While I was visiting my Danish family outside of Copenhagen over the holidays, we were all quite shocked to hear Queen Margrethe announce her abdication during her annual live New Year’s Eve speech. After exactly 52 years as the monarch of Denmark, she has decided to hand over the rulership on 14 January 2024 to her son, Crown Prince Frederick. This is a momentous occasion as she is the first Danish monarch to abdicate.
Queen Margrethe, along with Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom, were both not only the longest reigning monarchs for each of their respective countries, but were also the second female rulers and were both named after their female predecessors.
Margrethe (the first) reigned 1380-1412 and while she was actually a regent, there is no question she ruled Denmark – as well as Norway and Sweden. Her husband and oldest son both died, leaving her as ruler apparent. Her grand-nephew, Eric of Pomerania, came of age to rule in 1401, but Margrethe retained in power until her death 11 years later. Many men had a hard time accepting a female ruler – women’s liberation was not to come around for some 548 years after her death! One of her male detractors even nicknamed her the Breechless King. A more empowering term that was also used at the time was Lady King.
Queen Elizabeth I reigned 1558-1603 and ruled as the Virgin Queen, never marrying, childless and forever having to protect herself from the men who sought to undermine her position, legitimacy and power. Women’s rights had not changed much since Margrethe passed. In an interesting twist, Elizabeth II became queen because of her uncle Edward VIII’s abdication in 1936 in order that he could marry American AND commoner Wallis Simpson.
Fortunately, there are no such limitations to the Danish rulers as Crown Prince Frederick married new world commoner Australian Mary Elizabeth. She is now known as Queen Mary since her husband became King Frederick X on 14 January 2024.
With the background covered here, let’s look at Queen Margrethe’s astrology. She was born 16 April 1940 and ascended to the throne on 14 January 1972 when her father Frederick IX died. Her 52-year reign ended on 14 January 2024. The chart we will look at is the tri-wheel showing Margrethe’s birth chart, transits for the day she became Queen and the chart for when she steps down this month. She will, however, retain the title of Her Majesty as well as the Queen.
There are some interesting energies at work here. Transiting Sun and Mercury are both in the sign of Capricorn conjunct their placement 52 years ago and also form sextiles with the Queen’s natal Sun and Mercury, respectively – this makes sense for the Sun as we are talking the same dates of 14 January. These planets in Capricorn speak to rulership and attaining the lofty view that this practical hard-working sign offers. This activates her Descendant giving Her Majesty a new relationship to others in the way she shines out in the world as well as moves and communicates.
Interestingly enough, her secondary progressed Mercury went into its retrograde cycle on 3 July 2023 at five degrees of Leo, one degree from her six degree Leo Moon. She stated that she was stepping down due to health reasons. Her progressed Mars is nearby and her progressed Moon left Leo to go into Virgo 8 September 2023. Leo, the sign of creativity and royalty is her second house sign, her personal resources. A secondary progressed Mercury does not happen for everyone and usually indicates moving into a period of some type of education or deeper study.
Most Danes are well aware of the Queen’s creative nature: she is set designer, illustrator, accomplished painter, and designs most of her own clothes. She had an art exhibit, “Margrethe II of Denmark: Artist-Queen”, that ran from July 15, 2022, to March 5, 2023, as part of Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations. A total of 70 works of The Queen included paintings, watercolors, and decoupage. She recently created costumes and did the set design for Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction, an upcoming Danish Netflix movie. As the streamer notes, “Since 1970, The Queen has been actively engaged in a number of artistic modes of expression: painting, church textiles, watercolors, prints, book illustrations, découpage works, scenography and embroidery. She is an honorary member of the Association of Danish Scenographers for her many years of work as a set designer in Danish film, television and theater.” She even made illustrations for the Lord of the Rings!
We can see almost a dual force within The Queen in regards to her rulership and creative expression. I see this in her Pluto/Moon conjunction in Leo (which isn’t far off from her late degree Cancer rising). In addition to her inherent creativity, this planetary combination gives her a deep and steady power source that has kept her vibrant, charged and incredibly healthy over the years. This nuclear powerplant is something that will likely empower her for the rest of her days.
For those of us born between 1937 and 1995, a rare opportunity occurs, the opportunity to experience a Pluto opposition. While Pluto has a 248 year orbit, there are 58 years in which it transits through four signs more quickly: Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio. Queen Margrethe had transiting Pluto come within 15 minutes of her Pluto opposition on 1 May 2023. She would have definitely “felt” the approach. In fact, she underwent major back surgery 22 February 2023. The exact opposition will happen 8 February 2024, the second retrograde pass will occur 19 June 2024 and the final forward pass will happen on 15 December 2024.
I believe The Queen is modeling the opportunities available to those of us who will experience a Pluto return. Still a viable creatively expressive being with more than a few good breaths in her, Queen Margrethe is showing us there is still life – with possibilities and choices – even after having lived a full eight decades of life.
The Queen will be 84 this year. Many of us in astrology know that this is around the time when we also experience the Uranus return. Margrethe encountered the first pass of her Uranus return on 5 June 2023, the second retrograde pass on 5 December 2023 and will have the final forward pass on 25 March 2024.
Shocking transformation is one of the key statements when we have Pluto and Uranus activating. A monarch abdicating her position is indeed a shocking transformation, but I think what she will do with this time period will exhibit even more of a powerful (Pluto) evolutionary (Uranus) expression of what a conscious, accomplished and enlightened being can do!
There is so much more to write about in this, but I feel this is a good place to close for now. May the House Glücksburg, Denmark and the Danes all be blessed during this momentous transition of power.
