Commonwealth of the Realm[note] Rigsfælleskabet (Danish) Ríkisfelagsskapur (Faroese) Naalagaaffeqatigiit (Kalaallisut)
Map showing the Danish realm in red
Official language(s)		Danish, Faroese and Greenlandic
Leaders
-	Monarch	Queen Margrethe II
-	Prime Minister of Denmark	Helle Thorning-Schmidt
-	Prime Minister of Greenland	Kuupik Kleist
-	Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands	Kaj Leo Johannesen
^ Also translated Community of the Realm

The Danish Realm (Danish: danske rige) or Commonwealth of the Realm (Danish: Rigsfælleskab(et)) is a semi-official term for the relations between metropolitan Denmark and its two self-governing insular regions, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which collectively make up the Kingdom of Denmark, a unitary state.

Legal status[link]

Within the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland enjoy far-reaching home rule, introduced in 1948 and 1979 respectively. The arrangement is sometimes described as constituent countries. Greenland's powers of self-government were increased in 2009 through the Greenland Self-Rule Act, which established the Greenlanders as a separate national people under international law, while the Faroe Islands have gradually taken control of more and more areas according to their Home Rule Act. The Constitution of Denmark of 1953 is that of a unitary state and applies to all three regions, and the home rule and self-rule agreements are not enshrined in the constitution. Both the Faroe Islands and Greenland manage most of their own internal affairs. They may also conclude international agreements on behalf of the Danish realm if they concern only their own part of the realm.

One of the results of this arrangement is that Denmark is a member of the European Union but both Greenland and the Faroe Islands have opted to remain outside of the EU. The relations should not be confused with a federation or an association like the Commonwealth of Nations. It is one state with two self-governing areas, and as such it can be referred to as a federacy. The Faroe Islands and Greenland are represented with two seats each in the Folketing, the Danish parliament. Additionally, a High Commissioner (Danish: Rigsombudsmand) represents the Danish government in each.

The international community[link]

Previously, most foreign relations were undertaken by Denmark exclusively on behalf of all three regions, but more recently, both regions have increased their role in the foreign policy. The Faroe Islands and Greenland have become more autonomous players and they have joint influence on foreign policy issues that relate to their national interests, such as geopolitical topics and commercial fishing. However, the regions still are, in an international-community context, under Danish administration, where The Faroe Islands and Greenland have joined the different Danish delegations at the table of the international community.

The Faroe Islands and Greenland have membership in the Nordic Council. They have become more integrated with the European Union, but neither country is a member. Greenland had to follow Denmark into the EU in 1973, but opted to leave in 1985 after Greenlandic home rule was introduced in 1979, this being the only country to ever leave the EU. Greenland and the Faroes are only semi-members in the United Nations, NATO, OECD and the World Trade Organization, because Denmark represents the Rigsfællesskab. Denmark have in the last years increased the involvement of the Faroese and Greenlandic governments in international affairs, for example Greenland was included in the process of a new treaty between Denmark and the US regarding the Thule Air Base in northwest Greenland.

Population and area[link]

Enlargeable map of Denmark (bottom right), the Faroe Islands (top right) and Greenland (left).

Country	Population	%	Area (km²)	%	Density (Pop per km²)
Denmark	5,519,441	98,1%	43,094	1,98%	128
Faroe Islands	49,006	0,9%	1,399	0,06%	34
Greenland	57,564	1,0%	2,175,600	97,96%	0.026

See also[link]

Denmark portal

• Denmark
• Greenland
• Faroe Islands
• Kingdom of Iceland, a part of the Danish state with home rule 1874-1918, and an independent state in personal union with Denmark 1918-1944

References[link]

External links[link]

• Prime Ministry's web page concerning the status of the Faroe Islands and Greenland
• DRs background about the Faroe Islands (In Danish)
• The North Atlantic Group in the Danish Parliament

Margrethe II
Margrethe in May 2010
Queen of Denmark
Reign	14 January 1972 – present
Predecessor	Frederick IX
Heir apparent	Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark
Prime Ministers	See list Jens Otto Krag Anker Jørgensen Poul Hartling Poul Schlüter Poul Nyrup Rasmussen Anders Fogh Rasmussen Lars Løkke Rasmussen Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Spouse	Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark (1967–present)
Detail Issue
Crown Prince Frederik Prince Joachim
Full name
Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid
House	House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg[1]
Father	Frederick IX
Mother	Ingrid of Sweden
Born	(1940-04-16) 16 April 1940 (age 72) Amalienborg Palace, Denmark
Religion	Church of Denmark

