Queen Margrethe II of Denmark celebrates 40 years on the throne

Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

Queen Margrethe II ascended the Danish throne on January 14, 1972, following the death of her father, King Frederick IX. Her father's younger brother, Prince Knaud, would have been the country's King if Salic law was not abolished. The law on succession was changed after becoming clear that Queen Ingrid could no longer give the country a male heir after having three daughters: Princess Margrethe, Princess Benedikte and Princess Anna Marie who married the future King Constantine II of Greece in early 60's.

The Queen and her heir, Prince Frederick
The Queen and her consort, Prince Henrik

Queen Margrethe II is the first female monarch of Denmark. According to its official website, celebrating 40 years on the Danish throne is an extremely rare event in Denmark because most of its monarchs did not live long to see their accessions reached a 40-year-mile. Margrethe is the 52nd Danish monarch and the fourth sovereign to reach the 40th jubille on the throne after King Gorm the Old, King Christian VII and King Christian IX (popularly called the grandfather of all Europe because almost all present-day royals in Europe are his direct descendants).
The Queen's younger sisters: Princess Benedikte (with her husband Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg) and Queen Anna Marie (with her husband, ex-King Constantine II of Greece)

On Saturday, January 14, Queen Margrethe II and her sisters, Princess Benedikte and Queen Anna Marie, laid a wreath at the tomb of their parents, King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid (a great granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England) at the Roskilde Cathedral. They were joined later by the rest of the royal family members attending the solemn ceremony celebrating the 40th jubilee of the Queen.
Prince Frederick, Princess Mary and their children: Prince Christian, Prince Victor, Princess Isabella and Princess Josephine

They were back at Copenhagen after the ceremony and rode at the horse-drawn carriage to city hall for an official reception. Thousands of Danes lined up the street, cheering and waving flags, as the royal family passed.
Prince Frederick and his wife, Mary
Prince Joachim and his second wife, Marie

Known as "Daisy" in Denmark, the 71-year-old Queen is considered to be one of the fewest educated monarchs in Europe who could learn at least 5 languages, she had studied economics, philosophy, archaelogy and languages. She married a French nobleman, Henri Marie Jean Andre, Count of Laborde de Monpezat, and have two sons together: Prince Frederick and Prince Joachim.

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