Denmark welcomed a new head of state this Sunday. Two weeks after her surprising resignation announcement, the longtime employee thanked Queen Margaret II officially and thus made room for his son Crown Prince Frederick. He is now King Frederick X at the head of the Kingdom of Denmark. His wife, who is from Australia Mary became queen of crown princess, the couple's eldest son, Christian princebecame the new crown prince.
We start at 2pm
In the afternoon, the abdicating Queen Margrethe II and Frederik left Amalienborg Palace for Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen – the monarch at 1:37 pm by carriage, the future monarch together with Maria and her son Christian two minutes earlier by car.
Queen Margrethe on her way to Christiansborg Palace
© Image: APA/AFP/Ritzau Scanpix/NIKOLAI LINARES
Frederik in his limousine
© Image: via Portal/RITZAU SCANPIX DENMARK
The change of throne was formally carried out in the early afternoon (from 2pm) at a government meeting in Copenhagen, where the world's longest-serving monarch signed a declaration of abdication before Margrethe returned to her palace at Amalienborg Palace, around 2:15 p.m.
Margrethe at the time of her abdication
© Image: EPA/MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN
At 3 pm, the new King Frederick X appeared on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace, after which the Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen officially proclaimed the change of throne. Frederik then gave a speech to the people – visibly moved. “My hope is to be a unifying king of tomorrow,” he said. He assumes responsibility with “respect, pride and great joy”. Finally his family came out to the balcony.
A new King Frederik X visibly moved.
© Image: Portal/WOLFGANG RATTAY
The first official portrait was also published:
A volley of gunfire followed in the harbor. At 3:30 pm, the new royal couple returned to Amalienborg Palace in a carriage – accompanied by countless excited Danes on the side of the road. It was the first voluntary abdication in the Danish kingdom in almost 900 years.
➤ Read more here: The royal family, part of Danish history since Viking times
Several hours before the change of throne, the first royal fans gathered in front of Christiansborg Palace to secure the best seats for the proclamation. It's impossible to say how crowded it will be later – that's why he arrived at the castle at 6am, said a Copenhagen resident.
A woman from Jutland in western Denmark said she wanted to be in front of the balcony when current Crown Prince Frederik was proclaimed the new king. Like others, she braced herself against the freezing temperatures with, among other things, a thick winter jacket and a hat. Others already had red and white Danish flags tied around their shoulders or crowns on their heads to welcome the new monarch later.
Since the death of the British Queen Elizabeth II In September 2022, Margrethe was considered the oldest monarch in the world. Since January 14, 1972, she has been at the head of her kingdom, which includes Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. A large part of the Danish, Greenlandic and Faroese population only knew her as head of state – until now.