Monarchical styles of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
Reference style	Her Majesty
Spoken style	Your Majesty
Alternative style	Ma'am

Margrethe II (Danish pronunciation: [mɑˈɡ̊ʁæːˀd̥ə]; Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid; sometimes anglicised as Margaret II) (born 16 April 1940) is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. She is the eldest daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark. In 1967, she married Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, with whom she has two sons: Crown Prince Frederik (born 1968) and Prince Joachim (born 1969). When her father, Frederick IX, died in 1972, Margrethe succeeded him as Queen of Denmark and became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375–1412 during the Kalmar Union.

Early life[link]

Princess Margrethe was born on 16 April 1940 at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen as the first child of Crown Prince Frederick and Crown Princess Ingrid of Denmark. Her father was the eldest son of King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine of Denmark, and her mother was the only daughter of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf and Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden. Her birth took place just one week after Nazi Germany's invasion of Denmark on 9 April 1940.

She was baptised on 14 May 1940 in the Church of Holmen in Copenhagen. The princess's godparents were King Christian X of Denmark, Prince Knud of Denmark, Prince Axel of Denmark, King Gustaf V of Sweden, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden and Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn.

She was named Margrethe after her maternal grandmother, Princess Margaret of Connaught, Alexandrine after her paternal grandmother, Duchess Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and Ingrid after her mother. Since her paternal grandfather, the then-reigning King Christian X, was also the King of Iceland at the time, and Margrethe until 1944 was an Icelandic princess, the Princess was as a tribute to the people of Iceland given an Icelandic name, Þórhildur, consisting of "Thor" and the word for "battle" or "fight". The name is spelled with the thorn letter, which is a surviving rune, and is equivalent to "th". It is sometimes anglicized as Thorhildur.^[2]

When Margrethe was four years old, in 1944, her first sister Princess Benedikte was born. She later married Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and lives in Germany. Her third sister Princess Anne Marie was born in 1946. She later married Constantine II of Greece and now lives in London.

On 20 April 1947, King Christian X died and Margrethe's father ascended the throne as King Frederick IX.

Heiress presumptive[link]

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. As she had no brothers, it was assumed that her uncle Prince Knud would one day assume the throne.

The process of changing the constitution started in 1947, not long after her father ascended the throne and it became clear that Queen Ingrid would have no more children. The popularity of Frederik and his daughters and the more prominent role of women in Danish life started the complicated process of altering the constitution. That proposal had to be passed by two Parliaments in succession and then by a referendum, which was held on 27 March 1953. The new Act of Succession permitted female succession to the throne of Denmark, according to male-preference primogeniture, where a female can ascend to the throne only if she does not have a brother. Princess Margrethe therefore became the Heiress presumptive.

Princess Margrethe in 1962 with Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser in Abdeen Palace in Cairo.

On her eighteenth birthday, 16 April 1958, the Heiress Presumptive was given a seat in the Council of State, and the Princess subsequently chaired the meetings of the Council in the absence of the King.

In mid-1960, together with the Princesses of Sweden and Norway, she traveled to the United States, which included a visit to Los Angeles, California, and to the Paramount Studios, where they were met by several celebrities, including Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis and Elvis Presley.

Education[link]

Margarethe spent a year at North Foreland Lodge, a boarding school for girls in Hampshire, England,^[3] and later studied prehistoric archaeology at Girton College, Cambridge, during 1960–1961, political science at Aarhus University between 1961 and 1962, attended the Sorbonne in 1963, and was at the London School of Economics in 1965. She is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

Queen Margrethe is fluent in her native tongue, Danish; the native tongue of her husband, French; as well as English, Swedish and German.^[4]

Marriage[link]

On 10 June 1967, Princess Margrethe married a French diplomat, Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, at the Church of Holmen in Copenhagen. Laborde de Monpezat received the style and title of "His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark" because of his new position as the spouse of the Heiress Presumptive to the Danish throne.

Margrethe gave birth to her first child, Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, on 26 May 1968. A second child, Prince Joachim, was born on 7 June 1969.

Reign[link]

Queen Margrethe II and her consort, Prince Henrik, in 2010.

