This Sunday, Denmark will welcome a new king and queen: Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary.
The historic occasion, which follows Queen Margrethe's shocking abdication on New Year's Eve, will certainly be an exciting event for the nation – but it is likely to be a much scaled-down transfer of power compared to the elaborate coronation of King Charles in May.
The day starts around 1:35 p.m. Frederik, 55, and Mary, 51, drive in a car from Amalienborg to Christiansborg Palace with their son, Prince Christian.
Shortly afterwards Margrethe will follow and in a carriage from Christian IX's palace. depart.
On the way they both pass the towns of Frederiksgade, Bredgade, Kongens Nytorv, Holmenskanal and Prinz Jørgens Hof.
At 2 p.m. there will be a State Council meeting at Christiansborg Palace, which Margrethe, Frederik and Christian will attend together with the government and the State Council Secretary.
This is where the succession to the throne will take place as Her Majesty the Queen will sign a declaration of abdication.
Margrethe will then make her way back to Amalienborg, while Frederik and Mary will hold a celebratory reception for specially invited guests.
The couple will make a balcony appearance at Christiansborg Palace at 3 p.m. The Prime Minister will then announce the King's accession to the throne.
The newly crowned monarch will then speak and conclude with the motto.
There will then be an honorable cannon salute from the Sixtus Battery – a heritage site on Holmen in Copenhagen – and the royal standard will then be placed in the palace of Christian IX. (Margrethe's house) and raised again in Frederik VIII's palace, where the new king and queen are based.
Frederik and Mary take a carriage from Christiansborg Palace back to Amalienborg, escorted by a mounted squadron.
There will also be a transfer of the royal flags from the Palais of Christians IX at 5 p.m. to the palace of Frederick VIII.
This Sunday, Denmark will welcome a new king and queen: Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary. Pictured together in January
The historic occasion, which follows the surprise abdication of Queen Margrethe on New Year's Eve, is sure to be an exciting event for the nation
Prince Joachim, Frederik's younger brother, is reportedly set to appear, according to Hello! attend the event alone to support his sibling.
His wife, Princess Marie, and their two children, Count Henrik, 14, and Countess Athene von Monpezat, 11, will remain in Washington DC, where the family now lives, after Joachim was appointed defense industrial attaché at the Danish embassy.
A palace spokesman said: “Prince Joachim will be there, but the children are going to school, there is no particular reason,” adding that Queen Margrethe's youngest son will leave Denmark the next day to return to his home in the United States.
Tensions first emerged in the Danish royal family after the monarch decided to strip four of her grandchildren of their HRH titles in 2022. She then apologized for the timing of the announcement, but stood by the move.
Joachim had spoken out against his mother's decision in the following days, claiming that his two children, Counts Nikolai, 24, and Felix, 21 – born from his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg – as well as Henrik and Athene ” ” be damaged”.
Months later, the sixth in line to the throne admitted there was a “lack of communication” within the royal family ahead of the shocking announcement.
Joachim told local news agency BT: “There is a lot to do.” There was a lack of communication. Now we’ve gotten to know each other and are on the right track.”
The day starts around 1:35 p.m. Frederik, 55, and Mary, 51, drive in a car from Amalienborg to Christiansborg Palace with their son, Prince Christian
Prince Joachim, Frederik's younger brother, is reportedly set to appear, according to Hello! attend the event alone to support his sibling. In the picture: Counts Nikolai and Felix, Queen Margrethe, Princess Marie, Countess Athene, Prince Joachim and Count Henrik in April 2022
Shortly after his children's titles were stripped, Joachim claimed he was only informed about it five days before the news was made public.
After the Queen's announcement, Joachim spoke to the Danish publication Ekstra Bladet outside the Danish embassy in Paris, where he lived with his French-born wife Princess Marie and his two youngest children, and said his four children were “by their grandmother's decision” get hurt .
“I had five days' notice to tell them.” In May, I was presented with a plan that broadly suggested it would happen when each of the children were 25. Now I only had five days to tell them. “Athena turns eleven in January,” he clarified at the time.
Speaking to BT, Joachim and his second wife Marie also admitted that their relationship with Prince Frederik and Princess Mary was “complicated”.
Meanwhile, Joachim's ex-wife Alexandra said that her sons Nikolai and Felix had felt “excluded” from the institution and the decision had come as a “bolt from the blue”.
The Royal Household released another statement saying: “As the Queen explained yesterday, the decision has been a long time coming.”
“We understand there are a lot of emotions at stake at the moment, but we hope the Queen’s wish to future-proof the Royal Household is respected.”
These were turbulent years for the Danish royal family. Margarethe's resignation comes two months after photos emerged of Crown Prince Frederik enjoying an evening with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova in Madrid in October.
The rumors started when Prince Frederik was photographed spending an evening in Spain with his girlfriend Genoveva Casanova without his wife.
The family set off for a pre-Christmas holiday in Mary's native Australia and also visited New Zealand.
Ahead of the family's escape from New Zealand, Princess Mary published a cryptic post about loneliness and the need for positive human relationships before Christmas.
In the letter posted on the Mary Foundation website, the future queen reflected on the past year – and said she felt it was shorter than previous years.
“And so much has happened at the same time that it's impossible to put it all into words,” she continued.
In an excerpt posted on the Danish royal family's official Instagram account, there was speculation that the princess was using her foundation to hint at the affair rumors.
“We need each other if we want to be successful.” And that doesn’t just apply in the world of work and for those of us who fight against social isolation,” it says.
“This applies to all of us.” “People need people.”
The post and powerful words were featured alongside a beautiful image of the king in the snow.
She wore a purple jacket under a warm wool coat and smiled gently at the camera.
Princess Mary has shared a cryptic post about loneliness and the need for positive human relationships ahead of Christmas
Their trip came after rumors of the prince's affair with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova rocked the Danish royal household
“The Danish royal family is lucky to have you.” I hope your husband realizes that he has embarrassed you and his children immeasurably. “You'll make an amazing queen,” one fan commented.
Another wrote: “I think this is a sad year for Mary, her husband's (alleged) betrayal is public.” What a brave woman, she can handle anything. I just adore her.'
Some defended the royals and called for people to stop talking about the alleged affair.
There was speculation that Queen Margrethe's abdication was intended to save the marriage of her son and Princess Mary in the wake of the alleged “affair”.
Ms Casanova has denied allegations of a relationship with Frederik.
Royal commentator Phil Dampier told The Telegraph: “It is possible that the Queen took this action because she would have been fearful of the marriage breaking down and the royal family losing Mary. “It would have caused major problems.
“The Queen has always seen Mary as a tremendous asset.”
The prince and his Australian princess have been rocked by rumors of infidelity since November – putting their “fairytale romance” under scrutiny.