Queen Margrethe rode through Denmark’s capital in a golden carriage as she wrapped up her last public New Year’s celebrations before abdicating on January 14 after 52 years on the throne.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Queen Margrethe, Europe’s longest-reigning monarch, rode through Denmark’s capital on Thursday in a gilded carriage to close out her last royal New Year before abdicating later this month.
Thousands of people waved flags, cheered and braved subzero temperatures, strong winds, snow and sleet to cheer on the popular queen on the roadside in her final public appearance as king. She will abdicate on January 14th after 52 years on her throne.
The 83-year-old monarch will be the first to step down in Europe’s oldest monarchy in nearly 900 years, handing over the throne to her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederick.
Margrethe rode in a so-called gold coach pulled by six white horses. The carriage will be used to transport the King from his residence at Amalienborg Palace to Christiansborg Castle during the traditional New Year’s celebrations, which will be attended by military officers as well as former military personnel. Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Helle Thorning-Schmidt, among others.
The cane-wielding monarch wore a fur coat and white gloves inside a closed 19th-century carriage covered in 24-carat gold leaf and topped with four golden crowns. They were escorted by members of a light cavalry regiment in blue uniforms with red jackets.
Five hours later, Margrethe left Christiansborg Palace in a golden carriage and returned to her residence at Amalienborg Palace.
Earlier this week, Queen Margrethe hosted a series of events welcoming the Danish government, parliament, top civilian and military officials, and diplomats.
Christiansborg Palace is used for official royal functions such as gala dinners and public audiences, and also houses the Danish Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Danish Supreme Court. It is located about 800 meters from Amalienborg Palace.
The Queen will officially sign her abdication on January 14 at the Council of State, a meeting with the Danish government, making Frederick, 55, and his Australian-born wife Mary, 51, King and Queen of Denmark.
In some European countries, monarchs have abdicated to allow younger royals to take over, but Denmark has no such tradition.
For years, Margrethe has insisted she would not quit. But her health changed that. In her annual televised New Year’s address on December 31, Margrethe said she was “thinking about the future” following back surgery in early 2023 and when she would hand over the responsibilities of the throne to her son. He said that he started thinking about this. “We decided now was the right time,” she said.
When she took the throne in 1972, succeeding her late father Frederick IX, only 42% of Danes supported the monarchy. The latest survey shows that 84% of Danish girlfriends support the country to some degree or to some extent.