Queen Margrethe of Denmark: Over 50 years on the throne

This is how the Danes know and love their queen: always in a good mood, smiling cheerfully and dressed in colorful clothes. Margarethe II has never cared much about courtly conventions. She is an approachable, people-oriented monarch.

On her 40th anniversary on the throne in 2012, cheering crowds gathered to wave flags and greet the popular monarch. The pandemic muted the celebration in 2022, for the 50th anniversary, but not the Queen's popularity.

On January 14, 2012, Queen Margrethe was appeared in front of well-wishers in Copenhagen without a care in the world. Beaming with her usual cheerful smile, the queen appeared with her beloved husband Prince Henrik at her side before he died in 2018. The jubilant ceremony was typical of the way the shy artist and heavy smoker become Europe's most popular monarch.

To mark the 40th anniversary, the Danish Parliament presented the queen with a gift: a carpet bearing the royal coat of arms. Although the monarch only performs representative duties, every new law requires her signature. Margaret's royal motto: "God's help, the people's love, Denmark's strengths."

There was also a special gift from the Danish government for Margrethe's 25th anniversary on the throne in 1997. The sculptor Hans Pauli Olsen (r) created a bust of the queen, which is viewed here by Margrethe II and Prince Henrik. The monarch if herself passionate about designing costumes and stage sets, and even publishes children's books with her own drawings.

When Margrethe Alexandrine Thorhildur Ingrid came into the world on April 16, 1940, it was not foreseeable that she would one day become reigning queen and thus head of state of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. At that time, a man was still intended to be the monarch.

Margrethe's (r) childhood was happy and carefree. With her younger sisters Anne-Marie (l) and Benedikte, she grew up at Amalienborg Palace. As her father, King Frederik IX, did not have a son, he had the law on succession to the throne changed — by popular vote. A woman was henceforth also allowed to wear the crown. In 1953, at the age of 13, Margrethe became the official heir to the throne.

On her 18th birthday in 1960, Margrethe posed next to her parents and siblings on the balcony of the palace already appearing quite like a queen: She greeted the crowd outside and, as always, with a smile on her face.

As befits a crown princess, Margrethe studied at the most prestigious universities. In London, she fell in love with the French diplomat Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat. In 1967, the two were married: French Count Henri became Prince Henrik of Denmark.

It was January 14, 1972, the day her father, King Frederik IX, died when the crown princess was proclaimed queen at the age of 31. A ceremonial accession to the throne in Europe's oldest monarchy did not take place, yet this day was very special in Denmark: For the first time in over 500 years, the country was ruled by a woman.

Her role as queen put a great strain on Margrethe and Henrik's marriage. It was a great love, but the French nobleman was reluctant to play second fiddle in public. Yet they always managed to reconcile and had been married for 51 years when Prince Henrik died in February 2018. The couple had two sons: Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim.

Family is very important to Margrethe. Here in 2014 she can be seen happily united with her husband, children and grandchildren at Henrik's vineyard in Cayx Castle in France — far removed from the representative duties that come with being queen.

Margrethe II has reigned for five decades without a scandal. Her biggest vice is smoking, reportedly up to 30 cigarettes a day. The Danes nicknamed her the "Volcano Queen" for this reason. Even at 81, the queen is still very active, and despite the loss of her great love, she still appears to be strong and cheerful.

Early retirement was once out of the question for Margrethe II: "As long as you have tasks, you don't have time to fall into a hole," she says. She still honors her parents — she is seen here placing wreaths on her parents' graves at Roskilde Cathedral, with her sisters, in 2012.

In the time of the pandemic, the Queen reflected on her 50 years on the throne: "Many things have changed in that time, but not the love for my neighbors and not the love for my country."