2024-01-14 07:53:00
The controversies, the pomp, it’s not here. No parade of crowned heads in golden carriages, no rebellious son publishing sensational memoirs, no divorced couple settling scores in the press, and (almost) no indiscretions on bedroom stories… While series The Crown has managed to make the life of the Windsors a global spectacle, the daily life of the Scandinavian ruling families appears much more peaceful: the transfers of power take place in serenity.
100,000 Danes expected on Sunday
This will be the case this Sunday, January 14: At the height of her popularity, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, aged 83, will abdicate in favor of her son, Frederik, 55 years old. She has reigned for 52 years. But the future king is ready to take over, just like his wife, the future Queen Mary, an Australian commoner whom the prince met on the sidelines of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, and who was able to find a place in the hearts of the Danes by investing in mental health and the fight against school bullying. More than 100,000 Danes are expected in Copenhagen to greet the new royal couple this Sunday.
To mark the transition, no coronation, but a simple proclamation on the balcony of the palace, and a small anointing ceremony. The king of the Danes does not wear the crown, he does not sit on a throne. His four children go to public school and his eldest, Christian, destined to succeed him, is taking his baccalaureate this year. No question of having preferential treatment.
“Citizen kings”
The Danish king maintains a representative and ceremonial role, he appoints the government, signs the laws, but in compliance with a constitution which gives him almost no power. He still retains an important role, heir to one of the oldest dynasties in Europe. And if it enjoys such popularity, it is because this monarchy has been able to evolve with the times, easing protocol and limiting its spending.
This is the case of all the monarchies of northern Europe: these “citizen kings” were able to continue to reign, while getting closer to a normal life and making themselves accessible. “These monarchies embody stability and continuity, they are a benchmark. The King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf presents the Nobel Prize and makes a speech at Christmas time which is widely listened to. He speaks like a father of the nation”explains Marie-Laure le Foulon, who deciphers the functioning of Scandinavian societies in a book (1).
“And at the same time, he was able to democratize the monarchy by imposing greater simplicity. He gained unconditional love in 2004, at the time of the tsunami that hit Thailand where many Swedes were on vacation and died. By poignantly evoking the consequences of this tragedy, he took upon himself the nation’s grief. » It is by knowing how to bring people together, in exceptional circumstances, that these sovereigns demonstrate their usefulness… And it is by imposing a relatively modest lifestyle that these monarchies manage to persist.
The prince’s family works for a living
Three Scandinavian countries are headed by monarchs: Sweden, Norway and Denmark. These royal families have decided, since the 1970s, to force themselves to be more simple. Thus, children who are not in the direct order of succession quickly lose their title and do not benefit from financial endowment. They work. On January 1, 2023, by a simple decree from the Palace, Queen Margrethe of Denmark withdrew their princely title from her youngest son’s four children, causing some teeth to cringe. The youngest son is currently a military attaché at the Danish embassy in France. The King of Sweden did the same thing with his own children.
The Scandinavian monarchies benefit from a budgetary allocation. Norway pays the equivalent of 40 million euros per year to the royal family, Denmark, 16 million and Sweden, 13 million. But every year, the monarchs publish a report on the use of these funds. Transparency is an obligation.
Another sign of modernity, future Scandinavian kings could marry a single mother. This is what Prince Haakon of Norway, son of King Harald V, did. His wife, Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, is the daughter of a journalist and a bank employee. Before her princely marriage, she had already had a child out of wedlock. She was still pregnant when she met the prince at a rock festival… Their union, in 2001, came under criticism, but did not cause a real scandal. The young woman was able to win the esteem of the Norwegians by playing the role of future queen perfectly. She had two more children, including Ingrid Alexandra who should one day succeed her, and was involved in the fight against AIDS.
(1) The rebound of the Scandinavian modelEditions Lignes dereferences, 176 p., 16 euros
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