The Japanese parliament’s recent decision to continue barring women from the throne stands in stark contrast to what has happened in the West. Europe offers several remarkable examples of women as monarchs. Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II, who abdicated in 2024 after 52 years on the throne, is one of them. To many Danes, Margrethe was more than a monarch. She was a motherly figure who shared their joys and sorrows. Stories are still told of the Queen riding her bicycle through Copenhagen or casually stopping by local shops. It was not royal splendor but her simplicity and accessibility that endeared her to the public. When she ascended the throne in 1972, support for the monarchy stood at around 40 percent. Over the decades, it has risen dramatically to around 80 percent. Her reign demonstrated that even in a mature democracy, a monarchy can remain relevant if it earns the trust and affection of its citizens. Margrethe respected royal tradition but also understood that it must adapt to changing times. She accepted marriages between royals and commoners and supported efforts to keep roy
