King Frederick X of Denmark assumes the throne after the Queen abdicates

CNN
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King Frederick

For many people in Denmark, her mother Margrethe was the only monarch they had ever known. But her shocking abdication after more than 50 years on the throne cleared the way for her son, former Crown Prince Frederick, to succeed her.

The handover took place at a cabinet meeting held at Christiansborg Palace in the capital, Copenhagen, where Prime Minister Margrethe signed a declaration of abdication, officially handing over the throne to Frederik.

Despite the frigid weather, a large crowd gathered on the streets of Copenhagen, with occasional bursts of song echoing through the crowd as they awaited the historic moment.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen then publicly proclaimed the king’s accession from the balcony of the palace. This has been a tradition since the Constitution of 1849.

Following his declaration, Mr Frederick gave a short speech before being joined by his Australian-born wife, Queen Mary, and their four children, including the new heir to the throne, Crown Prince Christian.

“Today the throne is inherited. My hope is to be the unified king of tomorrow,” Frederick said. His mother “will forever be remembered as an extraordinary regent,” he said.

Prime Minister Frederiksen expressed his “heartfelt gratitude” to Queen Margrethe on behalf of the nation.

“Being queen and king is one of a chain that lasts for more than a thousand years. When someone steps aside, the next one stands ready. And the Crown Prince, who will now be our monarch, , the King we know, the King we like, the King we trust,” she said.

Among the thousands of people lining up in the capital was 45-year-old Kasper Wei Larsen. “I cried tears of joy seeing him so full of energy on the balcony, both when he gave his speech on the balcony and when Mary came out and held his hand and kissed him at the end.” he told Reuters.

Britain’s King Charles III, who held his coronation ceremony last summer, congratulated the new king and queen.

“I look forward to working with you to strengthen the lasting bonds between our two countries and our families, and to working with you on issues of critical importance to our country and the wider world.” “, he said in his speech. message.

Margrethe, 83, was Europe’s longest-reigning monarch and the world’s last reigning queen. She announced in her stunning live address on New Year’s Eve that she was ending her historic tenure of 52 years.

After recent back surgery, he said he pondered whether “now is the right time to hand over responsibility to the next generation,” and came to the decision that “now is the right time.”

The Queen herself seemed emotional, and after signing the State Council and handing over the throne, she said, “God save the King,” and left the room.

According to the Danish royal family, although Margrethe is no longer the reigning monarch, she will continue to hold the title of Her Majesty Queen and may become acting regent. This means that both King Frederick and Crown Prince Christian can carry out their duties as heads of state, such as when they are abroad. Other Danish royals who could take on the role of acting regent if needed include Mary, Frederick’s brother Prince Joachim, and her aunt Princess Benedicte.

Denmark’s monarchy is one of the oldest in Europe, with a history spanning more than 1,000 years, but there is no traditional coronation moment. As a result, no world leaders or prominent dignitaries were in attendance, making the change of government in Denmark a much more low-key affair compared to the global pageantry and pomp of the coronation of King Charles III in May. It became.

Still, the streets were filled with well-meaning people enjoying the spectacle.

Denmark has a constitutional monarchy, and in addition to approving new laws, the royal family plays an important but symbolic role as ambassadors. Formal power rests with an elected parliament and government based at Christiansborg Palace in the center of the capital, Copenhagen.

And it was here on Sunday that Frederick X made his final visit as crown prince and departed as ruling monarch of Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Birgitte Volp, culture editor of Danish newspaper Berlingske, told CNN that the change in monarch would feel “very different” from 1972 “just because the queen is alive.”

“This is the first time in 900 years that a Danish king or queen has abdicated. It will be an even more festive occasion than the last time, when young Margrethe took over,” she explained. “Although the Queen’s decision to abdicate was shocking, most Danes seem to understand that she wants to pass on her torch, citing her failing health. ”

It is incredibly rare for a monarch to abdicate in Denmark. The last Danish monarch to do this was Eric III, who abdicated his throne to enter a monastery in 1146. However, this practice is more common in other European royal families.

Borpp said Denmark was “entering a new modern era” and that while Frederick had wide support from Danes as crown prince, he had work to do as monarch.

“He may continue to bring the monarchy closer to the people. His main challenge will be to keep the monarchy popular and relevant for years to come.”

Nordic countries are not the only countries celebrating Margrethe’s passing of the baton to her son. King Frederick X reigns with his hugely popular Australian-born wife Queen Mary, which will no doubt please his proud admirers in his home country.

Their royal romance began after a chance encounter in a Sydney bar during the 2000 Olympics. Hobart, Tasmania-born sales executive Mary Elizabeth Donaldson didn’t initially realize she was chatting to a real-life prince.

At the time, Justin Tynan was the manager of the Slip Inn in Sydney. This slip-in is the venue near Darling Harbour, where the future King and Queen of Denmark met. “I remember her, I mean…she was a very impressive woman. But I think the focus was on Frederick, because he was paying for the drinks!” he told CNN told.

This popular tourist watering hole has been celebrating Mary’s milestone moments for years. In 2004, a live screening of the couple’s lavish wedding was held at Copenhagen Cathedral, and two years later it also marked the birth of their eldest son, Prince Christian, who is now the new crown prince and heir to the throne.

The bar is once again at the heart of Sydney’s celebrations, with the Danish flag flying, Danish-style hot dogs and special cocktails celebrating the new Queen.

Meanwhile, the Australian Federal Government marked the special occasion with a unique gift on behalf of the nation. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced he would donate 10,000 Australian dollars (approximately $6,000) to help save Mary’s home state’s most famous and endangered marsupial.

“The story of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is one that Australians have watched closely and cherished,” the prime minister said in a statement on Saturday. “Crown Princess Mary grew up in Tasmania, so it’s only fitting that Australia would take this opportunity to make a gift to support Tasmanian devil conservation.”

Back in Denmark, the royal couple have won supporters, worked to modernize the monarchy, and are raising their four children normally: Christian, 18, Isabella, 16, and twins Vincent and Josephine, 13. . Educate them as much as possible and send them to regular state schools.

The Danish royal family is more informal than the British royal family. They are praised for being down-to-earth and are often seen out and about, shopping, eating, and riding their bikes in public, just like the rest of the public. .

The climate crisis, sustainability, public health, and women’s and girls’ rights are just some of the themes of Frederick and Mary’s mission that endear them to the nation.

Volpp said Mary may not have been born into royalty, “but she would think she was.”

“She behaves with great grace and is a great representative of the Danish nation,” said Berlingske, culture editor. “She’s known for always being well prepared, and she’s also taken on some pretty important missions, like shining a light on domestic violence.

“When Mary and Frederick met in Australia, there was often a story about how she was lucky to have met a fairy-tale prince. I think it shows that he was even luckier as time went on. ”