Yes, no one is in doubt that Isabella is a girl, despite the occasional window licking and jumping around...
From Royalista:
Royalista | The go-to place for everything royal
Notice that the Regent Couple supported each other when going out on the balcony. PH in fact needing the support of an adjutant.
At Aarhus Town Hall, you step out and down onto the balcony.
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And now for something completely different but yet very relevant. When QMII was born on the 16th April 1940, she was immediately labelled "a light in the dark". The reason of course being the German invasion of Denmark today 9th April 1940.
The DRF quickly became a rallying point, not least Christian X who until then was more respected than loved, was literally venerated. But the then CP couple Frederik and Ingrid and not least their oldest daughter also became living symbols and they were often seen in the streets. With Crown Prince Frederik sometimes pushing the pram! Oh yes, he was a modern father!
But let's have a closer look at what actually happened in the early hours of 9th April 1940.
DK had signed a non-aggression pact with Germany and initially DK wasn't supposed to have been invaded. Then Jutland was to be occupied to secure the flank to Norway, because Norway was the main target. Both for the Allies in fact and Nazi Germany. (It's interesting to speculate what would have happened had the Allies landed in Norway prior to the Germans. With the Germans "coming to the rescue").
However, it was decided to occupy all of Denmark. The invasion of Denmark and Norway was called Operation Weserübung, with the Danish invasion being Weserübung Süd (south).
Prior to the invasion the Danish governments had cut military expenditure to the bone, knowing perfectly well they couldn't stand up to a German invasion for long anyway and foreign aide would not be possible. On top of that the economic crisis in the 30's meant military expenditure was unpopular.
But there were still signs that an invasion was imminent, but the forward commanders in Jutland were not told, rather they were put on high alert, meaning that the soldiers slept in their combat uniforms instead of being moved into prepared forward positions.
Then at dawn, 04.15, the Germans came.
http://a.bimg.dk/node-images/524/8/8524176-1.jpg Here is a map of the main events in Southern Jutland.
They crossed the border at the town of Padborg. Before that three custom officers were gunned down by special forces.
The alert sounded and the forward units rushed into position while the Germans crossed the border.
They were supposed to harass and delay the Germans for as long as possible until the main forces could take up position at the main defense line at Vejle Fjord further up in Jutland.
The first skirmish took place just north of Padborg.
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523884-saxo-photo.jpeg
Here a German recce-vehicle was put out of action.
Further north at the town of Aabenraa, Danish machine cannon units (20 mm) had taken up position, often very exposed positions.
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523889-saxo-photo.jpeg
They were surprisingly efficient. Some twelve armored vehicles and three light tanks were destroyed or damaged.
But the were overrun and the Germans drove through Aabenraa. As you can tell not all were displeased to see the invaders:
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523890-saxo-photo.jpeg
There was and is a sizable German minority in Southern Jutland.
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523883-saxo-photo.jpeg
The next line of defenders took up position in the garrison town of Haderslev. Again very exposed. And charmingly naive in our eyes today. civillians milled around the soldiers somewhat oblivious to the imminent danger.
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523885-saxo-photo.jpeg
There were considerable fighting around the barracks. With civilians looking on in disbelief:
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523888-saxo-photo.jpeg
But the defenders were literally rolled over:
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523887-saxo-photo.jpeg - This is actually the cannon you saw above...
But Denmark (and Norway) also saw some of the very first military airborne operations.
http://b.bimg.dk/node-images/524/8/8524175-2.jpg
Paratroopers were dropped at two airfields around the city of Aalborg. Once secured transport planes were flown in with reinforcements. These airfields were the main targets in Denmark. Because they were vital for the German airbridge to Norway.
Additional paratroopers and marines were landed at other key points, harbors and bridges. And met with little if any opposition.
http://a.bimg.dk/node-images/524/8/8524174-3.jpg
But German soldiers were also landed on Zealand.
http://b.bimg.dk/node-images/524/8/8524173-4.jpg
The cannons protecting the harbor in Copenhagen were trained on the German ships, but failed to fire. To this day no one really knows who sabotaged the guns.
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523891-saxo-photo.jpeg Practically the whole of the Danish air force (army air corps to be correct) were stationed at Værløse airfield. (The planes were Dutch Fokkers). Only one plane managed to get airbone and it was immediately shot down with both airmen killed. The rest were destroyed on the ground.
While that happened, German bombers menacingly circled over Copenhagen. Dropping leaflets with the in DK infamous "oprop".
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523899-saxo-photo.jpeg
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523905-saxo-photo.jpeg
The translation was, to put it mildly, miserable! And it let to the first of countless "occupation-jokes".
In the meantime a German steamer docked in Copenhagen and unleashed German soldiers.
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523896-saxo-photo.jpeg
In an age where there was no TV and no immediate news coverage, people went to the scenes were something happened to see for themselves. That also happened on the 9th April.
In the town of Helsingør, realising the situation was hopeless and believing Sweden had been invaded too, the local colonel, commandeered the local ferry to Sweden, took a company of solders to Sweden to continue fighting there. Upon arrival they were disarmed though.
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523906-saxo-photo.jpeg
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523903-saxo-photo.jpeg In Copenhagen the main target was Kastellet, the military HQ. Located a little kilometer north of Amalienborg, Mary is today sometimes seen jogging there.
Here flags were laid out to mark the site as secure for the German bombers.
A priority is to secure control with the main streets in Copenhagen and prevent civilians and what not... from infiltrating the German lines.
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523900-saxo-photo.jpeg
There was some fighting around Amalienborg.
http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/523/8/8523904-saxo-photo.jpeg
The then PM, Thorvald Stauning, and Christian X decided at 06.00 to cease fire. It took however additional two hours before the order had reached the forward units.
The island of Bornholm was occupied the next day.
Altogether some sixteen Danish soldiers and three custom officials were killed that day and an unknown number of German soldiers.
Shamefully no soldiers have been awarded decorations for fighting against the Germans. Their sacrifice, because that's what it was, was swept under the carpet by the politicians. - Sacrifice because despite the hopelessness and futility of the military situation it was decided to "continue fighting for a couple of hours" in order to send a foreign political signal abroad that Denmark was being occupied "under protest"...
Only this year have there been a serious political will to decorate the (now few surviving) soldiers from 9th April.
Today is also a flagday. Dannebrog will fly from half mast until noon, when it must always be raised to the top. (Except for Good Friday and when a funeral is still in progress).