Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II, Europe’s longest-serving monarch, will abdicate on Jan. 14 after 52 years on the throne and will likely be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, she introduced on Sunday.
The 83-year-old queen, who ascended the throne in 1972, grew to become the longest-serving monarch in Europe following the dying of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth in September 2022.
The queen made the shock announcement on stay TV throughout her conventional New 12 months’s Eve speech, which is seen by many within the nation of 5.9 million individuals.
In February, she underwent profitable again surgical procedure.
“The surgical procedure naturally gave rise to fascinated about the long run — whether or not the time had come to go away the accountability to the following era,” she mentioned.
“I’ve determined that now’s the proper time. On 14 January 2024 — 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father — I’ll step down as queen of Denmark,” she mentioned. “I depart the throne to my son, Crown Prince Frederik.”
In Denmark, formal energy resides with the elected parliament and its authorities. The monarch is anticipated to remain above partisan politics, representing the nation with conventional duties starting from state visits to nationwide day celebrations.
‘Epitome of Denmark’
Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, thanked the queen for her dedication to obligation.
“It’s nonetheless obscure that the time has now come for a change of throne,” Frederiksen mentioned in an announcement, including that many Danes had by no means recognized one other monarch.
“Queen Margrethe is the epitome of Denmark and all through the years has put phrases and emotions into who we’re as a individuals and as a nation,” the prime minister mentioned.
Born in 1940, Margrethe has all through her life loved broad help from Danes, who’re keen on her tactful and but inventive character.
