Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, the longest-serving monarch in Europe, has announced that she will abdicate on January 14, 2024, marking the end of her 52-year reign. The 83-year-old queen revealed her decision during her New Year’s Eve speech on live TV, a tradition watched by many in Denmark.
The queen’s decision follows a successful back surgery in February, which led her to contemplate the future of the Danish monarchy. She expressed her desire to pass the responsibilities to the next generation, naming her son, Crown Prince Frederik, as her successor.
Becoming the longest-reigning monarch in Denmark’s history in July, Queen Margrethe II assumed the throne in 1972. She gained this title in Europe following the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
In Denmark, the monarchy’s role is largely ceremonial, with the elected parliament holding formal power. The monarch’s duties include representing the nation in various capacities, from state visits to national celebrations.
Queen Margrethe II, born to former monarch King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid in 1940, has been widely respected and supported by the Danish people for her balanced and creative approach. She became the heir to the throne in 1953, following a constitutional amendment allowing women to inherit the throne.
In 1967, she married French diplomat Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, who served as her consort until his passing in 2018. The couple has two sons, Crown Prince Frederik, the future King Frederik X, and Prince Joachim. Crown Prince Frederik has been married to Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, an Australian, since 2004. (NNT)
