Queen Margrethe of Denmark's tomb has been built and is ready for when the monarch passes away, the Danish palace has revealed. The sarcophagus is on display at St. Birgitta's Chapel in Roskilde Cathedral on the island of Zealand, the same place where almost 40 Danish kings and queens have been buried since the Middle Ages. The palace shared photos of the tomb on Instagram and their official website and wrote: "H.M. The Queen's grave is now set and is in Roskilde Cathedral."
Sculptor Professor Bjørn Nørgaard was asked to create the royal tomb – a project he has been working on since 2003. He was assigned the task of drawing up a modern burial mound that could be incorporated into the long series of existing royal tombs.
The queen's tomb is ready and on display. Copyright: Keld Navntoft
The tomb is a reflection of Queen Margrethe, 78, and her late husband Prince Henrik, who passed away in February. The palace noted that Henrik's decision not to be buried next to his wife has not affected the work of art. The sarcophagus, which is cast in glass, features two figures to represent the Queen and her late husband. Elephant heads in silver have also been formed into the pillars.
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The tomb is made of sandstone from Prince Henrik's native France and features three pillars made from Danish granite, Faroese basalt and Greenland marble. The Faroes Islands and Greenland are part of the kingdom of Denmark.
Prince Henrik passed away in February
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The completion of the tomb comes two months after Prince Henrik passed away on the eve of Valentine's Day. The royal, who was 83, had suffered a pulmonary infection. His funeral was held one week later, with Margrethe and her family in attendance.
Henrik had arranged one final surprise for his wife. He asked for the flowers at his funeral to be arranged into a "blooming garden" to pay tribute to his partner of 50 years. The idea of a "blooming garden" holds a special meaning for the couple; during Henrik's wedding speech in 1967, the Frenchman referred to his new country Denmark as a "blossoming garden", but added that his bride was the "most beautiful adornment" in the garden.