Queen Margrethe of Denmark unable to attend state visit by Iceland’s President Halla Tómirsdóttir

In a rare moment of informality, Queen Margrethe of Denmark and former Icelandic President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir engaged with the Danish press in 1981 during Finnbogadóttir’s state visit to Denmark. The two leaders addressed topics ranging from gender equality in Denmark and Iceland to the challenges of constant media attention in their professional lives. This interaction generated memorable and humorous quotes, contributing to Queen Margrethe’s legacy.

Currently, due to an illness following a fall last week, Queen Margrethe is unable to officially participate in the state visit by Iceland’s current President, Halla Tómirsdóttir, who is being hosted by King Frederik and Queen Mary. Despite this, President Tómirsdóttir expressed her happiness today upon revealing that Queen Margrethe had arranged a private meeting with her amid her packed official agenda. Tómirsdóttir remarked, “It was truly a lovely surprise. Queen Margrethe is one of my role models and a good friend of our former female president, so it was absolutely one of the highlights of this visit.”

Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, not only Iceland’s first female president but also the world’s first democratically elected female head of state, formed a significant friendship with Queen Margrethe after that iconic press conference in 1981. This bond, according to the current president, has positively influenced the relations between Denmark and Iceland over the years.