In her New Year speech, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced that she would abdicate the throne after 52 years. The announcement came as a surprise to the nation. She declared that she would step down on 14th January, which marks the 52nd anniversary of her accession. After her abdication, the throne will be passed on to her son, Crown Prince Frederik.

Queen Margrethe became queen on January 14, 1972, after her father, King Frederik IX, passed away. She will continue to hold the title Her Majesty.

During a speech from Christian IX’s Palace at Amalienborg, the Queen announced her decision to step down from the position of the Queen of Denmark. She stated that after 52 years of reigning, she had decided that the time was right. According to her announcement, on January 14, 2024, she will abdicate and pass on the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark with her sons, Crown Prince Frederik (seated) and Prince Joachim, and their respective wives, Crown Princess Mary (right) and Princess Marie.

Margrethe II is a highly admired public figure in Denmark. She is known for her warm personality and her skills in languages and design. She often walks the streets of Copenhagen without any security, which has won her the admiration of the Danish people.

She was an avid skier and also a member of a Danish women’s air force unit as a princess. She participated in judo courses and endurance tests in the snow. Even as she grew older, she remained tough and strong. In 2011, at 70, she visited Danish troops in southern Afghanistan wearing a military jumpsuit.

As a monarch, she traveled extensively throughout the country and frequently visited Greenland and the Faroe Islands, which are semi-autonomous territories within the Danish realm. She was greeted with enthusiastic crowds everywhere she went.