Play the audio, and test your listening and comprehension skills with our fun quiz. Good luck! (Only read the written transcription if you absolutely must...)
Margrethe's arrival on 16 April 1940, a week after Denmark had been invaded by German forces, was seen as a ray of hope by the Danish people. Although she was the eldest of King Frederik's children, she was not his heir at birth. But because there were no boys in her family, in 1953 the constitution was changed to allow her to ascend the throne. From then on, she knew she would make history as the first reigning Queen in a country which has been headed by the same family for almost 50 generations.
When the future of the 13-year-old Princess became clear her royal training began in earnest. Initially educated at the Palace, she went on to study political science and anthropology. She attended no fewer than five European universities including Cambridge, gaining a reputation as one of our most intellectual royals.
It was while Margrethe was in Britain that she met her future husband, French diplomat Conte Henri de Monpezat, at a dinner party. "The sky just exploded," she recalled poetically. The couple were married on 10 June 1967. "I have never been able to imagine getting married without being madly in love," said the bride. She and Henrik were to welcome two sons, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim.
After her father died on 14 January 1972, a tearful Margrethe emerged onto the palace balcony to wave to the crowds gathered below to wish their new Queen well. In the five decades since then her popularity has soared, and it is said that were she not the monarch she would be elected president. Seen as both regal and accessible, she holds regular private audiences with members of the public, giving them the chance to raise any subject they wish. She also writes her own speeches.
MORE:
-Johnny Depp and Kate Moss’s romance
-Bruce Willis: An action hero who won admiration both on and off screen
Known as Daisy in her family - that being the English translation of her name - Margrethe has a cheerful, down-to-earth personality. Now 82, she lost her husband four years ago, but is at the centre of a large, loving clan, including eight grandchildren.
In her spare time, Margrethe is a talented artist. It was her illustrations, under a pseudonym, which accompanied the 1977 edition of Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings. She is also skilled in sewing and embroidery.
Elige tu plan favorito para aprender inglés.
Sin reservas, Simplemente llama y habla
Duración de las clases: 25 min
Acceso incluido a la plataforma online ASTEX Languages
Webinars sin costo adicional
1 clase semanal
APÚNTATE POR 5,5€/ CLASE 22€ AL MES5 clases semanales
APÚNTATE POR 3,5€/ CLASE 70€ AL MES2 clases semanales
APÚNTATE POR 4,9€/ CLASE 39€ AL MESConoce más aquí
