The Fairy-Tale Queen

HM the Queen in front of the book cabinet in her bedroom at Amalienborg with her childhood books, which have been of great inspiration in her theatre work. Photo: Kamilla Bryndum

HM the Queen likes her old, yellow toolbox a lot and takes very good care of it: “Everything that can be done with scissors and glue, tape and staples, that’s just my thing”. The Queen uses the toolbox when, for example,  she cuts and pastes paper hats. Photo: Kamilla Bryndum

Parts of costumes designed by HM the Queen for among other things The Tinderbox at The Pantomime Theatre. The eye of the dog — as big as the Round Tower — can pop out of the head on a spring. Photo: Kamilla Bryndum

Sketches and parts of costumes designed by HM the Queen for the Bournonville ballet A Folk Tale at The Royal Danish Theatre. Hilda’s wedding dress is inspired by Queen Sophie Amalie’s embroidered bodice from the 1600s, which is preserved at Rosenborg Castle. It is decorated with strawberries, cloves, and forget-me-nots. Photo: Kamilla Bryndum

HM the Queen has kept numerous sketches and little notes about her costumes and scenographic works, of which a small selection is seen here. For example archetypical fairytale figures such as good and evil, animals and strange beasts, just as scenery and special effects are put down on paper. Everything from pretty shepherdesses and steadfast military personnel to growling trolls, elegant rats and wandering trees… and of course the obligatory royalty and ordinary folk as well as the witches. Photo: Kamilla Bryndum

A selection of HM the Queen’s paper hats for amateur productions. Over the years HM the Queen has made many hat templates which can be varied infinitely by folding them differently, or adding a pair of ears or a snout. Most of the paper hats were made for amateur productions at “Madame H’s Dance Institute”. The Queen was for many years involved with her friend Susanne Heering’s private ballet school in Næstved, where they in a creative sparring partnership produced fairytale ballet worlds. Photo: Kamilla Bryndum

HM the Queen as a spectator at The Pantomime Theatre in Tivoli. Along with other contributors, the scenographer anxiously awaits the raising of the curtain for a rehearsal of the forthcoming production. Photo: Kamilla Bryndum

HM the Queen: “When I design ballet costumes, I have to think practically: is it possible to stretch your legs enough, is it too hot or too heavy? The parrot’s head, for example, has to be cooled off in a special cupboard between performances, as it gets so hot inside”. HM the Queen talking to the parrot in the wings of the Pantomime Theatre. Photo: Kamilla Bryndum

HM the Queen as a 14-year-old princess, almost unrecognisable in makeup and in the role as a distinguished queen of the 1700s. The picture stems from a performance at the private Juliane Marie Theatre, which HM the Queen and her sisters’ nanny created for the princesses and their friends at Fredensborg Palace in 1954. HM the Queen is dressed up as Queen Juliane Marie, with an artificial nose and a wig as well as genuine jewels from Queen Ingrid’s “loan market”. Photo: HM the Queen’s Reference Library

HM the Queen: “I love the particular atmosphere at The Pantomime Theatre, even though I didn’t take much notice of the theatre as a child, because I was more interested in the dodgems and the slide”. Here is a glimpse from the wings — in the foreground are HM the Queen’s costumes for a rocking horse and dancing flames. Photo: Kamilla Bryndum

HM the Queen as a spectator at The Pantomime Theatre in Tivoli together with the theatre’s artistic director Peter Bo Bendixen and the choreographer Dinna Bjørn. The longstanding team are following the new production. Photo: Kamilla Bryndum