Eight months after Charles’ coronation, another royal celebration takes place in Europe. Queen Margrethe of Denmark abdicates, her son Frederik is crowned. The down-to-earth Danes celebrate it with little fuss. What’s going to happen today?
After 52 years on the throne, Queen Margrethe is the longest reigning monarch in the world. That will change on Sunday: she will officially abdicate the throne. Margrethe made this choice herself.
Last year the queen underwent back surgery. It went well, but Margrethe’s health problems made her think about the future. “Being queen for 52 years leaves its mark. Also on me. It is no longer possible to do as much as before,” she said when announcing her resignation.
Margrethe therefore chooses to resign. It has been nine hundred years since this last happened in Denmark. In the meantime, all monarchs remained on the throne until their death.
Crown Prince Frederik, the 55-year-old son of Margrethe and her husband Henrik, who died in 2018, will become the new king. Of course, this cannot go unnoticed: it involves a ceremony.
Denmark is a down-to-earth country. That is why the celebration is much more subdued and shorter than the inauguration of, for example, the British King Charles.
The ceremony starts at 1:35 PM. Then Prince Frederik and his wife Mary leave their home Amalienborg. Their eldest son Christian (18), the new heir to the throne, accompanies them to Christiansborg Palace. The Danish parliament is located there and the change of throne takes place. The other three children of the royal couple remain at home.
Queen Margrethe also goes to Christiansborg. This takes place in a golden wedding carriage, which was given as a gift to the then King Christian IX at the end of the nineteenth century. Margrethe is accompanied by a horse escort.
Three generations: Margrethe (83), Christian (18) and Frederik (55). Photo: Getty Images
The group arrives at Christiansborg around 2 p.m. for the formal change of throne. This is led by the Council of State. Margrethe signs an abdication statement. Thanks to her signature, Frederik is immediately king.
Her task is then over and the former queen returns to Amalienborg. In the meantime, a small-scale reception will take place in Christiansborg with the (almost) new royal couple. With a very short guest list; for example, Frederik’s brother Joachim does not take his family with him.
At 3 p.m. Frederik and Mary will be proclaimed king and queen by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on the balcony. Frederik then briefly addresses the audience. To celebrate this, 81 gun salutes are fired. The royal flag is also hoisted at the royal palaces.
After this, the new King Frederik X and Queen Mary drive back to Amalienborg in the wedding carriage. They are led by the royal escort, which includes 75 horses.
Around 5 p.m. the royal banners are brought from Christiansborg to Amalienborg. That is a symbolic way to demonstrate the arrival of the new king. The ceremony ends with this.
The change of throne is therefore very similar to that in the Netherlands, which took place more than ten years ago. Because there are no crowns involved, something that did play a major role during Charles’ coronation.
As a result, there is no physical coronation. This only takes place on paper in the form of an abdication statement. This was also the case in the Netherlands ten years ago, when Beatrix relinquished the throne to Willem-Alexander.
From Sunday afternoon, Frederik will officially be king. He has the same role as Willem-Alexander in the Netherlands. He appoints and dismisses ministers, and those same ministers are responsible for the king.
Margrethe is going to take it a lot easier, but she will not sit still. The former queen retains a representative role and can replace her son if he is unable to attend. Initially, Frederik is replaced by his son Christian, who is crown prince when Frederik becomes king.
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2024-01-14 04:07:00
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