Denmark’s first coronation took place in 1170, when Canute VI assumed the highest office. However, this ceremony has gradually evolved in line with Denmark’s constitutional arrangements. Denmark was an elective monarchy, but until 1660 coronation ceremonies were celebrated with great pomp and ceremony. When Denmark became a hereditary monarchy in 1660, the pomp was removed, leaving behind a modest approach in which the king and queen were anointed but not crowned. By 1849 Denmark became a constitutional monarchy and the custom of anointing was abolished. Now all that remains of the ritual is a simple announcement.
As accession to the throne follows abdication rather than death, there are no formal arrangements for mourning, and there is no hint of mourning attire. Indeed, the Queen appears to be in good health overall. Even though she had problems with her lower back (she recently had surgery), the queen seems to be progressing well. Margrethe, now 83 years old, ascended to her throne in 1972 after the death of her father Frederick IX. Many Danes and royal fans around the world expected her to continue on the same path, especially since she has vociferously rejected the possibility of her abdication in the past. Until her abdication this week, she was Europe’s longest-reigning monarch. It wasn’t until 2016 that the Queen was recorded saying, “It’s always been that way, and I’ll be there as long as I live.” That’s what my father and my predecessors did. And I see it that way too. ”The announcement of her abdication therefore came as something of an ambush for Danes and royal watchers alike. The question mark remains. Did her queen simply feel that she was a little older than she was? Was she hoping to breathe new life into her crown? Or was this a calculated move to dampen the unrest over the reports of Frederick’s infidelity?
