Summary of article in Billed Bladet #44, 2017.
Written by our woman in Italy, Trine Larsen.
As you know QMII went to Italy to mainly have a look at art and archeological excavations, thoroughly enjoying herself!
It was also a Queen in fine form who at the end was interviewed by our reporter.
QMII mainly stayed in Rome, but she also went to the old Etrucian lands and visited the town of Tarquinnia, where she had been excavating herself some 60 years ago, with her morfar.
Actually princess Margrethe visited Italy for the first time back in 1955, by then she was already bitten by a mad archeologist and it was her mother, Queen Ingrid, who told her father about princess Margrethe's passion, so he invited her along.
In the town of Tarquinnia, QMII was received by the local mayor at the local town hall, that is decorated with frescoes from the middle ages, so QMII was pretty delighted from the very start!
She was then invited for lunch at one of the local restaurants and QMII decided to stroll through the town to the restaurant. That was very appreciated by the locals who applauded her and uttered several "vivera la regina". - (I've only had the pleasure of visiting Northern Italy, but this is very much in line with the general friendly nature the Italians give the impression of showing.)
In Rome QMII went to the museum Galleria Borghese to have a look at sculptures. One in particular delighted her! But more on that later.
QMII started the interview with explaining the reason for going to Italy: "We were there to emphasize and formalize that now they start making new investigations of the forum which Cesar made... That is before the forum that today is in Rome (Forum Romanum). It's located more or less under ground... yes, so many things here are... and the there the Italians and the Danes have joined forces. It's very, very exciting and - you'd be safe to say - a very fine feather in the cap for Danish science that the Italians will have us to join them at nothing less than Forum Romanum.
And since we were there I asked for the opportunity to ask: What am I looking at, when I walk around here. Because I don't know much about Forum Romanum".
Q: The Queen however looked very thrilled?
QMII: "Yes, it's always amusing (a favorite expression of QMII) to talk about something that is interesting or which I at least think is interesting".
Q: For the rest of us however it can look like there isn't much left to dig, because it has already been excavated?
QMII: "Well... They can't dig the ground in Italy, and certainly not in Rome, without something popping up which hasn't been found before. Because it's so dense, there is so much. That's one of the things which I think is wildly (here she's picked up a grandchildly expression) frustrating, on one hand for the scientists because they can't keep up, and on the other hand for those who are to dig the bigger holes in the ground, that they can hardly work and put the spade in the ground before they again have to stop, because archeologists have to be called in, who must see and investigate this and that".
Q: When Your Majesty visit a city like Rome does the Queen have time to visit tourists attractions like the rest of us?
QMII: "I haven't this time. But I did many years ago. But it's not
that, I... that is, that's also very nice, certainly. But I think there are so many other things you can experience when you come to Rome".
Q: What for instance?
QMII: "Well, I was for example at Palazzio Borghese and that's aplace Ive never been to before.
That's the place where you can see some of the grandest sculptures... but classical ancient, but very much also the Baroc and Renaissance. And then there is the famous Pauline Borghese, the sister of Napoleon who was married to Prince Borghese and who let herself depict in the bare... be quiet! (to herself) It was very daring but she's lying there like a Venus and a marble bench with a little cushion... stark, stark... and very beautiful"!
"My parents walked around and experienced the city (Rome) and had special places, they were very fond of. Not least my mother always made sure to see something she hadn't seen before. So they knew Rome fantastically well.
They brought me along for the first time in the spring of 1955, during Easter, where I had just been confirmed. They made a confirmation-journey for me and brought me down here to Rome. That I thought was
totally fantastic".
Q: Your Majesty has had good memories with both Your parents and Your morfar, the Swedish King, down here. Has the Queen had the same opportunity with Your own children and grandchildren?
QMII: "Well, yeah, I'm afraid that hasn't happened. It wasn't something that right lit a fire and fascinated my poor sons. And the grandchildren are... no, I'm afraid I haven't done anything about that in that respect. After all I didn't want to shove it in their heads, but it might be that some of them one day still discover how much exciting things there are of that kind. But to be honest I haven't been so good to do anything about it".
Q: Does the Queen have some good travel-memories with Your grandchildren?
QMII: "No, I haven't actually traveled with my grandchildren to any extent. I can't claim that. We do see each other... once in a while, that is, we see each other regularly, but I must admit it's not so terribly often I get the time to look after my grandchildren".
But when another journalists asks about PH's health:
QMII: "Well, yeah, he's fine. Thank you... but I think we should otherwise stick to Rome".
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See for yourselves in the BB issue this week, which is packed with DRF coverage!
BB #44, 2017
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On another note, the old friends QMII and Queen Sonja went to a concert in Copenhagen tonight:
Dronning Margrethe og dronning Sonja til koncert | BILLED-BLADET
The concert is named the Queen Sonja Competition and BB writes it's considered among the most esteemed music competitions in the world.
You can tell the Queen enjoyed this trip tremendously. And I hope she one days travels with a few of her grandchildren, it helps that they are getting older. 
She looks wonderful. 
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