Commons Speaker and Denmark ambassador celebrate 300+ years of history
25 January 2023
A 335-year-old Act of Parliament was the focus of the debut meeting between the Speaker of the House of Commons and Denmark’s ambassador to the UK.
The 1688 Act for the naturalisation of Prince George of Denmark as an English subject, following his marriage to Princess Anne, is one of the oldest documents held by the Parliamentary Archives relating to the UK and Denmark.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told His Excellency Rene Dinesen that the script was indicative of the strength of relations between the two countries.
Prince George and Princess Anne were married on 28 July 1683 in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, London, to reinforce an Anglo-Danish alliance against the rising Dutch maritime power.
When William of Orange took over the monarchy after the 1688 Glorious Revolution, Anne – as sister to Queen Mary – was heir-presumptive, while Prince George was given the title Duke of Cumberland, taking a seat in the House of Lords.
Anne’s accession to the crown came in March 1702, with Prince George automatically becoming the royal consort. Unfortunately, their marriage was marked by a vast number of unsuccessful pregnancies.
Prince George died in 1708, while his wife outlived him by six years.
HE Mr Dinesen, who was appointed as ambassador to the UK in September, was invited to Parliament by Sir Lindsay as part of his Speaker-led diplomacy to establish enduring ties between countries and parliamentarians.
In the past year, Mr Speaker has met 20 Ambassadors, three (Acting and) High Commissioners, and 18 Speakers.