Every year, Danish Shipping’s Maritime Prize is awarded to a person or organisation who has done or symbolised something special on behalf of Danish shipping. The prize was presented to Her Majesty The Queen on Thursday afternoon for her dedication, strong commitment and love of the sea, seafarers and shipping.

The Queen received the prize with a brief acceptance speech.

Jacob Meldgaard, Chairman of Danish Shipping and CEO of TORM, had the honour of presenting the Queen with the prize, saying:

“Your Majesty – you have become Danish shipping’s most distinguished icon. You have salt water in your blood and a love of the wind in your hair. Just like shipping, you bind together Denmark’s past, present and future.”

The Royal Yacht Dannebrog was also mentioned in Jacob Meldgaard’s speech:

“Your close relationship with Dannebrog, one of the few remaining royal ships in the world, the voyages to every corner of the Danish Realm, the naming of Danish ships, and the many foreign visits involving Danish shipping, have become a strong and integral element in the narrative of Denmark as a great and proud maritime nation.”

After receiving the prize, the Queen spoke with author and historian Tom Buk-Swienty on the importance and role of shipping in the Queen’s life.

The prize is accompanied by a sum of DKK 50,000, which the Queen has chosen to donate to Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik’s Foundation, which supports cultural, scientific and social causes.

The text on the certificate reads:

The Maritime Prize 2022 is presented to Her Majesty The Queen for her dedication, strong commitment and love of the sea, seafarers and shipping. The many voyages on Dannebrog to every corner of the Danish Realm, accounts of the Realm from the sea, as godmother to many of our Danish ships, and the many foreign visits involving Danish shipping have become a strong and integral element in the narrative of Denmark as a great and proud maritime nation. Her Majesty The Queen is thus the most distinguished of icons for Danish shipping both abroad and here in Denmark.