A page turns this Sunday in the history of Denmark with the accession of Frederik X who becomes king upon the abdication of his mother followed by his proclamation by the Prime Minister in front of several tens of thousands of people. “We traveled 3 and a half hours by train to come here” to Copenhagen, confided Mickael Mose, 65. “It’s a historic moment because she’s not dying, she’s not dead! », he enthuses.
Shortly after 1:30 p.m., the very popular Margrethe II, 83, will travel by carriage from Amalienborg Palace where she resides to Christiansborg Castle for a state council, where she will sign her act of abdication, a first in nine hundred years in the Scandinavian kingdom, the conclusion of a reign of more than half a century. She will then leave the council, in which the government, the new king, his wife and their eldest son Christian, new crown prince participate, freed from her role as monarch and head of state.
“The balcony is only for that”
Frederik X will then be introduced to his people by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, on the balcony of Christiansborg. “This balcony is only for that, the proclamation of the king by the Prime Minister,” says historian Lars Hovbakke Sørensen amusedly. “The last time, in 1972, there were more than 10,000 people on the square, we expect more this time” in the kingdom of nearly 6 million inhabitants.
According to the police, it is impossible to estimate exactly how many onlookers will gather in the hope of seeing the royal family, but hotels have been stormed and it is almost impossible to reach Copenhagen by public transport this weekend. “Many, many people will participate,” said Peter Dahl, a Copenhagen police official, adding that police officers will come from all over the country as reinforcements. “In my opinion, more than 100,000 people will be there.”
No throne
The day’s protocol broadly reflects Denmark’s tradition of succession. No foreign dignitary is invited, and the sovereign, who does not wear a crown, literally does not ascend a throne.
52 years ago, on January 14, 1972, Margrethe II became queen at the very moment of the death of her father, Frederik IX, and she abdicated on the exact day of the anniversary of her accession. “This day is therefore very symbolic”, underlines the royal correspondent of public television DR, Cecilie Nielsen, according to which Queen Margrethe perfectly controlled her exit. If the announcement of his withdrawal during his traditional televised greetings on December 31 came as a surprise – his own family was only informed three days previously – it was very quickly accepted. The Queen underwent major back surgery in 2023.
Few powers
More than 80% support her decision and the sovereign will keep her title and will still be able to represent the royal house during official ceremonies. The queen “believes that the crown prince is very ready to take over. And she perhaps wants to avoid a situation like in Great Britain where Prince Charles became King Charles at over 70 years old,” notes Lars Hovbakke Sørensen. Frederik, crown prince since the age of three, benefits from his own popularity and will impose his style on the Danish monarchy, which dates back to the Viking kings of the 10th century.
In Denmark, the role of the monarch, head of state, is mainly representative and ceremonial. However, he signs the laws and formally presides over the constitution of the government which he meets at regular intervals.