DEnmark ushered in a new era as King Frederik X ascended the throne on Sunday after his mother Queen Margrethe II formally signed her abdication, ending her 52-year reign as Denmark’s longest-serving monarch. .
The formal transfer of power took place at a meeting of the State Council at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. Thousands of people gathered to bid farewell to Margrethe, who became the first Danish monarch in nearly 900 years to voluntarily abdicate the throne. Margrethe, 83, surprised the nation by announcing his abdication in a live speech on New Year’s Eve, citing major back surgery he underwent in February last year.
“God save the king,” she said Sunday after signing the abdication declaration.
Merry crowds of supporters carrying miniature Danish flags filled the roadside as King Frederick, 55, drove in a motorcade to the castle as bells rang from a nearby church. The Royal Guards carried out their daily parade in downtown Copenhagen, wearing red jackets instead of their usual black costumes.
Denmark is one of the world’s oldest monarchies and does not have a coronation ceremony. Instead, the new king and queen made a public appearance on the balcony of the palace, a tradition dating back to the 1849 constitution, where Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaimed the king.
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“My hope is to be the unified king of tomorrow,” Frederick X said in his first speech as king, wearing a ceremonial military uniform decorated with medals and gold epaulettes. I approach this work with pride, respect, and joy. ”
Under Danish tradition, each new monarch adopts a royal motto to guide their reign. Frederick’s motto is “United and dedicated to the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Queen Margrethe will retain her title and Frederick X’s wife of 19 years, Queen Mary, will assume the role of queen consort, leaving Denmark with two queens. King Frederick X’s 18-year-old son Christian currently holds the position of Crown Prince of Denmark and heir to the throne.
Denmark’s monarchy dates back to the 10th century Viking King Gorm the Elder and is known as the oldest monarchy in Europe and one of the oldest in the world. In a constitutional monarchy, royal duties are largely ceremonial, but King Frederick X and Queen Mary have been praised for their efforts to modernize the monarchy, including by sending their children to public schools. There is.
Recent surveys reflect widespread optimism, with 82% of Danes expressing confidence in King Frederick The outlook is similarly positive.
British monarch Charles III celebrated King Frederick’s new role as millions of spectators gathered for his coronation ceremony in March 2023. “My wife also joins me in writing to convey my best wishes on my accession day to the throne of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he said in a statement. “I look forward to working with you to keep strong the lasting bonds between our country and our families, and to working together on issues of critical importance to our country and the wider world.” Masu.”