Queen Margrethe's New Year message

Photo of the Queen at Amalienborg Palace for the 2007 speech. © Keld Navntoft/Berlingske Tidende

Queen Margrethe has delivered her televised annual New Year speech for 2007. The Queen made lengthy comments about welcoming migrants into the Danish community and being more open minded about 'new Danes', and also about the importance of new thinking about climate change last night. Among a wide range of subjects, the Queen addressed the disparity between those in comfortable circumstances and those who are not so fortunate, between material wealth and inner (spiritual) poverty, that Danes should have a warmer and more open attitude towards the country's migrants and for greater care and thought for the environment, for nature and the legacy for future generations. She sent her customary good wishes to Greenland and the Faroe Islands and also thanked the people for their warm interest towards the royal family, including the Crown Prince family and interest in Princess Isabella's christening, and other happy events within the family, specifically in respect of Prince Joachim and Marie Cavallier. The Queen expressed special thoughts and good wishes to Danes serving overseas, especially in Afghanistan and Iraq.

DR.dk - the Queen's New Year speech (22:00) video of the complete speech

Hendes Majestæt Dronningens nytårstale 2007 the text of the Queen's speech from kongehuset.dk (in Danish)

Berlingske Tidende Dronningen: Vi skal passe på hinanden og på miljøet - The Queen: We have to be careful with each other and with the environment
Jyllands Posten Løftet pegefinger fra dronningen - Raised finger from the Queen
Politiken (in Danish) Dronning Margrethe: Vi har brug for de tilrejste
DR.dk article Nytårstalen: Pas på hinanden og miljøet - The New Year speech: Be careful with each other and the environment
TV2 article Dronningen: Pas på hinanden - The Queen: be careful with each other
Politiken - (in Danish) report by Politiken on a critical response to the Queen's comments about the environment in its sister tabloid Ekstra Bladet.

Added: From Denmark.dk Queen: Look After Your Neighbours - and the Environment
The Queen called for more responsibility toward fellow citizens and the environment in her annual New Year's Eve national address
'We're living in a society that is becoming richer and richer, but we're forgetting that we are responsible for each other' said Queen Margrethe II in her televised New Year's Eve address to the nation.
Her Majesty commented on how especially young families were under pressure juggling high career ambitions and the business of daily life.
But some had not achieved as much as they had hoped. The Queen said this was where Danes had to help each other.
'We're responsible for each other - this is one of the principles our society is based on. Perhaps we were better at understanding this when there was less to go around.'
'Now, it's easier to let someone else take care of the problems as long as they don't affect us. We are then shocked by news of misfortune concerning children and the elderly.'
But it was not only our neighbours we had to look after. The Queen said the environment was just as important and was to be properly cared for.
'If our descendants are to experience the joy of walking in nature, the view from a hilltop or lying in the grass and watching the clouds pass by, we must all take responsibility for preserving what we were entrusted with for future generations', she stated.
She also sent a customary greeting to troops stationed abroad, and especially to families who had lost a loved one during missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
'Here at home, we can barely fathom what the soldiers must be going through, but we must be proud of their endeavours and let them know that we are thinking of them,' she said.
The Copenhagen Post
Edited January 2, 2008