Margaret II of Denmark said goodbye to the throne last Sunday after 52 years of reign. Although the tireless monarch had expressed on several occasions her intention to rule the country until the last day, in her message to the nation, she alluded to health problems and the need to make way for the new generation to justify her decision.
Margaret Alexandrina Thorhildur Ingrid, the full name of the 83-year-old queen, leaves an indelible mark. The now queen regent has ensured that the crown has broad support in Denmark.
She is also considered to have modernized the institution, with gestures such as, for example, eliminating the title of prince and princess from the offspring of her youngest son, Joaquín.
The popularity of the queen until now also reflects her artistic concerns. She herself made sets and costumes for ballets, plays or films. She also designed royal monograms. And she loved to paint, a hobby that has led her to exhibit in prestigious museums.
Margarita has taken her love of art to every corner, even in the design of her sarcophagus, where there is also space for her dachshunds, among many other symbols and animals.
The tomb is the personal hallmark of Bjørn Nørgaard, one of Denmark’s most renowned artists. The set, which measures more than three meters long and weighs seven tons, has been built of glass.
The elephant heads that adorn the three pillars, molded in silver, represent the insignia of the Order of the Elephant. And above, at one end, among figures carved in gold, you can see a dachshund, one of his most beloved pets.
