There was a heavy presence of police in the capital carrying red and white flags for the event. Peter Dahl, a Copenhagen police official, told AFP he expected “more than 100,000 people” to be on the streets.
“Soul of the Nation”
Aske Julius, a 27-year-old resident of Copenhagen, called Margrethe “the personification of Denmark…the soul of the nation”.
“More than half of Denmark’s people don’t know anyone other than the queen,” he says.
Portraits and banners around the capital thanked the Queen for her years of service, and cheeky signs on the subway proclaimed: “Thank you for your ride, Margrethe.”
Some people read “Long Live the King.”
Apart from the abdication, this protocol is similar to previous successions to the throne in Denmark.
No foreign dignitaries or royalty will be invited, and there will be no coronation or throne for the new monarch.
Margrethe chose to abdicate the following day, exactly 52 years after taking over from her father Frederick IX.
“This day has a lot of symbolic meaning,” Cecily Nielsen, royal correspondent for Danish public broadcaster DR, told AFP.
The Queen surprised Denmark by announcing her abdication in her annual New Year’s Eve televised address, after repeatedly insisting she would follow tradition and rule until the day she died.
Even her own family was informed only three days ago.
She attributed her decision to health issues after undergoing major back surgery last year.
According to opinion polls, more than 80 percent of Danes support her decision.
Margrethe holds the title of Queen and sometimes represents the royal family.
“Different” monarch
Experts say passing the baton to his son now will give him time to blossom into his role as monarch after gradually increasing his responsibilities.
Historian Hofbakke Sorensen said: “She thinks the crown prince is fully ready to take over, and that a situation like the one in Britain where Prince Charles became King Charles after he was over 70” I want to avoid that,” he said.
Like his mother, Frederick, who has been crown prince since the age of three, enjoys the support of more than 80 percent of Danes.
But he is expected to bring his own style to the monarchy, which dates back to the Viking era in the 10th century.
“Queen Margrethe II is a woman of her time, and Frederik also lives in his own time. He understands that he cannot imitate her, and he understands that he cannot imitate her, and that his own image, his connection to the Danish people… “he succeeded in defining himself,” said Bo Ridegaard, another historian. he told AFP.
His colleague Hofbacke Sorensen added: “We’re going to have a different type of monarch. He’s going to be much more informal in the way he talks to people as he travels around the country.”
His mother is known for her love of art and is an accomplished writer and artist, while Frederick is an avid sportsman who champions environmental causes.
In Denmark, the monarch’s role is largely ceremonial, but he signs laws, formally presides over the formation of the government, and meets regularly with ministers.