HM QUEEN ANNE-MARIE| HM QUEEN ANNE-MARIE |
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 Queen Anne-Marie was born in Copenhagen on 30 August 1946 at the Amalienborg Palace, the youngest daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark. Her childhood was spent in three family homes - Amalienborg Palace, Graasten Palace and Fredensborg Castle. Princess Anne-Marie attended Zahle's School in Denmark between 1952-1963. Modern history was one of her favourite subjects. In 1961, she spent a year at an English boarding school in Switzerland - the Chatelard School for Girls. In 1963, to improve her French, Queen Anne-Marie attended a Swiss finishing school, 'Le Mesnil', until the Spring of 1964. She also speaks Greek, English and of course Danish. Queen Anne-Marie first met King Constantine of Greece as a young girl in 1959, when he visited Copenhagen on a journey to Sweden and Norway, as Crown Prince, with his parents, King Paul I and Queen Frederica. She met him again in Denmark in 1961. He had declared to his parents that he intended to marry her. On 14 May, 1962, Crown Prince Constantine's elder sister, Princess Sophia, married the Spanish Prince Juan Carlos in a double ceremony in Athens at the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the Orthodox Cathedral. More than 100 royal guests came to Athens, and Princess Anne-Marie was a bridesmaid. Queen Frederica of Greece recorded that, at the reception, her son Crown Prince Constantine 'would dance only with Anne-Marie'. In 1963, centenary celebrations of the Greek Royal Family began with a State Visit from Princess Anne-Marie's parents, King Frederick and Queen Ingrid of Denmark. In March 1964, King Paul I died after a short illness, and Constantine succeeded him to the Greek throne. King Constantine came to the throne with much goodwill, which was expressed in abundance when, on 18 September 1964 (six months after his accession) he married his beautiful Danish Princess in what was described at the time, as 'the most radiant of Athenian royal weddings'. Even an old republican, the 76 year old Prime Minister, George Papandreou, was seen to be enjoying himself thoroughly with the bride and bridegroom. Just before the wedding, a crisis in Cyprus brought Greece to the brink of war with Turkey and serious political problems developed in Greece. These overshadowed the celebrations of the birth of Queen Anne-Marie's first child, Princess Alexia, on 10 July 1965. She was the first member of the Royal Family to be born at 'Mon Repos' in Corfu since 1921, when Prince Philip of Greece, now Duke of Edinburgh. 'Mon Repos' is an old Georgian house which, in the 18th. Century, was the summer residence of the English Governor of Corfu. In September, 1965, King Constantine, with Queen Anne-Marie, hosted the first Congress of Space Scientists in Athens, taking a first step encouraging American and Soviet astronauts to co-operate rather than view each other with suspicion. Queen Anne-Marie devoted much of her time as Queen of Greece to 'Her Majesty's Fund'. This was a charitable foundation started by her mother-in-law, Queen Frederica. It helped people in rural areas of Greece and supported crafts such as embroidery and weaving. She also worked closely with the Red Cross, and various charities. On 21 April, 1967, political problems in Athens intensified with the Colonel's coup. A month later, Queen Anne-Marie gave birth to Crown Prince Pavlos at the family's country estate, Tatoi. In December, after his attempt to restore democracy failed, King Constantine and his family left Greece from Kavalla for Rome. With the King, the Queen and the two children were King Constantine's mother, Queen Frederica and his younger sister Princess Irene. They landed at a military airport in Italy because they were running out of fuel. Queen Anne-Marie and her family stayed first at the Greek Embassy in Rome for 2 months and then took a house at Olgiata on the outskirts of the city. Later in 1968, they moved to 13, Via di Porta Latina - where they lived until 1973. On 1 October 1969, Queen Anne-Marie gave birth to Prince Nikolaos in the Villa Claudia Clinic near her home in Rome. In 1974, Queen Anne-Marie moved with King Constantine to England, after a brief stay with her mother in Denmark. King Constantine had been officially deposed by the military Government on 1 June 1973 and a Republic declared by colonel Papadopoulos. The family's first home was in Chobham in Surrey. Then they moved to a house in Hampstead in North London, where they have lived ever since. Queen Anne-Marie calls it her 'Home away from home'. Queen Anne-Marie's family grew larger with the birth of Princess Theodora at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, in London on 9 June 1983, and Prince Philippos on 26 April 1986. He is now attending the Hellenic College of London. Queen Anne-Marie helped to start this remarkable bilingual educational initiative in 1980. She is now Honorary Chairman of the school, and devotes a lot of her time to it. Her first visit to Greece since she left with her family in 1967, was for a few hours, for the funeral of King Constantine's mother, Queen Frederica, in 1981. Queen Frederica died suddenly in Madrid. Her wish had been to be buried beside her husband, King Paul, at the family estate at Tatoi. The family was given permission to attend - but could not spend a night in their country. They landed at a little airfield near Tatoi, and were welcomed by large crowds. It was, for Queen Anne-Marie and her family, a moving and sad occasion. She visited Greece again with King Constantine and her family on a private visit by sea in 1993. They went, 'Not knowing what to expect. Wherever we went, people came out to greet us. It was extraordinary and very moving'. It was the first visit for her younger children. Since 2003, -when the court case regarding the Royal Family's property formally ended-, Queen Anne-Marie and all other family members frequently visit Greece. She is currently searching for a home, 'So that all the children and grandchildren can come and stay'. The family speaks Greek at home and her three older children all speak Greek fluently. The two younger ones, Princess Theodora and Prince Philippos are learning very quickly. The family maintains close links with all the royal families of Europe - and particularly with the British, Spanish and Danish Royal Families. Queen Anne-Marie's father, King Frederik IX of Denmark was an accomplished musician and she has inherited his love of classical music - Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikowsky, Wagner. She is fascinated by historical biographies. She has been, above all, the greatest support to her husband over many years of change. They have been happily married for 41 years.  The following media files are available for HM QUEEN ANNE-MARIE:
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