Topics: News, Royal Family, The Queen, King Charles III
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is now the last reigning female monarch in Europe following the death of Queen Elizabeth II earlier this month.
Queen Margrethe II, 82, celebrated her Golden Jubilee in January 2022 with a host of celebrations to honour her 50 years on the throne - which now marks her as the last remaining reigning female monarch in Europe.
Margrethe II became the first female monarch to rule over Denmark in over 500 years when she ascended the throne back in 1972.
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Her mother was Ingrid of Sweden and her was father King Frederick IX, who ascended the throne in 1947.
Together they had three daughters; Margarethe, Benedikte and Anne-Marie. A constitutional amendment made in 1953 allowed women to inherit the throne, which meant Margrethe II became her father’s heir presumptive.
When her father died on 14 January 1972 she became monarch but before this, she had married Henri de Laborde de Monpezat in 1967, with whom she had two sons; Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim.
A number of events planned for Margrethe II's year of festivities were scaled back in solidarity with the United Kingdom following the death of Elizabeth II.
The two monarchs were long-time friends and Queen Margrethe II was one of the many guests who attended Her Majesty’s funeral on Monday (19 September) in London.
Denmark’s monarch attended with her heir, Crown Prince Frederik and her daughter-in-law Crown Princess Mary.
At a gala celebrating her Golden Jubilee 2 days following Queen Elizabeth's death on Saturday, 10 September, Queen Margrethe also held a moment of silence to honour her dear friend.
She also sent King Charles III a letter of support as he ascended the throne upon the death of his mother.
“Your mother was very important to me and my family,” she said. “She was a towering figure among the European monarchs and a great inspiration to us all. We shall miss her terribly.”
The two Queens shared a few more similarities beyond their Jubilees occurring in the same years, as they also happen to be third cousins thanks to their shared heritage through Queen Victoria.
Both Queens called each other by their nicknames, with Queen Margrethe revealing she called the Queen 'Lilibet' and Elizabeth called Margrethe 'Daisy'.
“Oh yes, that’s the way we have known each other always," Queen Margrethe II told ITV in May 2022.
"That is what we call each other when we see and speak to one another. We are definitely affectionate, but I don’t want to splash it all over the place!”
Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest on 19 September at St George's Chapel in Windsor.
