As popular in her native Denmark as the late Queen Elizabeth was here, Queen Margrethe was aged 31 when she ascended the throne in 1972. Dubbed ‘Aunt Daisy’, the 82-year-old monarch is known for her sense of humour, chain-smoking and fun-loving approach to life, and was even photographed riding a rollercoaster earlier this year.
Her reign has been uncontroversial and non-political, and she’s enjoyed working within the arts while serving as monarch, including assisting set design on the 2021 film, Ehrengard.
Queen Margrethe of Denmark poses on her 40th birthday on June 16, 1980
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Married for over 50 years to former French diplomat, Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, she was among the first to offer her condolences to Queen Elizabeth following the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh, as a fellow widow.
The beautiful European Princesses who will one day be Queen
By Rebecca Cope
While there is a dearth of reigning queens in Europe currently, the next generation is set to have plenty. Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Princess Leonor of Spain, Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden are all the heirs to the throne in their respective countries, while Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, who is second in line, will be the country’s second ever queen.