Succession[link]

Shortly after King Frederick IX had delivered his New Year's Address to the Nation at the 1971/72 turn of the year, he fell ill. At his death 14 days later on 14 January 1972, Margrethe succeeded to the throne as Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, becoming the first female Danish sovereign under the new Act of Succession. She was proclaimed Queen from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace by Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag on 15 January 1972. The Queen chose the motto: God's help, the love of The People, Denmark's strength.^[4]

Ruby Jubilee[link]

On 14 January 2012, Queen Margrethe II celebrated her 40th year on the throne. This was marked by a carriage procession, and numerous TV interviews.

Constitutional role[link]

Danish Royal Family

HM The Queen HRH The Prince Consort HRH The Crown Prince HRH The Crown Princess HRH Prince Christian HRH Princess Isabella HRH Prince Vincent HRH Princess Josephine HRH Prince Joachim HRH Princess Marie HH Prince Nikolai HH Prince Felix HH Prince Henrik HH Princess Athena HRH Princess Benedikte HM The Queen of the Hellenes HH Princess Elisabeth Extended royal family HM The King of the Hellenes HRH The Crown Prince of Greece HRH The Crown Princess of Greece HRH Princess Maria-Olympia HRH Prince Constantine Alexios HRH Prince Achileas-Andreas HRH Prince Odysseas-Kimon HRH Prince Aristide Stavros HRH Princess Alexia, Mrs Morales HRH Prince Nikolaos HRH Princess Tatiana HRH Princess Theodora HRH Prince Philippos HM The Queen of Spain HRH Princess Irene HRH Prince Michael Marina, Consort of Prince Michael

v t e

The Queen's main tasks are to represent the Kingdom abroad and to be a unifying figurehead at home. She receives foreign ambassadors and awards honours and medals. The queen performs the latter task by accepting invitations to open exhibitions, attending anniversaries, inaugurating bridges, etc.

As an unelected public official, the Queen takes no part in party politics and does not express any political opinions. Although she has the right to vote, she opts not to do so to avoid even the appearance of partisanship.

After an election where the incumbent Prime Minister does not have a majority behind him, the Queen holds a “Dronningerunde” (Queen's meeting) in which she meets the chairmen of each of the Danish political parties.^[5]

Each party has the choice of selecting a Royal Investigator to lead these negotiations or alternatively, give the incumbent Prime Minister the mandate to continue his government as is. In theory each party could choose its own leader as Royal Investigator, the globalistic party Det Radikale Venstre did so in 2006, but often only one Royal Investigator is chosen plus the Prime Minister, before each election. The leader who, at that meeting succeeds in securing a majority of the seats in the Folketing, is by royal decree charged with the task of forming a new government. (It has never happened in more modern history that any party has held a majority on its own.)

Once the government has been formed, it is formally appointed by the Queen. Officially, it is the Queen who is the head of government, and she therefore presides over the Council of State, where the acts of legislation which have been passed by the parliament are signed into law. In practice, however, nearly all of the Queen's formal powers are exercised by the Council of State, and she is required by convention to act on its advice.

In addition to her roles in her own country, the queen is also the Colonel-in-Chief of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires), an infantry regiment of the British Army, following a tradition in her family.

Personal life and interests[link]

The official residences of the Queen and the Prince Consort are Amalienborg Palace and Fredensborg Palace in Copenhagen. Their summer residence is Gråsten Palace near Sønderborg, the former home of the Queen's mother, Queen Ingrid, who died in 2000.

The Queen is an accomplished painter, and has held many art shows over the years.^[6] Her illustrations—under the pseudonym Ingahild Grathmer—were used for the Danish edition of The Lord of the Rings published in 1977 and the re-issue in 2002.^[7] In 2000 she illustrated Henrik, the Prince Consort's poetry collection Cantabile.

She is also an accomplished translator and is said to have participated in the Danish translation of The Lord of the Rings.^[6]

She is also a costume designer, having designed the costumes for the 2009 Peter Flinth film, "De vilde svaner" (the Wild Swans).^[8] Margrethe also designs some of her own clothes.

