Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark – a constitutional monarchy that also includes the Faroe Islands. Having long yearned for its independence, the desire now is as strong as ever, if tempered by the realisation – by some at least – that it is economically impractical. Nonetheless nationalist feeling lies simmering just beneath almost all political and social debate, regularly bubbling to the surface. In 2016, the Government appointed a Minister for Independence, now within the Ministry of Independence, Foreign Affairs, and Agriculture. This Minister has a mandate to develop a consititution for Greenland, laying the groundwork for future independence. Meanwhile the ‘slow independence’ versus ‘independence now’ camps continue to argue their sides. There is no ‘no independence’ movement in Greenland.
Despite all this, the Danish royalty are loved almost beyond measure by Greenlanders. And the feeling is mutual. Queen Margarethe and her family have, for decades, regularly visited all parts of Greenland and are welcomed with outpourings of admiration and joy wherever they go. Crown Prince Frederik served on the Danish Sirius Patrol in northeast Greenland. And he his wife, Princess Mary, wear wedding rings made of Greenlandic gold.
April 16 was Queen Margarethe’s 78th birthday, and was celebrated in Nuuk – as usual – with a host of activities at the colonial harbour, culminating in the, somewhat pointless, daytime fireworks – there’s not much darkness left at this time of year. Most of the kindergartens take their kids along to these festivities. When our son was in kindergarten, he joined them. Afterwards, he drew this rather fabulous picture of the events – an Air Greenland Sikorsky 61 helicopter lowering a survival-suited mariner from a line onto an Arctic Command coastguard ship in the harbour. A pretty awesome day out, I thought. But my son seemed quite disappointed. When I asked why, he replied,
“The Queen wasn’t there and there was no cake”.
