The exhibition "DANNEBROG" celebrates the Danish Royal Yacht

The Royal Yacht Dannebrog is more than a ship. It is a floating castle. When the ship comes into port during the annual expeditions around Denmark, as well as expeditions to Greenland and the Faroe Islands, the monarch is greeted by her people, who welcomes the Queen and shows her around their region. Dannebrog unites the kingdom and provides the setting of the royal life at sea.

2022 marks both the 90^th birthday of Dannebrog and the 50^thanniversary of Her Majesty's accession to the throne. The M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark marks this occasion with a special exhibition “DANNEBROG – a royal yacht turns 90” in which we get a unique look into the life on board this unique ship.

 A tribute to a ship all Danes know

The special exhibition is a trip through 9 decades on board the royal yacht – it is an exclusive meeting with three different monarchs – with blue oceans running through the veins. The exhibitions shows all facets of the royal yacht that functions as both the residence of Her Majesty, a personal home, a training ship and a symbol of royalty. In addition the ship itself contains a fascinating story.

”The exhibition about the Royal Yacht Dannebrog is a tribute to a ship that all Danes know. An extraordinary ship that ties all of Denmark together and a ship that allows the royal family to leave their more formal setting of the castle and brings them to the Danes. The exhibition is also a touching and entertaining tale about the royal family and the history of the whole country, and we look very much forward to telling it," says Ulla Tofte, CEO of the M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark.

The two Princes’ sailor uniforms, the Queen's watercolours and the memories of the Danes.

Among the exhibits are models of different royal yachts through time, His Royal Majesty the Crown Prince and His Royal Majesty Prince Joachim's sailor uniforms from the 1970s and watercolours, which Her Majesty the Queen has painted on board the ship. The exhibition also shows the importance of the Royal Yacht to royalty in Denmark, and not least the importance the ship has for the Queen's bond with her father, King Frederik IX.

Staff and visitors of the ship are brought to life through quotes and anecdotes. The crew members report on the daily work and photographs from the private collection of the royal family display scenes from the Queen's childhood where summer days on board the ship also left time for playing dress-up and other games. As a visitor you will get a unique view of the importance of the Royal Yacht for a typical Dane – through depictions on souvenirs, porcelain platter and beer labels. The M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark has gathered stories from the Danish population about their encounters with the ship. 

The exhibition is produced in cooperation with The Royal Household – who have actively contributed to the exhibition. As Her Majesty the Queen says in the foreword of the book “The Royal Yacht Dannebrog”, by Franne Voigt (Gyldendal, 2016) about her relationship to the historic ship:

”A ship like Dannebrog awakens memories for anyone who has ever been on board, and for the many who wave at us along the coastlines and from the other vessels at sea. It is clear, that Dannebrog not only is important for us, but also for many Danes as well.”


The exhibition ”DANNEBROG – a royal yacht turns 90” is on display until the 21st of August, 2022.
Additional Info: https://mfs.dk

For further information or interviews please contact:
Heidi Vesterberg, hv@mfs.dk - +45 26131075

Partners and sponsors:  
The exhibition is made with the help from The Royal Househould and The Royal Danish Collection. It is sponsored by Arne v. Schleschs Fond, Knud Højgaards Fond, Orients Fond, Dronning Margrethe og Prins Henriks Fond, Gangstedfonden, Ole Kirks Fond, Zeuthens Mindelegat, Toyota Fonden, Lemvigh Müllers Fond og Furi Appel Gunnar Niskers Fond.