She is known for her colourful and sometimes eccentric clothing choices: as well as designing some of her own clothes, Queen Margrethe wears designs by Pierre Balmain, Jorgen Bender, and Birgitte Taulow. ^[9]

Margrethe is a chain smoker, and she is famous for her tobacco habit.^[10] However, on 23 November 2006 the Danish newspaper B.T. reported an announcement from the Royal Court stating that the Queen would never again be seen smoking in public. Still, she does continue to smoke but in the future she will do so only privately. The announcement may be due to the fact that the Danish parliament recently has decided on strict rules concerning smoking.^[11]

She suffers from arthritis and has had both her knees replaced as a result.

A statement in a 2005 authorized biography about the Queen (entitled Margrethe) focused on her views of Islam: "We are being challenged by Islam these years. Globally as well as locally. There is something impressive about people for whom religion imbues their existence, from dusk to dawn, from cradle to grave. There are also Christians who feel this way. There is something endearing about people who give themselves up completely to their faith. But there is likewise something frightening about such a totality, which also is a feature of Islam. A counterbalance has to be found, and one has to, at times, run the risk of having unflattering labels placed on you. For there are some things for which one should display no tolerance. And when we are tolerant, we must know whether it is because of convenience or conviction."^[12]

Family[link]

Her Majesty surrounded by her family waving to crowds on her 70th birthday in April 2010. From left to right: the Crown Princess, Prince Felix, the Crown Prince, Prince Christian, the Queen, Prince Nikolai, the Prince Consort, Prince Joachim and Princess Isabella

The Queen and The Prince Consort have two children and eight grandchildren:

• His Royal Highness Frederik André Henrik Christian, Crown Prince of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, born on 26 May 1968. He was married on 14 May 2004 to Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, who was born on 5 February 1972. They have four children:
  • His Royal Highness Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, born on 15 October 2005.
  • Her Royal Highness Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, born on 21 April 2007.
  • His Royal Highness Prince Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, born on 8 January 2011.
  • Her Royal Highness Princess Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, born on 8 January 2011.
• His Royal Highness Prince Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, born on 7 June 1969. He was married on 18 November 1995 to Alexandra Christina Manley, who was born on 30 June 1964. They divorced on 8 April 2005. He was married on 24 May 2008 to Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier, who was born on 6 February 1976. He has four children:
  • His Highness Prince Nikolai William Alexander Frederik of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, born on 28 August 1999.
  • His Highness Prince Felix Henrik Valdemar Christian of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, born on 22 July 2002.
  • His Highness Prince Henrik Carl Joachim Alain of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, born on 4 May 2009.
  • Her Highness Princess Athena Marguerite Françoise Marie of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat , born on 24 January 2012.

In 2008 the Queen announced that her male-line descendants would bear the additional title of Count of Monpezat,^[13] which they inherit from the Queen's husband and consort, Henri-Marie-Jean André Count de Laborde de Monpezat.^[14]

Honours and decorations[link]

See also : List of honours of the Danish Royal Family by country

She is the 1,188th Dame of the Order of the Golden Fleece in Spain and the 961st Knight/Lady of the Order of the Garter.

Danish decorations[link]

Order of the Elephant

Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog

One hundred anniversary Commemorative Medal of King Frederik IX's birth

One hundred anniversary Commemorative Medal of King Christian X's birth

Queen Ingrid's Commemorative Medal

Commemorative Medal for the 50-year anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Ingrid's arrival in Denmark

Home Guard fortjensttegn

Home Guard 25-year mark

Civil Defense League glory sign

Danish Reserve Officers Association Medal

Queen Margrethe II in Vágur, Faroe Islands, 21 June 2005

Queen Margrethe II and her husband Prince Henrik of Denmark welcome President George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush at Fredensborg Palace, July 5, 2005.

Foreign decorations[link]

