Queen Margrethe II turns 80 on Thursday, 16 April 2020.

The Royal Court of Denmark has published new art portrait series by photographer Per Morten Abrahamsen to mark this impending historic milestone.

The first three, released on Tuesday, 14 April, shows a generational portrait with Queen Margrethe with her two successors, son Crown Prince Frederik and grandson Prince Christian.

These portraits represent past, present and future. The first portrait of Queen Margrethe, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Christian was taken in the Red Salon in Christian IX’s Mansion in Amalienborg. 

A bust of the Queen’s father Frederik IX stands in the background on the left, so, in fact, four, generations of past, present and future rulers are present.

The portraits were taken by photographer Per Morten Abrahamsen, and the series includes both generational portraits of the Queen along with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness Prince Christian as well as individual portraits of the Queen.

Danish photographer Per Morten Abrahamsen, based in Copenhagen, is best known for his staged photography, which often pushes the boundaries of the traditional portrait.

The portrait series is designed in an interaction between the photographer’s research and proposals as well as the Queen’s wishes.

Per Morten Abrahamsen says he is ‘deeply honoured’ about the work process behind the portrait series.

I am deeply honoured that the Royal Danish House has entrusted me with this assignment. It is crucial for the image’s success that you tell a story about what you photograph. That I am able to capture what comes, and that a naturalness comes into the photograph. With the group photograph of The Queen, The Crown Prince and Prince Christian, it was, for example, important that there was an interaction among the three generations, and that came about spontaneously when The Queen put an arm around her son and her grandchild.

PHOTOGRAPHER PER MORTEN ABRAHAMSEN

The portraits were taken in the autumn and winter of 2019 at Christian IX’s Palace at Amalienborg and at Fredensborg Palace.

Send Your Own Digital Birthday Greetings

Send your birthday greetings to HM Queen Margrethe by clicking on this link – http://kongehuset.dk/

Here’s how:

A greeting can be written and, if desired, attach a file with a handwritten text, drawing or photo where it says ‘Indsæt tekst (højst 6.000 tegn)’, which translates as ‘Insert text (maximum 6,000 characters)’.

Click on the red button marked ‘Vidare’ (Continue) …

Selected congratulations are published on the Royal Platform’s digital platforms if permission is granted.