Margrethe II Margrethe II (; Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid, born 16 April 1940) is a member of the Danish royal family who reigned as Queen of Denmark from 14 January 1972 until her abdication on 14 January 2024. Having reigned for exactly ...

abdicated as

Queen of Denmark The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark was alrea ...

on 14 January 2024, the 52nd anniversary of her accession, being the first voluntary abdication of a Danish monarch since that of Eric III in 1146. Margrethe made the announcement of her abdication during her New Year's Eve address on 31 December 2023. On 14 January, Margrethe signed a declaration of her abdication during a meeting of the

Council of State A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...

, whereafter her elder son

Crown Prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

Frederik succeeded to the Danish throne as

King Frederik X Frederik X (Frederik André Henrik Christian, ; born 26 May 1968) is King of Denmark. He acceded to the throne following his mother's abdication in 2024. Frederik is the eldest son of Margrethe II and Prince Henrik. He was born during the ...

. Per Danish state custom, the prime minister of Denmark then proclaimed the accession of the new monarch from the balcony of

Christiansborg Palace Christiansborg Palace (, ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament (), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark. Also ...

Background

Margrethe had previously said she would never abdicate the throne. In an interview in 2012 to mark her

ruby jubilee A ruby jubilee marks a 40th anniversary. Ruby jubilees in recent history See also * Hierarchy of precious substances * List of longest-reigning monarchs * List of current reigning monarchs by length of reign * Wedding anniversary A wed ...

, she said she would "remain on the throne until he felloff" and added, "In my eyes, it's part of the position that you have when you inherit a monarchy: it is a task you have handed down to you, and that you keep as long as you live, the way

my father ''My Father'' () is a 2007 South Korean film. The film, which is based on a true story, is about an adopted son who is searching for his biological parents in South Korea. During his search he meets his real father, a condemned murderer on death r ...

did and my grandfather before him." She rejected the possibility of abdication in an interview in 2016: "In this country we haven't gone in for that way of handing over. It's always been: you stay as long as you live. That's what my father did and my predecessors. And the way I see it too." In another 2016 interview, she said that her son would become king when she is "no longer here". On 8 September 2022, following the death of her third cousin Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Margrethe became Europe's longest-reigning living monarch, the world's only

queen regnant A queen regnant (: queens regnant) is a female monarch, equivalent in rank, title and position to a king. She reigns ''suo jure'' (in her own right) over a realm known as a kingdom; as opposed to a queen consort, who is married to a reigning ...

, and the longest-serving incumbent female head of state. In an interview earlier that year, she said that Elizabeth had made an "enormous impression" on her: "The fact that she was dedicating her life. I understood what that meant. This is for life. That is the whole point of my life."

Announcement

On 31 December 2023, Margrethe made the surprise announcement of her abdication during her annual New Year's Eve address. She said that time had "taken its toll", and her number of ailments had increased, and she could not undertake as many duties as she managed in the past. She cited her extensive back surgery in February 2023, and said that the operation made her reassess her position and consider "whether now would be an appropriate time to pass on the responsibility to the next generation". Margrethe thanked the public for their "overwhelming warmth and support" over the years; the changing governments for their "rewarding collaboration"; and the parliament for "always vesting their confidence in me". She expressed her hope that the new king and queen will be met with the "same trust and devotion which have fallen to my lot". It is understood that, prior to the announcement, the only people aware of Margrethe's intention to abdicate were the Danish prime minister, her cousin

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is King of Sweden. Having reigned since 1973, he is the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history. Carl Gustaf was born during the reign of his paternal great-grandfather, K ...

, and a select few others. She informed her sons of her decision only three days before the announcement.

Abdication

There is no tradition of abdication in Denmark, and Margrethe's abdication was the first time in 878 years that a Danish monarch has voluntarily relinquished the throne; the only other to do so was King Eric III in 1146. Nevertheless, the Act of Succession of 1953 envisages that an abdication can take place, as section 6 of the Act stipulates that specific provisions which are based on the monarch's death also apply when the monarch abdicates the throne.

Ceremony at Christiansborg Palace

The abdication of Queen Margrethe II took place at

on 14 January 2024, the 52nd anniversary of her accession to the throne. At 13:35 (

CET CET or cet may refer to: Places * Cet, Albania * Cet, standard astronomical abbreviation for the constellation Cetus * Colchester Town railway station (National Rail code CET), in Colchester, England Arts, entertainment, and media * Comcast En ...

Crown Prince Frederik Frederik X (Frederik André Henrik Christian, ; born 26 May 1968) is King of Denmark. He acceded to the throne following his mother's abdication in 2024. Frederik is the eldest son of Margrethe II and Prince Henrik. He was born during the ...

