ARHUS, Denmark (AP) – The Danish royal family attended a special “celebratory service” at Aarhus Cathedral on Sunday. new king frederick xAccompanied by his wife Queen Mary and mother Queen Margrethe, he waved to the crowds gathered outside the 12th-century building, the country’s tallest church.
The royal family drove 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) through Denmark’s second-largest city, Aarhus, from their royal residence, Marcelisborg Castle, to Aarhus Cathedral.
The church service took place just a week after Frederick, 55, was proclaimed king in place of his 83-year-old mother. Margrethe signed the abdication In talks with the government.
Aarhus resident Christina Elmström said she hoped Frederick and Queen Mary would change the Danish monarchy “in their own way.” She brought her children to experience the “big, big thing.”
“So it was an opportunity to go and meet the new king. The kids are really looking forward to it,” she said.
Henrik Wypoulsen, bishop of the Aarhus diocese, told The Associated Press that he had only a few weeks to plan the service. Frederick was involved in the plan.
“Usually this planning takes three months, but it took us two and a half weeks. So I will say we were very busy,” he said. “I selected some hymns to sing, and the king said he wanted me to sing these hymns.”
The hour-long service marked Frederick’s first official visit as king outside Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen.
Police estimated that about 70,000 people would line up on the main road.
“I think he will be the people’s king,” said Charlotte Homan, a resident of Aarhus. “He’s going to embrace the people… he’s going to govern differently. I think he’s going to be less top-down, but he’s going to embrace different kinds of people. It’s also about not being on a high pedestal.”