National Day of Denmark and 79th birth anniversary of Queen Margrethe II

ON

this day in 1940, Margrethe Alexandrine Thorhildur Ingrid was born to the then Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark who, in 1947, became King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid. Margrethe was christened on May 14, 1940, in Holmens Kirke (the Naval Church) and confirmed on April 1, 1955, at Fredensborg Palace. The firstborn of the Royal couple is the first queen regnant of Denmark after an unbroken line of 50 kings since King Harald who founded the kingdom in the 10th century. Margrethe was born at the time when women in her country had no right to succeed to the throne. It was by virtue of the Act of Succession of March 27, 1953, that granted women the right of succession to the Danish throne, that she became heir apparent and was eventually given a seat on the State Council on April 16, 1958. She subsequently chaired the meetings of the council in the absence of King Frederik IX.

She succeeded to the throne after the death of her father on January 14, 1972, and thus became first Danish sovereign under the new Act of Succession. She recently marked her 47th anniversary as queen regnant. Her Majesty reigns as the supreme authority of the Church of Denmark and commander-in-chief of the Danish Defense Forces.

The birthday of Queen Margrethe II is observed as National Day in Denmark. It has been a tradition during Her Majesty’s reign to celebrate holidays such as Easter and Christmas at the Marselisborg Palace in Aarhus. Since Easter falls around The Queen’s birthday this year, Her Majesty will take up residence at the Aarhusian palace where she w i l l c e l e b r a t e h e r b i r t h d a y. T h e royal event will be highlighted with a birthday parade at Marselisborg Palace. At 12 noon, Her Majesty and the members of the royal family will appear on the veranda to greet her well-wishers.

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Denmark were established on September 28, 1946. The reopening of the Embassy of Denmark in the Philippines on January 22, 2015, further strengthened their warm and friendly relations. The Danish embassy in the Philippines is in Taguig City, Metro Manila. Earlier this year, the Philippine Embassy in Oslo, Norway informed the public that effective January 14, 2019, the Philippine Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, will be open for consular services previously provided by Honorary Consul Poul Krogh who ended his term on January 13, 2019.

There are thousands of Filipinos in Denmark. Some work in the health sector, others are on-board Danishoperated vessels as au pairs, some are in the service industry, while there are several who visit the country as tourists.

We greet Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II, on her 79th birth anniversary and wish the people and government of Denmark led by Her Majesty and Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, all the best on the occasion of their National Day. Mabuhay!