The popular Queen Margaret II, Europe’s longest-living monarch, surprised Denmark on Sunday by announcing that he will abdicate the throne on January 14 to his son, Crown Prince Frederick.
“We had goosebumps, to say the least. It was a real surprise“Stefan Teichert, a 30-year-old citizen, told the AFP agency on Monday.
“We were all shocked. We were like, ‘What!? We canceled New Year’s Eve’”Maria Jepersen, 39, told AFP. “It’s like someone in the family died or something,” she added.
Daisy flower II83 years old, He has reigned Denmark for 52 years. She is currently the only female European monarch, after the death in September 2022 of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, who was her distant cousin, notes the AFP agency.
Queen Margaret II of Denmark delivers a New Year’s speech announcing her abdication from the throne. (Photo by Keld Navntoft / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP).
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Through the traditional televised speech on the occasion of the New Year, the queen made the unexpected announcement to the Danes. “On January 14, 2024, 52 years after succeeding my beloved father, I will resign as queen of Denmark. I will leave the throne to my son, the crown prince Frederick“, said.
52 years on the throne
Who is Margaret II? The queen of Denmark He was born in Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagenon April 16, 1940. She is the first-born daughter of King Frederick IX and of the queen ingrid. At birth he received the name Margrethe Alexandrine Thorhildur Ingrid Schleswig-Holstein Sonderburg-Glucksburg.
He has two sisters, the princess benedict and the princess anna mariamarried to Constantine of Greece, brother of the Queen Sofiawife of Juan Carlos I of Spain, states the EFE agency.
On June 5, 1953, when he was 13 years old, Margaret II She was proclaimed heir to the Crown thanks to a constitutional reform that repealed the Salic Law that excluded women from the throne, indicates EFE.
He acceded to the throne on January 14, 1972 after the death of King Frederick IX.becoming the second queen in the history of Denmarkafter Margaret I (1387-1412).
During her youth she worked as a dressmaker and set designer and in 1981 she translated the book “All Men Are Mortals” by the French intellectual into Danish. Simone de Beauvoir.
He also dedicated himself to drawing and in 2002 he illustrated a reissue of the well-known saga “The Lord of the rings”by JRR Tolkien.
As an archeology enthusiast, she participated in excavations in Italy, Egypt and Sudan and is a promoter of Queen Margaret II Archaeological Foundation.
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Queen Margrethe II of Denmark waves as she arrives aboard the royal yacht Dannebrog at the municipality of Aarhus, June 3, 2022. (Photo by Bo AMSTRUP / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP).
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The queen has a degree in Economics and Sociology from the London School of Economics (1965), he also studied Philosophy at the University of Copenhagen (1960), Archeology at the University of Cambridge (1961), Political Science at the University of Aarhus (1962) and Art at the Sorbonne in Paris (1963).
In addition to being queen, she is the supreme authority of the Church of Denmark and commander-in-chief of the Danish Armed Forces.
On June 10, 1967, she married the French diplomat Henri de LabordeCount of Montpezat, Prince Henry of Denmark, who died in 2017.
He marriagewhich had been known in London When he was secretary at the French embassy, he had two children: Crown Prince Frederick, born May 26, 1968; and Joaquinborn June 7, 1969.
Health problems
The queen He had assured on several occasions that he would not abdicate and that He would remain on the throne until his death. But now he said that his decision was due to health problems.
In February, she underwent surgery on her back that kept her away from public life until April, the AFP agency reported.
“The operation … gave rise to reflections on the future, on the question of whether it was time to transfer responsibilities to the next generation,” the queen said in her message on Sunday.
In a statement, the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksenreacted to what the queen announced: “Many of us have not met another monarch. Queen Margaret is the very embodiment of Denmark and, over the years, he has put words and feelings into who we are as a people and as a nation,” he said.
In 2022, when it was the 50th anniversary of his reign, historian Lars Hovebakke Sorensen told the AFP agency that Margaret II He was a very popular figure in Denmark, since “he is very unpolitical and unites the nation instead of dividing it.”
“She has managed to be a queen who kept the Danish nation united in a period of many changes: globalization, the culmination of a multicultural society, economic crises (…) and the covid-19 pandemic,” added Hovebakke Sorensen.
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Queen Margrethe of Denmark attends a gala dinner on the occasion of the 50th birthday of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark at Christiansborg Castle, on May 26, 2018. (EFE/EPA/HENNING BAGGER).
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Crown Prince Frederik and Queen Margaret II arrive at the opening of the parliamentary session at Christiansborg Castle, October 4, 2022. (Photo by Mads Claus Rasmussen / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP).
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The heir
Crown Prince Frederick55 years old, will be the new king of Denmark. The AFP agency highlighted that he has managed to cultivate a good image and has the sympathy of 80% of Danes, according to surveys.
EFE adds that the prince He is passionate about the fight against climate change and which embodies the image of a modern monarchy.
“When the time comes, I will take charge of the ship,” Frederick promised during the 50th anniversary of his mother’s reign.
Besides…
Other monarchs who have abdicated
-Emperor Akihito of Japan He gave his place to his son Naruhito on April 30, 2019. He spent 30 years on the throne.
–King Juan Carlos of Spain He abdicated on June 18, 2014 in favor of his son, who became King Felipe VI.
-Beatrice, Queen of the Netherlands since 1980, he renounced the throne on April 30, 2013 at the age of 75. He gave it to his son William Alexander. Before her, her mother Juliana also abdicated when she turned 71, as did her grandmother Guillermina in 1948, after 58 years on the throne.
-Albert II of Belgium He abdicated at age 79 on July 21, 2013.
-Grand Duke John of Luxembourg He abdicated in 2000 in favor of his son Enrique.
– Norodom Sihanouk from Cambodia He was king twice (1941-1955 and 1993-2004) and abdicated twice. The first time in favor of his father. The second time his son succeeded him.
-King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom He abdicated in December 1936 so he could marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. He was succeeded by his younger brother Albert, father of Elizabeth II, who was crowned George VI in May 1937.
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