Submitted by Clara Hernandez on the 2020 spring semester DIS program in Copenhagen, Denmark…
In comparison to the United States, Denmark has a queen. She has no political responsibilities and merely functions as a face to the Danish State. Why is this and what is her purpose? This was the topic of my recent field study to Christiansborg Palace with my Danish Language and Culture class.
Christiansborg Palace is comprised of the Parliament, the Supreme Court, and Ministry of State. The Royal Family does not live in this palace, but a few minutes north in Amalienborg Palace. They mainly use Christianborg for receiving foreign ambassadors, hosting events, the stables, and their private use of the chapel. The palace is one of the most recent palaces built in Europe, with the current addition being completed in the late 20’s. The other two parts of the palace suffered damage in the Copenhagen fires in the years 1794 and 1884. That being said, the current palace is a mixture of the previous two castles’ architecture (Neo-classical and Baroque) as well as the Neo-baroque style of the most recent addition.
Much like the Queen of England, Queen Margrethe II has no “real” powers. She is sworn to remain an impartial party and not comment on anything political. That being said, she still holds a great deal of social power. The Queen is responsible with connecting to the country by way of charity, volunteering, and forming relationships with other foreign leaders. Without Queen Margrethe, Denmark would not have a face, and that is very important for a country.
Due to the amount of connection she has with the citizens of Denmark, the Danes absolutely adore their Queen. Every year on her birthday, they hold festivities and parades for her, as well as a weekly parade where she processes down the streets of Copenhagen in her horse drawn carriage. Compared to the United States where our leader is secretly transported in any number of black SUVs, the Queen is out in the open interacting with the people, and that makes a big difference to them. Seeing the face of your leader helps form trust, and this trust is evident all across Denmark.
