The live coverage thread:
This will also be updated all through the day.
The live link:
https://www.dr.dk/drtv/kanal/20875
In ten minutes there will be a nation-wide communal singing for QMII seen by her on TV.
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A photo of QMII standing listening to her staff singing for her this morning.
https://images.scribblelive.com/2020/4/16/fa6d173d-31ae-484d-ac02-649cfce12834.jpg
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People are gathering outside their homes here in DK, also here in the village where we live, but I'll dedicate myself to cover it all here rather than taking part in the communal singing - and scare the local dogs...
People are warming up in various ways.
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The guy behind the piano, will play and people in the homes and on the streets will sing. It will be the birthday song that will be song at 12.00 - all children know that by heart, so that's good.
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The clock in the tower of Copenhagen Townhall is de facto the National Clock. (Like Big Ben.)
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There she is. In the couch, in front of the TV.
Singing in Greenland as well.
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Not least in the newly opened kindergartens and schools - with considerable distance between the children.
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The next song is Solen er så rød, mor - The Sun is so red, mother - A beautiful song. Implying death and danger outside.
The song after that is one of the unofficial anthems, In Denmark I am Born.
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While waiting for the third of four songs, children are congratulating QMII.
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The third song is In Denmark I am Born, by HC Andersen.
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QMII is congratulated by the TV-host.
She responded: Than you for the song, it was a fantastic experience that went straight to the heart.
The songs have been selected by the viewers.
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The last song, is very appropriate for QMII, it's called paper-cutting (Artistic.)
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The guy behind the piano leads the country in communal singing each Friday.
There are strong links to the Occupation 1940-45 where communal singing became very widespread indeed as a way to lift the spirit.
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QMII is standing in front of the doors at Fredensborg waving to people standing singing for her.
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Even the Guardsmen presenting arms, maintain a distance.
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And that was the end of communal singing for now.
It's now up to our newsdiggers to find clips and photos.
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I will return with running commentaries in 7½ hours, where there will be an hour of communal singing.
In the meantime there will be non-stop programs about QMII and her family, only interrupted by news.
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Running commentaries resumed.
QMII will address the nation in six minutes.
And I'm delighted to learn that she will have a dinner tonight with her sons and daughters-in-law.
It does pose a small risk for QMII but you only turn 80 once.
It is indeed forbidden to congregate, also privately in numbers more of than 10 and even that is discouraged.
But as the society is slowly opening up I think the vast majority won't mind.
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PM Mette Frederiksen give QMII a weekly briefing. These days on the phone.
The PM told how QMII at the end of one such briefing asked whether the PM looks after herself. The PM responded that there probably wouldn't be time for that until after the crisis.
Then QMII said: "Well, but now it's aunt Queen who is speaking, and You must take good care of Yourself."
That warmed the heart of the PM.
Aunt Queen is QMII's name for herself when she is in a stern mood.
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QMII has just given her speech and I dare say she will be praised to high heaven for that one!
Apart from thanking the people for her birthday celebration it was thoughtful, expressing hope and confidence and gratefulness to all. But also making it clear that we must not let our guard down yet!
She also expressed her sympathy for those who have been directly affected by this crisis - and who have lost people dear to them.
QMII was visibly delighted and said she would look back at this birthday as something very special.
I'm sure the speech will soon be availiable in English.
- I think this speech was a much needed moral-booster from a political neutral and deeply respected person.
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The video-greetings from other royals was not QMII's idea, nor it it from her staff. They wouldn't presume to address foreign royals behind her back.
I noticed they were almost exclusively people who have a close relationship to M&F. The NRF and SRF goes without saying. The rest are people who have developed a personal relationship with M&F. So I'd say this is something M&F hare organized.
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In 40 minutes from now there will be an hour of communal sing-along in honor of QMII. Perhaps we will see more of her live?
And perhaps her sons and daughters-in-law as well. We may hope.
In times like this, especially when we are so isolated from friends and family, we need something to be together around. This peculiar celebration of QMII is IMO a much needed celebration, a much needed diversion, a much needed feeling of community.
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In a recent docu about QMII being creative, she was seen embroidering flowers on an evening bag for our Marie, then she looked straight at the camera: "I hope this won't be shown until after Christmas."
She added she would make something similar for Mary, but that would be later, she couldn't focus on too many tasks at the same time.
Resumed.
The one hour sing along has started.
It's basically a nationwide karaoke.
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A man told about when he was a member of the Tivoli Guard as a boy. At an event they played for among other QMII and when the stopped playing the file did an about turn and in the very short moment between the musing stopping and the audience clapping, he locked eyes with QMII who was sitting right in front of him. She leaned forward and said quietly: "How well You play."
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The dude with the guitar has almost as long hair as me...
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The four gentlemen are Sons of the Desert, they are extremely talented in their own right and PH was very fond of them. They naturally sing a Capella, something they also do routinely in their hilarious shows that are full of innuendos, sexual and otherwise.
The song the choir is singing under the arch was extremely popular during WWII. It was actually banned by the occupiers.
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- I don't know how many of you actually follow this sing along.
I have often described Denmark and the Danes as a village or a tribe. I think this helps to illustrate the positive sides of tribal community.
The last song had been requested by Mary.
And with that the running commentary ends.
