The Queen Margaret II of Denmark83 years old and the living monarch with the longest time on the throne, announced this Sunday that she will abdicate on January 14 in favor of the crown prince Frederickafter 52 years as head of state.
In his traditional televised New Year’s Eve speech, Margaret IIthe only woman at the head of a monarchy, explained that the back operation she underwent last February made her think about the future and “If the time had not come to leave the responsibility to the next generation”.
“I have decided that now is the right time. On January 14, 2024, 52 years after succeeding my dear father, I will cease to be the queen of Denmark”said Margaret II, who alluded to the “wear” of time since “one can no longer handle what one could before”.
In Denmark as in the other Nordic monarchies there is no tradition of abdicating, and it is common for monarchs to exhaust their mandate until death.
Margarita had always reiterated in public that she had no plans to abandon the throne and that the status of queen was “a lifelong duty”.
The first-born, 55 years old, will assume the throne on the same day of the abdication, after a Council of State, with the name of Frederick X.
“Tonight I want most of all to say thank you, thank you for the overwhelming support and warmth I have received over the years“, the monarch stated in her speech, who asked “the same trust and affection” for the future king and his wife, the princess mary.
The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksenthanked the queen in a statement for her “lifelong dedication and tireless work for Denmark”.
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A popular and artistically inclined queen
Margaret Alexandrine Thorhildur Ingridthe queen’s full name, enjoys wide popularity, has known how to stay out of major scandals and the ones she has had have been resolved naturally, including the serious setback that her husband, the prince henrywho died in 2018, refused to be buried in the royal pantheon in the Roskilde Cathedral.
Enrique, who had never hidden his dissatisfaction with his role and was the protagonist of several public rudenesses, caused a stir in August 2017 by accusing his wife in an interview of taking him for “silly”, while affirming his love for her, and announcing as a sign of protest his willingness to be cremated.
Less than a month later Real home He announced that the prince had dementia and was retiring from public life, and in February of the following year, Enrique died weeks after being hospitalized for a lung infection.
“It was his decision. He was a free person. And I respect it”Margarita said months later.
To her status as a discreet and close queen, Margarita adds another point in her favor: her artistic interests, which include everything from the sets and costumes of ballet, plays and even films; to the design of the monograms of the members of the Royal House or her love for painting.
And this prolific and long-lasting activity is appreciated in Denmark, especially for her status as a woman, despite the fact that renowned art critics have questioned the artistic quality of her paintings, which has not prevented prestigious museums from dedicating exhibitions to her.
The Danish monarch has also dared to illustrate “The Lord of the rings” of JRR Tolkien already translate into Danish “All men are mortal“, of Simone de Beauvoirand the trilogy about The fall of the Roman empire of Stig Stroemholmin addition to designing the scenery and costumes for a film on the platform Netflix.
Margaret II has two children, Frederick and Joaquin54 years old, and eight grandchildren.
