16 April 2010
On the day of her birthday, queen Margrethe was awakened at 9:00 by canon shots at Fredensborg Slot. Underneath her bedroom window a crowd had gathered to sing to her.
Mary wore a new poncho by Ralph Lauren.
After the morgensang, Frederik, Mary and the children spent some more time outside greeting locals and taking in the morning air.
After breakfast, the royals and their (royal) guests who had stayed over at the Fredensborg estate were driven to Copenhagen.
At noon the Danish royals greeted the crowd from the balcony at Amallienborg palace.
At noon the Danish royals greeted the crowd from the balcony at Amallienborg palace.
At 12:40 queen Margrethe & prince Henrik were driven in an open carriage to the Copenhagen town hall for a reception and another balcony scene. Streets were lined with people, at least 50.000 Danes showed up for the queen and her family.
Finally, at 20:00 a private gala was held at Fredensborg Slot. Guests included royals and friends. Even though this banquet was private, it was aired live on Danish TV.
Count Ingolf & countess Sussie af Rosenborg.
Count Christian & countess Anne Dorte af Rosenborg.
Baron Otto & baroness Helle Reedtz-Thott.
Bent Fabricius Bjerre.
Christian Kjær & Susan Astani.
Dorrit Moussaief & Alain Cavalier.
In the background: Lene Balleby.
PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen & Sólrun Rasmussen.
Ellen Hillingsø.
Caroline & Peter Heering.
Caroline wore a tiara and earrings by Marlene Juhl Jørgensen.
Grand duke Henri & grand duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg.
Queen Anne Marie & king Constantine of Greece.
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
Princess Benedikte & prince Richard von Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.
Prince Gustav von Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg & Carina Axelsson.
Prince Joachim & princess Marie.
The younger generations of royals had spent the past hours at Kancellihuset with Frederik & Mary getting ready. They walked over to Fredensborg Slot, followed by cameras.
Mary carried a new Prada purse.
Speeches were held by prince Henrik, the prime minister and crown prince Frederik before the queen gave a speech herself.
Every year on one’s birthday, one feels like a small child when the day finally arrives. The centre of attention, happy, excited, and one year older. That’s certainly the way I feel, and I know that you do too. You are not afraid to call yourself a ‘girl’, and I see the youth and curiosity of a young girl in you, whether out walking in the garden or woods here at home, on the Faroe Islands or even on a sleigh ride in Eastern Greenland. In fact, you have never been afraid of treading your very own path, even when sometimes it diverts you from the ‘straight and narrow’ of the red carpet.
To have followed in your footsteps for as long as I can remember has been like living in a fairytale – and the story is far from over. But in the very beginning I never felt anything but completely safe. To be your child and your son was – from my earliest memories - the exciting experience of running at full speed through the rooms at Fredensborg, turning left into the red salon, and then dashing through the yellow salon, into your study and throwing myself into your arms.
Later came story-time – when you would read aloud tales like “The Lord of the Rings” before you and Papa had dinner. Three whole times over five years, Joachim and I were drawn into that magical universe – with dragons and wizards, good and bad, the ugly and the beautiful, honour and glory and much, much more in that, and the many other adventure stories. You also brought our imagination to life in the excerpts and scenes taken from exciting books, by drawing and painting them for us. Joachim and I certainly put your creativity to the test when we had to wear fancy dress for ‘Fastelavn’. Straightaway, you seized paper and glue and created the most fantastic costumes of a knight in armor and of a fearsome devil.
You are completely at home, and wander freely amongst actors, directors and theatrical designers, on stage and backstage, in preparation for performances of all kinds of theatre and ballet productions.
The creativity that as a child, I connected to fantasy and adventure was the seed of inspiration for your later artistic work, for which today you are recognised and respected. I am proud that besides being ‘Her Majesty, The Queen’, you can also rightfully be called ‘an artist’.
When I became aware that I wasn’t just your son, but the son of the Queen, my understanding of the way things were, changed slightly. The reality of being your son, the young man, on the one hand, and a Crown Prince, on the other – put destiny in perspective.
At that time it felt as though I had fallen right out of the fairytale. Until then I could always seek refuge in that magical world – up until reality knocked on the door. I had difficulty understanding how you were able effortlessly to move between two worlds – one which represented the real, material world, and another, the abstract world in which you, as an artist, could also live and move.
I myself sought to find answers by ‘grasping the moment’; by building experience and knowledge through challenges of an intellectual and physical nature. I was always aware of your support and interest, for example, when you stood shouting and urging me on in a relay race in the forests south of Århus. You also supported me at that time by not trying to interfere in my choices of career path. You respected them.
In the years that followed, I was an irregular guest in your home, but when we were together and I recounted my experiences in the Special Forces, or described the exciting journeys I’d made, a very special bond grew between us, as you began to live in my adventures.
Suddenly the word “Mother-in-law” began to echo down the corridors – it was a word I hadn’t envisaged would carry with it so much joy.
My happiness and delight in my marriage with Mary began yet a new chapter in my life. Your interest in your new daughter-in-law began the very first time you met. Since that day you have always been there for Mary – and you should know that she is extremely grateful for the great faith you have shown her, and for everything you share together.
And thank goodness for that! For who else could answer questions such as ‘how many hat pins do you need in a broad-brimmed hat, to stop the wind blowing it off at an official function’ - particularly in a country like Denmark where it is nearly always windy? That example, amongst so many, essentially shows how much interest you have always taken in both your daughters-in-law.
Indirectly and quietly, you have shown that you take an active interest in not only my marriage but also that of Joachim, as a son and a husband.
You follow the growth and development of my family and myself, with such warmth, to the point where I feel that we have given you inspiration in your own daily life and work – and it is wonderful that you take such an interest in the challenges of my own generation.
It is most inspiring to learn from the experience you have built up throughout your many years as Head of State; to make good use of that advice which can only be passed from you to me.
Today we are able to seek advice from each other, and we really enjoy and benefit from each other’s views on various situations, great and small, at home and abroad. To ask your advice, and to feel trust in, the reciprocal respect for my own advice, is deeply gratifying and, I feel, benefits us both. I feel that the most important tools before, and now, have been dialogue, love and trust.
Today we are both stronger – as people, and in our calling.
You have always been somewhat concerned about dealing with small children. But children’s reactions indicate quite the opposite. They run, full of joy and expectation, towards you and Papa, across the lawn that separates the palace from the Chancellery House, when you come to visit us; and they tell with childish eagerness about their latest activities.
I look forward to that day when you take them with you on that journey into the magic land of the Lord of the Rings and the many other wonderful tales that so absorbed Joachim and me when we were small, more than thirty years ago.
Dear Mother,
Usually it is parents who say they are proud of their children. I know that your father, my grandfather, King Frederik IX, would certainly have said “I am proud of you, my girl”.
But I stand here this evening, as your eldest son, proud of his Mother, and everything she has achieved to this day.
Dearest Mother,
You stand out as the Mother both your sons remember from the adventures of their youth – a beautiful Queen and a gifted young girl!
Congratulations!
Around this time Mary's third pregnancy started. At this stage it was still very private, and the couple possibly wasn't aware yet they would be having twins.
