The Danish king has shocked some historians by changing the royal coat of arms to more prominently feature Greenland and the Faroe Islands — an action seen by some as a rebuke to Donald Trump, reports The Guardian.
King Frederik has made a clear statement of intent to maintain Denmark’s sovereignty over the autonomous territories of Greenland and the Faroe Islands within the Kingdom of Denmark.
For 500 years, previous versions of the Danish royal coat of arms displayed three crowns, symbolizing the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, which was ruled by Denmark from 1397 to 1523. These crowns have also served as an important symbol of Denmark’s neighbor, Sweden.
However, in the updated version, the crowns have been removed and replaced with a more prominent polar bear and reindeer, symbolizing Greenland and the Faroe Islands, respectively.
The change comes amid heightened tensions over Greenland and its relationship with Denmark, which continues to control its foreign and security policy.
