Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II announces abdication in shocking move
Queen Margrethe II arrives for a State Banquet at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen. File / AFP
The queen announced during her New Year’s speech that she would abdicate on Jan.14th, which is the 52nd anniversary of her own accession to the throne at age 31 following the death of her father, King Frederik IX.
In her annual speech, she said: “The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future - whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation.
“I have decided that now is the right time. On 14 January 2024 – 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father – I will step down as queen of Denmark.”
In Denmark, the monarch is expected to stay above partisan politics, representing the nation with traditional duties ranging from state visits to national day celebrations.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen confirmed the decision in a news release that paid tribute to the 83-year-old monarch, offering a “heartfelt thank you to Her Majesty the Queen for her lifelong dedication and tireless efforts for the Kingdom.”
Born in 1940, Margrethe has throughout her life enjoyed broad support from Danes, who are fond of her tactful and yet creative personality.
As the eldest child of Denmark’s former monarch King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, she succeeded her father following his death.
In September 2022, she became the longest-serving in Europe following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Royal commentator Alistair Bruce gave his reaction to the announcement to Sky News. He said: “She has not been very well recently. She’s had trouble with back pain. She’s had some surgeries.
“And I think that there’s been a recognition that since her husband, Prince Henrik, died, there’s been a diminution in her energy levels and I think it’s probably something that it is probably something she has been planning for some time.”
The 6-foot-tall (1.82-meters-tall), chain-smoking Margrethe has been one of the most popular public figures in Denmark. She often walked the streets of Copenhagen virtually unescorted and won the admiration of Danes for her warm manners and for her talents as a linguist and designer.
The Independent / AP
