Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Europe’s longest-reigning monarch, has announced that she will abdicate on January 14, 2024, ending her 52-year reign. The 83-year-old queen revealed her decision in her New Year’s Eve speech on live TV, a tradition watched by many in Denmark.
The Queen’s decision follows a successful back surgery in February, which caused her to reflect on the future of the Danish monarchy. She named her son Crown Prince Frederick her successor, expressing her intention to pass on her responsibilities to her next generation.
Queen Margrethe II, who became Denmark’s longest-reigning monarch in July, ascended the throne in 1972. She received the title in Europe following the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
In Denmark, the role of the monarchy is largely ceremonial, with formal power held by an elected parliament. The monarch’s duties include representing the country in a variety of capacities, from state visits to national celebrations.
Born in 1940 to former monarch Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, Queen Margrethe II has been widely respected and supported by the Danish people for her balanced and creative approach. She became the heir to the throne in 1953 following a constitutional amendment that allowed women to inherit the throne.
In 1967 she married French diplomat Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, who remained her spouse until his death in 2018. The couple have two sons, Crown Prince Frederick, future King Frederick X, and Prince Joachim. Prince Frederick married Australian Mary Elizabeth Donaldson in 2004. (NNT)
