Frederick X is proclaimed the new King of Denmark after his mother abdicates.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark arrives at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Sunday. Queen Margrethe II will cede her throne to her son King Frederick, making her the first Danish monarch to abdicate in nearly 900 years. Martin Meissner/Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Denmark’s prime minister proclaimed King Frederik A crowd gathered.

Margrethe, 83, became the first Danish monarch in nearly 900 years to voluntarily abdicate the throne. Thousands of people gathered outside the palace where the succession took place, and there was an atmosphere of jubilation as the Nordic nation experienced its first succession to the throne that was not triggered by the death of a king in more than half a century. Ta.

Dressed in magenta, Margrethe signed the abdication papers during a meeting with the Danish Cabinet at Christiansborg Palace, a vast complex in Copenhagen that has been the center of Danish power for centuries. It currently houses the Royal Reception Room and Royal Stables, as well as the Danish Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Supreme Court.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen then proclaimed King Frederik from the balcony of her palace in front of thousands of her subjects, a kingdom whose symbols of royalty are largely symbolic in today’s modern era of constitutional democracy.

Frederiksen stood next to him, wearing a ceremonial military uniform emblazoned with medals, and read the proclamation aloud three times, as is tradition. The crowd then spontaneously sang the national anthem, joined by the new Australian-born Queen Mary and her husband’s four children on the balcony.

“My hope is to be the unified king of tomorrow,” Frederick said. “It’s a challenge I’ve struggled with all my life.”

It was customary for new sovereigns to adopt a royal motto as a guide for their respective reigns, and Frederick’s motto was “United and devoted to the Kingdom of Denmark.”

The new king said, “I want to repay the trust placed in me.” “My dear wife, I need the trust of you and of someone greater than us.”

Frederick then kissed Mary, who was wearing a white dress, and the crowd cheered again.

Then, to the sound of church bells, the pair left Christiansborg Palace in a horse-drawn carriage and headed to Amalienborg Palace, where they appeared again to cheering crowds and waving flags with a white cross on a red field. .

Frederik was visibly moved and put his hands on his heart in a gesture of gratitude.

The abdication document was first presented to Margrethe, who was seated at a huge table covered in red cloth, surrounded by members of the royal family and Danish government officials. Frederick sat next to her.

King Frederick X of Denmark waves from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Sunday. Queen Margrethe II has ceded the throne to her son Frederick X, becoming the first Danish monarch to abdicate in nearly 900 years. Martin Meissner/Associated Press

After signing, Margrethe stood up and motioned for Frederik to take her place. “God, save the king,” she said as she left her room.

The abdication will leave Denmark with two queens. Margrethe retains her title of queen, and Frederick’s wife becomes Queen Mary. Frederick and Mary’s eldest son Christian (age 18) became Crown Prince and heir to the throne.

Citing health problems, Margrethe announced on New Year’s Eve that she would step down, surprising those who had expected her to spend the rest of her life on the throne, in keeping with Danish royal tradition. Margrethe underwent major surgery on her back in February last year and she did not return to her job until April.

Even the Prime Minister was not aware of the Queen’s intentions until just before the announcement. Margrethe informed Frederik and his brother Joachim just three days ago, Berlinske newspaper reported, citing the palace.

People from all over Denmark gathered outside the parliament building and many streets were decorated with red and white Danish flags. Photos of Margrethe and Frederik were displayed in some shops, and small Danish flags were displayed on city buses, as is customary at royal events. Many others across the kingdom of around 6 million people watched live television coverage of the historic event.

The Royal Guards Band paraded through downtown Copenhagen every day, but to mark the big event, they wore red jackets instead of their usual black.

Queen Margrethe will leave a meeting of the Council of State on Sunday after signing a declaration of abdication in Copenhagen. Mads Klaus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpics (via Associated Press)

Copenhagen resident René Jensen, wearing a replica of a royal robe and a jeweled purple crown on his head, said she hoped Frederick would become “the king of the country who will represent us everywhere.” He said he was there.

The last time a Danish monarch voluntarily resigned was in 1146, when King Eric III of Rum resigned to enter a monastery. Margrethe abdicated in January, the same month she ascended the throne, following the death of her father Frederick IX on January 14, 1972.

Denmark’s monarchy dates back to the 10th century Viking king Gorm the Elder, making it the oldest in Europe and one of the oldest in the world.

Australians also took to the streets of Copenhagen to celebrate the birth of their country’s queen.

“I think it’s good that she comes from a normal Australian background and not from royalty. She comes from a middle-class background and we do too, so we empathize more with that.” You can,” said Judy Langtree, who made the long journey from Brisbane with her daughter to witness the royal event.

In a survey commissioned by Denmark’s public broadcaster DR and released on Friday, 79% of 1,037 people surveyed by the Epinion polling agency said they were ready for Mr Frederik to take over, while 83% said his wife said they believe Mary is ready to take over the government. Queen. DR said the survey had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Aleksandar Furtula contributed to this report.

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