Frederick X became the King of Denmark on Sunday, following the formal abdication of his mother, Queen Margrethe II, after 52 years on the throne. Tens of thousands of Danes gathered in Copenhagen to witness the historic inheritance.
Written by Stephen J. Voss
Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen proclaimed 55-year-old King Frederik X as Denmark’s new king in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Standing next to the prime minister on the balcony of Copenhagen’s Christiansborg Palace, the prime minister turned in three directions to show all of Denmark that he was declaring himself king.
This followed the formal abdication of his mother, Queen Margrethe II, who had been on the throne for 52 years.
The Queen announced on New Year’s Eve that she would be stepping down from appearing on TV.
Frederick’s Australian-born wife, Mary Donaldson, plays the role of queen consort.
The new king paid his respects to his mother, wife and family, followed by the new Queen Mary, dressed in white, and her four children.
Queen Mary, born in Australia
Australian-born Mary was the first commoner to become Queen of Denmark.
Frederick automatically became the new king after his mother signed a declaration of abdication at the State Council earlier in the day. She left her room with tears in her eyes and saying, “God bless the King.”
She had left the country in turmoil after announcing her abdication.
Even Prime Minister Frederiksen, a Social Democrat and not previously considered a Royalist, reportedly had a change of heart from the Queen’s handling of this role.
Although the king has a largely ceremonial role, supporters see him as playing an important role in uniting the country in the face of grave challenges.
These include concerns about migration and an aim to strengthen defense ties with other Nordic countries to protect critical infrastructure and counter Russian threats in the Arctic and Baltics, where the war in Ukraine continues.
However, those difficulties seemed temporarily forgotten as crowds welcomed the new king, Frederick X.