, his wife Crown Princess Mary, and their children left Frederik VIII's Palace for Christiansborg Palace. Two minutes later, the Queen made the journey from her residence in Christian IX's Palace to Christiansborg Palace in the Golden Wedding Anniversary Coach. At 14:00, the Queen, Crown Prince Frederik, and Prince Christian participated in a meeting of the

, with the

cabinet ministers A cabinet in governing is a group of people with the constitutional or legal task to rule a country or state, or advise a head of state, usually from the executive branch. Their members are known as ministers and secretaries and they are ...

and the council of state secretary in attendance. The Queen signed the declaration of her abdication, upon which Frederik acceded the Danish throne as King Frederik X. Margrethe then gave up her seat and offered it to the new King, as the new heir apparent Crown Prince Christian took the seat to the right of the King. A visibly moved Margrethe said "" (God save the king) and left the Council Chamber. After the meeting, the former monarch returned to Christian IX's Palace in a motor car. At 14:30, the new King and Queen hosted a reception for specially invited guests. In a DR interview published in December of the same year, Danish prime minister

Mette Frederiksen Mette Frederiksen (; born 19 November 1977) is a Danish politician who has been the Prime Minister of Denmark, prime minister of Denmark since June 2019, and Social Democrats (Denmark)#Leaders of the Social Democrats, leader of the Social Democr ...

stated that every detail had been meticulously planned, except those three words: " is both a queen who abdicates, but also a mother who lifts herself from her chair, physically takes a step behind and stands looking at the king". At 15:00, Frederiksen proclaimed the new king from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace. According to Danish state custom, the Prime Minister proclaimed three times: "Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II has abdicated. Long live His Majesty King Frederik X!" This was followed by the traditional ninefold cheer from the crowd of 174,000 gathered at Christiansborg Palace Square to witness the proclamation. The King then made a speech and presented his royal motto: "" (United, committed, for the Kingdom of Denmark). After his speech, the King was joined on the balcony by his family, including the new Queen Mary and Crown Prince Christian. After the proclamation, gun salutes were fired from the Sixtus Battery on Holmen, Copenhagen. At

Amalienborg Amalienborg () is the official residence for the Danish royal family and is located in Copenhagen. Frederick VIII's palace complex has four identical Classical façades, effectively four palaces, with Rococo interiors, laid around an octagona ...

, the royal standard was lowered at Christian IX's Palace and raised at Frederik VIII's Palace to mark the King's accession. The King and Queen then returned from Christiansborg Palace to their residence in Amalienborg in the Golden Wedding Anniversary Coach, escorted by the

Guard Hussar Regiment The Guard Hussar Regiment () is a cavalry unit of the Royal Danish Army, whose primary task is to train the Guard Hussars for various functions in the mobilisation force. The Guard Hussar Regiment is one of two active cavalry regiments of the Da ...

's mounted squadron. After arriving at Amalienborg, the royal family appeared on the balcony of Frederik VIII's Palace. At 17:00, royal colours were transferred from Christian IX's Palace to Frederik VIII's Palace to mark the change of monarch. At the Yellow Palace, a book of congratulations was set up from 15:00 to 19:00, to allow the public to send greetings to the King. A congratulation list was also opened on the website of the Danish royal house. To mark the change of monarch, flags were flown from all state buildings and state ships throughout the

Danish Realm The Danish Realm, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply Denmark, is a sovereign state consisting of a collection of constituent territories united by the Constitution of Denmark, Constitutional Act, which applies to the entire territor ...

on 14 January 2024.

Changes in royal titles

Following his accession, Crown Prince Frederik has been styled as " HM The King", and Crown Princess Mary became "HM The Queen". The royal couple are henceforth known as the King and Queen of Denmark. Their son Christian, who became the heir apparent, is referred to as " HRH Crown Prince Christian". Queen Margrethe II retained the style "Her Majesty" and became known as "HM Queen Margrethe". She also became eligible to be installed as

regent In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...

in the event of the incapacity of the King and Crown Prince Christian. As regent, Margrethe can perform the duties of the head of state on certain occasions, such as during Frederik and Christian's stays abroad.

Commemorative events

On 15 January 2024, the King and Queen, and members of the royal family, attended the Danish Parliament's celebration of the King's accession. During a meeting in the Chamber, the Speaker and the Prime Minister delivered speeches, and later, the Prime Minister conveyed the message from the King to parliament. Afterwards, a reception was held in the former

Landstinget The Landsting () was the upper house of the Rigsdag, from 1849 until 1953, when the bicameral system was abolished in favour of unicameralism. The Landsting had powers equal to the Folketing, which made the two houses of parliament hard to dis ...

Chamber. On 21 January 2024, the royal family participated in a celebratory church service at

Aarhus Cathedral Aarhus Cathedral () is a cathedral in Aarhus, Denmark. It is the longest and tallest church in the country, at in length and in height. The construction of Aarhus Cathedral began in the 12th century and it is the main edifice of the diocese of ...

with representatives of Denmark and the City of

Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...

in attendance. The service was led by Royal Chaplain-in-Ordinary and Bishop of the

Diocese of Aarhus The Diocese of Aarhus (Danish language, Danish: ''Århus Stift'') is one of 10 dioceses in the Church of Denmark, with headquarters in the city of Aarhus. The diocese covers a large district of northeast Jutland and comprises 14 deanery, deanerie ...

