From King Canute to Hygge: UK-Danish relations go back centuries
Always start a meeting with a humorous remark like if you were in Denmark! When I took up my posting as the Danish ambassador to the United Kingdom, a friend of mine advised me to do exactly that. I may not always have followed his advice, but he was right nonetheless: I have had few meetings with Brits where someone has not started it off with a jolly comment. After everyone has had a laugh, we can all be less formal and the conversation can be a little bit more straightforward. The 1000-year history that Danes and Brits share is evident in that common social phenomenon: the worst you can be in Denmark as well as here in the United Kingdom is self-important. If one is unable to laugh at oneself, one does not fit in no matter whether one is in or outside London or Copenhagen. Even the Danish Queen, Margrethe II and former British Queen, Elizabeth II, had this in common: a capacity of having a humorous view on themselves and life in general.
Now, Denmark and the UK have also shared a long and complex history of diplomatic, economic, and cultural interactions, so no wonder a lot of our social codes and unwritten rules are the same. Our relationship has evolved over the centuries, marked by periods of cooperation, conflict, and mutual influence going all the way back to the Vikings, where the most famous of them, King Canute (or Cnut), ruled over a North Sea Empire that included England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of what is now Sweden. Throughout the years, there has been a strong link between the rulers and royal houses – for example, King James VI of Scotland (who became James I of England) was married to Queen Anne of Denmark – and up until today, where the British and Danish monarchies continue to maintain a strong bond and relationship.
Even though Denmark wished that the United Kingdom had stayed in the European Union, it does not change the fact that the United Kingdom is a close and important ally for Denmark. Our countries face many of the same challenges and we are ramping up together in NATO, on green energy and as core supporters to Ukraine. Just to mention a few.
We recently opened a new chapter in our longstanding bilateral partnership with a view to strengthening it further: in June, the Danish Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and the British Foreign Minister, James Cleverly, signed a joint bilateral statement in London. With this statement, we have, among other things, agreed to increase our cooperation on foreign and security policy, latest technologies such as quantum technology and the green transition, where Denmark and the United Kingdom are among the leaders in the world.
Recently, I experienced the strength of the Danish-British cooperation first-hand on exactly the green transition during a visit to Scotland and the East of England, where long rows of Danish wind turbines in the world's currently largest offshore wind farm, Hornsea 2, ensure green energy for millions of British homes every day.
However, it is not only on a political or commercial level that the cooperation is important. The cultural ties between our two countries remain strong. Many Brits I meet speak enthusiastically about Copenhagen and Denmark, which they have visited several times.
They have a great love for the country in general and of course especially for a real Danish, which you can now also find everywhere in London for example at the Danish founded bakery chain Ole & Steen. Also, it is hard to meet a Brit who doesn’t know a handful of Danish footballers, including for example Christian Eriksen and Manchester United’s new striker Rasmus Højlund.
No doubt, past conflicts and alliances have shaped our interactions over the years, but present diplomatic cooperation, trade and cultural exchanges continue to strengthen and deepen our relationship. On that note, I am absolutely sure that the present bodes well for a very close and dynamic relationship in the future, not least due to the large amount of values, social codes, and of course love for hygge, a tasty Danish and a good pint that we all share.
René Dinesen is the Ambassador for Denmark to the United Kingdom.
