Did not know the Danes had a queen, likely a “bicycle monarchy”, whatever that means (derisive term from the Crown). But man does she seem like a cool lady. The 6-foot-tall, chain-smoking Margrethe has been one of the most popular public figures in Denmark, where the monarch’s role is largely ceremonial. She often walked the streets of Copenhagen virtually unescorted and won the admiration of Danes for her warm manners and for her talents as a linguist and designer. A keen skier, she was a member of a Danish women’s air force unit as a princess, taking part in judo courses and endurance tests in the snow. Margrethe remained tough even as she grew older. In 2011, at age 70, she visited Danish troops in southern Afghanistan wearing a military jumpsuit. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II to step down from the throne Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II to step down from the throne - Tampa Bay Times
