A day of royal drama and ceremony in Denmark ended with a public kiss between the newly crowned King Frederick X and his wife Queen Mary, following the formal abdication of Frederik’s mother, Queen Margrethe II. It reached its climax.
The kiss on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace, the grounds of the Danish parliament building in Copenhagen, sparked rumors that Frederic had been having an affair with socialite Geneva Casanova after they were photographed together in private. , which comes after weeks of rumors about marital problems. A trip to Madrid. Casanova denied the rumors.
Margrethe, 83, announced her abdication in her annual New Year’s Eve speech. He became the first Danish monarch to voluntarily abdicate the throne in nearly 900 years.
Some royal observers have suggested that Margrethe may have abdicated to facilitate Frederik and Mary’s marriage, but Margrethe herself said: “I had extensive back surgery in February this year. Everything went well, thanks to the competent medical staff who looked after me. Inevitably, this operation was about the future, about whether now was the right time to pass the responsibility on to the next generation. It gave me something to think about.”
Today, after a final ceremonial procession through the city’s streets, Margrethe, who holds the title of queen, signed a declaration of abdication, ending her 52-year reign. After signing, Margrethe stood up and motioned for Frederik to take her place. Her last words before leaving the State Council were “God save the King.”
Queen Margrethe leaves the Council of State meeting at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark, on January 14, 2024, leaving her seat at the end of the table to King Frederick X. King Frederik X sits with Crown Prince Christian at his side in the Council of State.
From Ritzau Scanpics/Mads Klaus Rasmussen, Reuters
In front of an estimated crowd of 100,000 people, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared the 55-year-old the new king.
In his speech, Frederick said, according to a translation by royal blogger Gert’s Royals: “My mother, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, has ruled Denmark for 52 years. For half a century, she has followed the ages using our common heritage as a starting point. Will be remembered forever. Like most people, my mother also managed to become one with her kingdom. Today the throne will be inherited.
“I face the future knowing that I am not alone. United and dedicated to the Kingdom of Denmark.”
— king frederik x
“My hope is to be the unified king of tomorrow. It is a job I have been looking forward to all my life. It is a responsibility that I accept with respect and pride, and with great joy. It’s a job I painstakingly complete. I need all the support I can get: from my loving wife, from my family, from you, and from something greater than us. I look forward to the future knowing that I am not alone. United and dedicated to the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Frederic and Mary were joined on the palace balcony by their children Christian (18), Isabella (16), and Vincent and Josephine (both 13).