Historic moment in Denmark: Frederick

The previous Crown Prince Frederik was proclaimed the new King of Denmark after the abdication of his mother, Queen Margrethe II. “Long live the king,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen shouted on Sunday during the proclamation of the change of throne on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen.

Then loud cheers broke out among the thousands and thousands of people standing in front of the castle. “Hooray! Hooray! ‘Hooray!’ echoed across the palace square and through the adjacent streets. Frederick seemed extremely moved and had tears in his eyes. Finally, he waved from the balcony with his wife, the new Queen Mary. Their four children also came onto the balcony.

Shortly before, 83-year-old Margrethe had signed her declaration of abdication during a meeting with the government, as announced. The change of throne was thus formally completed. At the time of signing, Frederik (55) became the new king, his wife Mary (51) from crown princess to queen. The couple’s eldest son, Prince Christian (18), is now crown prince. Margrethe retains her title of queen. In the future, she can also act as her son’s representative if he is traveling abroad or is unable to attend for another reason.

In her annual New Year’s speech on New Year’s Eve, the monarch unexpectedly announced her resignation. Such a move is highly unusual in the Kingdom of Denmark, as in the rest of Scandinavia: according to the royal family, the last time a Danish regent voluntarily abdicated during his lifetime was in 1146.

Margrethe had previously repeatedly emphasized that she wanted to fulfill her duties until her death. In her New Year’s speech she justified her dismissal with a serious back operation she had to undergo last February.

The operation made her think about whether it was time to pass on the responsibility to the next generation, she said in the speech, which is traditionally closely followed by the Danish people on New Year’s Eve. Three historic sentences followed: “I decided this is the right time,” she said. “On January 14, 2024 – 52 years after I inherited my beloved father – I will step down as Queen of Denmark. I will hand over the throne to my son Crown Prince Frederik.”

Longest serving monarch in the world

Since the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, Margrethe is considered the world’s longest-serving monarch. Since January 14, 1972, she has been the head of her kingdom, which includes Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Until now, a large part of the Danish, Greenland and Faroese population only knew her as head of state. (sda/dpa)