Queen Margrethe's Speech at the National Press Club in Washington DC: Feb. 1991

[kalnel]

The American federal television station C-SPAN has made its video archives available online, including Queen Margrethe's February 1991 hour-long speech and question & answer session at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The link is: Impact of the News Media on World Affairs - C-SPAN Video Library

The Queen provides a detailed explanation of a typical day in her life, a very moving description of her father, and some comments about the media's treatment of her sons. She also discusses a lot of random topics -- from Danish culture to how her vineyard is doing. She is very expansive and open in her comments, although she deferred political questions to the Danish foreign minister.

I was in the live audience for this event, and the video captures her charm and humor very well.

 

[Al_bina]

Thanks for the video !
Queen Margrethe has got a good command in English. Her pronunciation is mostly British.

 

[Maura724]

Thanks for posting! I enjoyed watching that. Margrethe does have a flawless British accent. She seems very natural during the questions and answers, and her comments about her father were very nice.

 

[kalnel]

Yes, she seems perfectly comfortable in English. I believe she went to school in England at several points, so I'm sure that helps a lot with fluency.

Her accent and speech pattern reminded me a bit of her cousin Prince Charles. Both have just a slight hesitation in their speech that seems a little self-deprecating, as if they weigh what they're going to say for a split second before speaking. Wise policy!

The Queen certainly comes across as an extremely warm, intelligent, and perceptive person with a lively sense of humor. I wish we saw more of her here in the United States.

And, hard to believe this visit was almost 20 years ago. Other than a little more grey hair, she doesn't look much different today than she did then.

 

[Saragli]

Thank You, Thank You so very much!!

I just adored being able to watch her and hear her speak english. She has a most delightful voice and her accent is just perfection!

 

[Maura724]

The Queen certainly comes across as an extremely warm, intelligent, and perceptive person with a lively sense of humor.

Yes, and she seems to be able to make fun of herself - at one point she said something like, "I don't like to give examples because I always seem to end up talking about something that's completely beside the point."

 

[bibliophilia]

This is a wonderful find, thanks so much, kalnel!
I very much enjoyed watching this video - it's true that QM hasn't changed much in the last 20 years! I can only repeat: the seems like a warm, approachable person with a lot of wit and spunk!
Her English is excellent! The only time I felt she was translating in her head was when she was asked about a typical day in her life and she described the meetings with her ministers - probably too many political terms not used in daily speech!
Very clever answer when asked about the intrusion of the press into Frederik's and Joachim's lives; loved it! Also the part about her father.
I did find it amusing and a bit strange that during the Question and Answer period, the Queen and the presenter would constantly have to get up and sit down - surely one could've found a way to avoid this?

 

[Jacknch]

Thank you very much for posting this video Kalnel! It is fascinating to hear Queen Margrethe give answers to such a wide variety of questions and to give us all an insight into her life and what she thought back then.

 

[kalnel]

I did find it amusing and a bit strange that during the Question and Answer period, the Queen and the presenter would constantly have to get up and sit down - surely one could've found a way to avoid this?

I agree with you, but the National Press Club seems to do this at most Q&As. Sometimes speakers simply step aside while the host asks the questions, but other times, the speaker is up and down. (You should see how confusing it becomes when the speaker is using a translator and three people are jumping around!)

It's actually a fairly informal setting. The speaker, the host, the speaker's guests, and a few club members sit at the long head table, which is on a slightly elevated platform. They face a room with about 15-20 round tables that seat 8 or 10 people each. (Many of these major speeches take place during luncheons, so you sometimes here silverware and dishes clinking in the background on the videos.) The room also has small balconies along the sides (perpendicular to the head table) that can each accommodate about 50 people in theater-style seating.

After the Queen's speech, I happened to leave the building just as she and her entourage were leaving. I remember being surprised that she had so few people with her -- maybe three or four max. They piled into two limos and drove away with an escort from two local policemen on motorcycles. The security people didn't close off the street, block the sidewalks, or even close the entrance to the building, so it was a very low-key appearance. (Of course, it was before 9/11, so I imagine security would be a lot tighter today.)

 

[4Pam]

I just saw her speech and I'd love to get a chance to meet her! She is so intelligent and seem so fun! The Queen seems like someone you'd meet off the street and not know who she is because of her overall personality. I wish she came to the US more often.

 

[Maura724]

Me, too! I was actually very surprised to learn she's spent so little time and seen so few places in the U.S. I always assume that royals have been "everywhere," but I guess that isn't really the case!

 

[rob2008]

In terms of character, you couldnt put a cigarette paper between Margarethe and an upper class lady from the Cotswolds.

 

[Maura724]

What does that mean?

 

[Lumutqueen]

Something to do with the comparison of Margrethe's character to and "upper class lady from the cotswolds"

 

[Maura724]

Yes, but is it an insult or a compliment?

 

[bibliophilia]

I've asked myself the same thing, Maura724. I'm afraid it's not meant as a positive statement, but of course I could be wrong ... I'm just wondering how you got that impression from this particular speech, Rob2008?

 

[Maura724]

I feel like it might be negative, as well, but I'm not exactly sure why - I mean, what's wrong with upper class ladies in the Cotswolds?

 

[rob2008]

Tsk, a cultural observation. The speech patterns and mannerisms resemble those of the refined yet scarey eccentric grande dames of the home counties - those imperious characters who obsess about Wagner or chrysanthenums.

 

[Maura724]

Oh, okay - so basically she just sounds like one of those women. It would probably be more meaningful if I were British.

 

[rob2008]

Well, you could have been. When they speak it fluently, Continental royals speak a lovely standard English: except those like Haakon and Albert Grimaldi who have spent time in the European exclave of North America. I don't know how Georg F survived the British education system with the accented Hochdeutsch-ness.

 

[Esmerelda]

I especially enjoyed the Q and A. Are there any other videos or interviews of Queen Margrethe speaking English?