur Bernadotte, Prince Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg (1916-2012)
54. Her maternal cousins include:
1. Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler (1934)
2. Princess Birgitta of Sweden, Princess of Hohenzollern (1937) 
3. Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld (1938)
4. Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson (1943)
5. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (1946)
6. Monica Kristina Margaretha Bernadotte (1948, adopted in 1951)
7. Christian Carl Henning Bernadotte (1949, adopted in 1950)
55. Her astrological sign is Aries.
56. The Danish Queen’s motto is "God’s help, the love of The People, Denmark’s strength".
57. Since 1970, HM The Queen has been actively engaged in a number of artistic modes of expression: painting, church textiles, watercolors, prints, book illustrations, découpage works, scenography and embroidery {Source}.
58. Her artistic works are represented at the following art museums: Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery of Denmark), ARoS Aarhus Art Museum, and Køge Art Gallery Sketch Collection (sketches for church textiles) {Source}.
59. She is an avid costume and set designer and often designs sets for Danish ballets and theatre productions {Source}.
60. On her fifth birthday, she received a gold bracelet.
61. The gold bracelet was a  tradition started by her maternal grandmother, Princess Margaret of Connaught, who had given one to Queen Margrethe II's mother, Queen Ingrid.
62. Queen Margrethe II and her sisters continued the tradition with their daughters and granddaughters.
63. Once the girl reaches an age where the original bracelet no longer fits, they are upgraded to a new "adult" golden bracelet.
64. Currently, Queen Margrethe II's original bracelet is worn by her eldest granddaughter Princess Isabella.
65. Like most royals, she remains neutral in politics and does not participate {Source}
66. She is currently distantly in succession for the British throne as a great x2 granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
67. She is related to Queen Victoria through Queen Victoria's son Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, who was Queen Margrethe II's maternal great grandfather.
68. Queen Margrethe II is also related to King Christian X of Denmark, who was her grandfather.
69. Several other royals also descend from both Queen Victoria and King Christian X:
1. King Harald V of Norway
2. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
3. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
4. King Felipe VI of Spain 
70. She has Danish, German, Russian, Swedish, and British ancestry.
71. She is presently directly related to the following monarchs:
1. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is her maternal 1st cousin 
2. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is her 3rd cousin.
3. The Duke of Edinburgh is her 3rd cousin.
4. King Harald V of Norway is her 3rd cousin
5. King Felipe VI of Spain is her 3rd cousin 2x removed.
72. Her family nickname is Daisy.