In a surprise announcement, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark said she will abdicate on January14 after more than half a century on the throne. File photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI | License Photo
In a surprise announcement, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark said she will abdicate on Jan. 14 after more than half a century on the throne.
“I will leave the throne to my son, Crown Prince Frederik,” the 83-year-old monarch announced during her televised annual New Year’s address on Sunday. Advertisement
Margrethe’s reign will end after more than 51 years, making her the longest-serving monarch in Danish history.
She said she made the tough decision to step down after she had back surgery earlier this year.
“The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future — whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation,” she said, adding: “I have decided that now is the right time.”
During the speech, Margrethe mentioned climate change as well as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
She thanked the Danish public for their support over five decades following her rise to the throne in 1972 after the death of her father King Frederik IX.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen thanked the queen for her lifelong service to the country. Advertisement
“On behalf of the entire population, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Her Majesty The Queen for her lifelong dedication and tireless efforts for the Kingdom,” Frederiksen said in a statement. “Queen Margrethe is the epitome of Denmark and throughout the years has put words and feelings into who we are as a people and as a nation.”
There will not be an official coronation ceremony for Crown Prince Frederik, who at 55 will be quietly installed as king, followed by an announcement from Amalienborg Castle in Copenhagen.
Margrethe remains popular in the country, with many Danes expressing surprise as they thought the queen would remain in power until her death.
The Danish royal family recently opted to reduce the number of royal members, causing a public dispute when the children of Frederik’s younger brother Prince Joachim lost their royal titles last year.
