Berlin – The stations are the usual ones for state visits: arrival at the military part of the airport, waving on the steps of Bellevue Palace, walking through the Brandenburg Gate, greeting the Federal President and the (executive) Chancellor. The Danish Queen Margrethe completed all these stations on Wednesday, the first day of her four-day state visit to Germany.
So far, so assiduous, and yet this royal visit to the capital is a special one. After long Corona months, when, in addition to many other visits, royal flying visits were canceled, every exception must be celebrated with relish – if you have something left for the royal spectacle.
Margrethe II, however, made it easy for Berliners and Berlin visitors, whether they were onlookers at the Brandenburg Gate or attended the program via Instagram on the exemplary official profile “Det danske kongehus”. Not only did the dove-blue ensemble of the 81-year-old monarch match the color of the November sky in Berlin, the queen also kept smiling warmly and radiantly.
In addition, Margrethe, with her idiosyncratic manner, fits in well with the city, in which she will be a guest until Friday, accompanied by Crown Prince Frederik. A queen who likes colorful clothes, doesn’t mince her mouth, but rather takes a cigarette, who with her sometimes brittle charm keeps the Danes as loyal monarchists in line, who makes podcasts and loves the arts – the heart should too the Berliners can warm up.
At least Angela Merkel, also dressed in blue, seemed very pleased. When the two women met in the Federal Chancellery, there was a nice welcome and confusion scene, not quite as nice as the awkward ritual with French President Macron a few days ago, but still worth seeing and personable: after Margrethe got out of the car, she appeared to Merkel Wanting to shake hands, but she held out her fist. In the end, both of them put a hand on their hearts, somewhat embarrassed. Also somehow intimately – and absolutely corona-compliant.
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