Queen Margrethe II: A visual biography of Denmark’s abdicating monarch

Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II steps down this weekend as Europe’s longest-serving monarch and the first Danish royal to abdicate since 1146.

Like her friend and distant relative the late Queen Elizabeth II, Margrethe wasn’t born to rule. But when she was 13, Denmark changed its laws to allow women to ascend to the throne. She has proved a popular queen, modernizing the monarchy and increasing public support for it, even as some other European royal families have struggled for relevance.

Here is a look back at key moments in her life.

Margrethe was born on April 16, 1940. Because it was the middle of World War II and the German occupation, ceremonial flag raising replaced the traditional 21-gun salute.

As a princess, Margrethe studied prehistoric archaeology at the University of Cambridge. She also attended Denmark’s Aarhus University, France’s Sorbonne and the London School of Economics. She traveled, too, including a trip to the United States in 1960 when she met Elvis Presley in Hollywood.

In 1967, Margrethe married Henrik, a flamboyant French diplomat she met in London. They had two sons, Frederick and Joachim. In 1972, Margrethe was proclaimed queen — the first female monarch in Denmark in 500 years.

Prince Henrik carried out his princely duties but reportedly was not happy that his title was never changed to “king consort.” He asked not to be buried next to his wife and got that wish when he died in 2018.

Margrethe and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth could trace their lineage back to Queen Victoria. They were also friends, who called each other by their childhood nicknames, “Daisy” and “Lilibet.” Margrethe told ITV that she learned a lot from the British queen. “When I was growing up, my mother and father said to me, look at what they do in England, and I could see that it could be done, and it was worthwhile, and you could live a very full life with it, even with a heavy schedule and demanding job. Both she and I see it as a dedication, but also a job,” she said.

Like Elizabeth, Margrethe is a dog lover. She has had 16 dogs during her reign, mostly dachshunds.

The chain-smoking royal — dubbed the “Ashtray Queen” by the British tabloids — has been widely admired by Danes for her eccentricity and her authenticity. In addition to her regular engagements, she made a tradition of touring the country at the end of each summer.

She is known for her eloquent speeches and artistic pursuits, including painting, drawing, and costume and set design. She was recently nominated for the Danish equivalent of an Academy Award for her work on a Netflix film.

She is also known for her passion for fashion.

In 2022, Margrethe marked her 50th jubilee — though the festivities were downsized after Queen Elizabeth died.

Later that year, Margrethe caused a stir when she moved to downsize the Danish royal family by stripping four of her grandchildren of their royal titles. The younger of her two sons, Prince Joachim, was reportedly upset by the change, which impacted his children. Margrethe later said she underestimated how her family would feel, but nonetheless stood by her decision.

The 83-year-old queen surprised her country on New Year’s Eve by announcing live on television that she would abdicate, ceding the throne to her son Frederik.

She referenced the back surgery she underwent this past year, saying that it “naturally gave rise to thinking about the future, whether the time had come to leave responsibility to the next generation. I have decided that now is the right time.” Opinion polls show that Danes overwhelmingly support her decision.

She will step down on Jan. 14, exactly 52 years after she succeeded her father as monarch.

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