Queen Margrethe II of Denmark discreetly bookmarked the end of her decades-long reign through a simple brooch.
Called the Ruby Horseshoe brooch, it was given to her on June 5, 1953, by her father King Frederik IX, to mark her becoming the heir apparent to the Danish throne.
She became his heir only after a referendum to change Danish law. As the king only had daughters, Margrethe being the oldest of three, a change in law was required to enable queens to rule in their own right.
To mark this historic moment, as well as the start of Margrethe's official public life, the king presented her with the brooch. The jewel is set with 11 pinkish-red rubies and flanked by smaller white diamonds, echoing the colours of the Danish flag. The horseshoe shape, meanwhile, has long been considered a symbol of good luck.
Posing for a family photo on that day, Margrethe, 13, can be seen wearing the brooch pinned to the neck of her dress.
On January 15, 1972, Margrethe wore the brooch once again, as she was proclaimed queen following the death of her father the day before.
Dressed in full mourning black, the young monarch chose to wear the brooch at the throat of her dress as the prime minister announced her as queen. Denmark does not crown its monarchs, instead making a public proclamation of their ascension.
The queen wore the brooch again in 2012 to mark her Ruby Jubilee. The piece of jewellery commemorated not only her long reign, but also the four decades since the death of her father.
Clearly of great personal significance to the royal, she has also worn the jewel for important family occasions, including the birth of her grandchildren.
When Margrethe declared in a live television broadcast on New Year's Eve that she would be stepping aside to allow her son to be crowned, she took the world by surprise. And as she signed the instrument of abdication at Christiansborg Palace on Sunday, to officially pass the throne to her son, she was once again seen wearing the Ruby Horseshoe brooch.
As one of Europe’s longest-serving monarchs, it is fitting that a gift from her father – now woven into Danish history – has marked both her first and final day as queen.
LIGUE 1 FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Nice v Angers (9pm)
Lille v Monaco (10.45pm)
Saturday
Montpellier v Paris Saint-Germain (7pm)
Bordeaux v Guingamp (10pm)
Caen v Amiens (10pm)
Lyon v Dijon (10pm)
Metz v Troyes (10pm)
Sunday
Saint-Etienne v Rennes (5pm)
Strasbourg v Nantes (7pm)
Marseille v Toulouse (11pm)
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Azerbaijan 0
Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
