Denmark awaits new king as Queen Margrethe prepares for historic abdication on Sunday

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From Reuters

Queen Margrethe II, Denmark’s longest-reigning monarch, is set to hand over the throne to her eldest son Frederick on Sunday, with tens of thousands of Danes expected to flock to the streets of Copenhagen to witness the historic succession. There is.

Margrethe announced her decision to abdicate after 52 years as queen on New Year’s Eve, surprising Denmark’s roughly 6 million people, becoming the first monarch in nearly 900 years to abdicate the throne.

In a sign of the huge popularity the monarchy enjoys, people are expected to flock to Copenhagen from all over Denmark.

“The royal family means everything about Denmark. It’s a fairy tale and a tradition,” said Anna Karina Laursen, 59, in honor of the country’s famous fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen. Told.

The Crown Prince, 55, and his Australian-born wife Mary, 51, who will become queen, are scheduled to leave the palace in a 1958 Rolls Royce at 12:35 p.m.

Margrethe, 83, will board her carriage in a few minutes and ride her last horse as monarch through the streets of the capital.

Although there is no coronation ceremony like in the UK, the succession itself will take place around 1pm, the moment Margrethe signs the abdication declaration.

This will take place during a meeting of the State Council in Parliament, with the participation of the government, Frederick and the new heir to the throne, his 18-year-old eldest son Christian.

About an hour later, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will declare the new king on the balcony of parliament, and after Frederik gives a short speech, the new king and queen will return to the palace in a horse-drawn carriage.

Built in the 1750s, Amalienborg Palace is located in central Copenhagen and consists of four palaces built around an octagonal courtyard.

This is the home of the outgoing Queen and the new reigning couple.

Hotel operator Scandic’s property, which is located very close to the Royal Palace, sold out of rooms in just two hours after Margrethe’s abdication announcement, and bookings for this weekend have increased by 50% compared to mid-January in previous years, said commercial director Klaus. Johansen told Reuters.

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Margrethe previously said she intended to remain on the throne for the rest of her life, but did not reveal the exact reason for her decision to step down, but did say that major back surgery she underwent in February last year caused her to think about her future. said.

“She may think that Prince Frederik is ready to take over right now,” said Lars Hobbacke Sorensen, a historian and associate professor at Denmark’s Absalon University.

“He’s 55 years old, and perhaps the Queen wanted to avoid a situation where she had a very old king, as she did with Prince Charles.”

The British King ascended the throne at the age of 73 after his mother Queen Elizabeth passed away in September 2022 at the age of 96.

Denmark’s new royal couple will take the throne amid overwhelming public support and enthusiasm for the monarchy.

The latest poll, conducted after the Queen announced her abdication, found that 82% of Danes expect Frederick to do well in his new role, while 86% said the same about Mary.