•  Argentina: Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator San Martin
•  Austria: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
•  Belgium: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)
•  Brazil: Grand Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross
• Bulgaria: Grand Cross with Cordon of the Order of the Stara Planina
•  Chile: Collar of the Order of the Merit of Chile
•  Estonia: Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
•  United Arab Emirates: Collar of the Order of Al Kamal
•  Egypt: Collar of the Order of the Nile
•  Finland: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose
•  France: Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
•  Germany: Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
•  Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer
• Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Olga and Sophia
•  Iceland: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Falcon
• Iran: Order of the Pleiades, 2nd Class
•  Italy: Dame Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
•  Japan: Grand Cordon (1st Class) of the Order of the Precious Crown
•  Japan: Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum
•  Jordan: Collar of the Order of the Star of Jordan
• Yugoslavia: Grand Cross of the Order of the Yugoslav Star
•  Latvia: Commander Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of the Three Stars
•  Lithuania: Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great (1996)^[15]
•  Luxembourg: Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
•  Mexico: Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (2008)^[16]
•  Morocco: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite
•  Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
•  Nepal: Nepal Pratap Bhaskara (Nepal Decoration of Honour)
•  Norway: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of St. Olav
•  Poland: Knight of the Order of the White Eagle
•  Poland: Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland
•  Portugal: Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry
•  Portugal: Grand Collar of the Order of Saint James of the Sword
•  Romania: Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania
•  Saudi Arabia: Collar of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud
•  Slovenia: Golden Order of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia
•  Spain: Lady of the Order of the Golden Fleece
•  Spain: Dame Collar of the Order of Charles III
•  Sweden: Member of the Order of the Seraphim
•  South Africa: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Good Hope
•  South Korea: Knight of Supreme Order of the Mugunghwa (Hibiscus) ^[17]
•  Thailand: Dame of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri
•  Thailand: Dame of the Order of the Rajamitrabhorn
•  United Kingdom: Lady of the Order of the Garter
•  United Kingdom: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
•  United Kingdom: Recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain

Symbols of Margrethe II[link]

Ancestry[link]

Patrilineal descent[link]

See also[link]

• List of current sovereign monarchs
• List of national leaders

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Margrethe II

• The Queen's Homepage
• The Official Website of The Danish Monarchy

v t e Monarchs of Denmark Early monarchs c.916–1412 (Harthacnut) Gorm the Old Harald Bluetooth Sweyn Forkbeard1 Harald II Cnut the Great1 Harthacanute1 Magnus the Good Sweyn II Harald III Canute the Saint Olaf I Eric Evergood Niels Eric the Memorable Eric Lamb Sweyn Grathe / Canute V / Valdemar the Great Canute VI Valdemar the Victorious / Valdemar the Young Eric Plough-tax Abel Christopher I Eric Klipping Eric Menved Christopher II Valdemar III Christopher II Interregnum Valdemar Atterdag Olaf II Margaret I2 Palatinate-Neumarkt 1397–1448 Eric of Pomerania2 Christopher of Bavaria2 Oldenburg 1448–1863 Christian I2 John2 Christian II2 Frederick I Christian III Frederick II Christian IV Frederick III Christian V Frederick IV Christian VI Frederick V Christian VII Frederick VI Christian VIII Frederick VII Schleswig-Holstein- Sonderburg-Glücksburg since 1863 Christian IX Frederick VIII Christian X3 Frederick IX Margrethe II Italics indicates Danish monarchs who were also monarchs of Norway. 1 Also monarch of England. 2 Also monarch of Sweden. 3 Also monarch of Iceland.

v t e Danish princesses 1st generation Alexandra, Queen of the United Kingdom Dagmar, Empress of Russia Thyra, Duchess of Cumberland and Teviotdale 2nd generation Louise, Princess Frederick of Schaumburg-Lippe Ingeborg, Duchess of Västergötland Princess Thyra Princess Dagmar, Mrs. Jørgen Castenskiold Alexandra, Grand Duchess Paul Alexandrovich of Russia* Maria Grand Duchess George Mikhailovich of Russia* Princess Olga* Margaret, Princess René of Parma 3rd generation Feodora, Princess Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe Caroline-Mathilde, Princess Knud of Denmark Alexandrine-Louise, Countess Luitpold of Castell-Castell Helen, Queen of Romania* Irene, Queen of Croatia and Duchess of Aosta* Lady Katherine Brandram* Eugénie, Duchess of Castel Duino* Olga, Princess Paul of Yugoslavia* Elizabeth, Countess of Toerring-Jettenbach* Marina, Duchess of Kent* Margarita, Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg* Theodora, Margravine of Baden* Cecilie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine* Sophie, Princess George William of Hanover* 4th generation Margrethe II Benedikte, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Anne-Marie, Queen of the Hellenes Princess Elisabeth Alexandra, Queen of Yugoslavia* Sofía, Queen of Spain* Princess Irene* 5th generation Princess Alexia, Mrs. Carlos Morales* Princess Theodora* 6th generation Princess Isabella Princess Josephine Princess Athena Princess Maria-Olympia* * also a princess of Greece