Henrik Wigh-Poulsen. To mark the abdication,

Frederiksborg Castle Frederiksborg Castle () is a palatial complex in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for Christian IV of Denmark, King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway in the early 17th century, replacing an older castle acquired by Frederick II ...

hosted an exhibition of Queen Margrethe II's portraits, including the famous

silkscreen Screen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink (or dye) onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. A blade or squeegee is moved across the screen in a "flood stroke" ...

portrait by

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...

as part of his

Reigning Queens ''Reigning Queens'' is a 1985 series of Screen printing, silkscreen portraits by American artist Andy Warhol. The screen prints were presented as a portfolio of sixteen; four prints each of the four Queen regnant, queens regnant at the time. D ...

series. The

Danish Broadcasting Corporation DR (), officially the Danish Broadcasting Corporation in English, is a Danish public-service radio and television broadcasting company. Founded in 1925 as a public-service organization, it is Denmark's oldest and largest electronic media enter ...

and TV 2 teamed up to organise a tribute show for Queen Margrethe titled "" (Denmark's Queen – the greatest thanks), which was broadcast live from

Kongens Nytorv Kongens Nytorv (literal translation, lit. "The King's New Square") is a town square, public square in Copenhagen, Denmark, centrally located at the end of the Pedestrian zone, pedestrian street Strøget. The largest square of the city, it was l ...

on 12 January 2024. The Danish Broadcasting Corporation also produced the documentary "" (The Queen and the Prime Ministers – in complete confidence), which features interviews and archive material about the Queen's relationship with her nine Danish prime ministers.

Celebrations in Australia

Celebrations were particularly noted in Australia due to Crown Princess Mary, a native of

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, becoming the first Australian-born

queen consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but hi ...

of a European country upon her husband's accession as King of Denmark. Public buildings across Tasmania including the

Tasman Bridge The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge connecting the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, the Tasman was the longest prestressed con ...

, the Launceston Town Hall, and Devonport's paranaple convention centre were illuminated in the colours of the Danish flag on 14 January 2024. The

Tasmanian Government The Tasmanian Government is the executive branch of the Australian state of Tasmania. The leader of the party or coalition with the Confidence and supply, confidence of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, House of Assembly, the lower house of the ...

donated A$10,000 to

the Alannah and Madeline Foundation The Alannah & Madeline Foundation is an Australian charity which was launched on 30 April 1997."Our History"
. amf. ...

in honour of Queen Mary's international patronage. To mark Mary's elevation to Queen, Prime Minister

Anthony Albanese Anthony Norman Albanese ( or ; born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician serving as the 31st and current prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been the Leaders of the Australian Labor Party#Leader, leader of the Labor Party si ...

announced the federal government's donation of A$10,000 to Wildcare Tasmania to support the conservation of the

Tasmanian devil The Tasmanian devil (''Sarcophilus harrisii''; palawa kani: ''purinina'') is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It was formerly present across mainland Australia, but became extinct there around 3,500 years ago; it is now con ...

. A hand-made

Huon Pine ''Lagarostrobos franklinii'' is a species of conifer native to the wet southwestern corner of Tasmania, Australia. It is often known as the Huon pine or Macquarie pine, although it is actually a podocarp (Podocarpaceae), not a true pine (Pinacea ...

occasional table was also gifted by the Tasmanian Government to the King and Queen. Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds marked the occasion by planting a blue gum tree; with the

Lord Mayor of Copenhagen The lord mayor of Copenhagen () is the city's mayor and the leader of the Copenhagen City Council. Established in 1938, all lord mayors have since belonged to the Social Democratic Party. List {, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" , ...

planting a reciprocal tree in the Danish capital to honour "the enduring bond between the two cities". The

Premier of Tasmania The premier of Tasmania is the head of the Government of Tasmania, executive government in the Australian state of Tasmania. By convention, the leader of the party or political grouping which has majority support in the Tasmanian House of Assem ...

Jeremy Rockliff Jeremy Page Rockliff Tasmanian House of Assembly, MP (born 5 February 1970) is an Australian politician currently serving as the 47th premier of Tasmania. Rockliff's Premiership of Jeremy Rockliff, premiership began in 2022 following the resign ...

, said there was "always an open invitation" for Mary and Frederik to visit Tasmania. Books of congratulations were set up at

Government House Government House is the name of many of the official residences of governors-general, governors and lieutenant-governors in the Commonwealth and British Overseas Territories. The name is also used in some other countries. Government Houses in th ...

in Hobart from 15 to 19 January, to allow Tasmanians to congratulate the royal couple. In Tasmania, celebrations were held at Taroona Beach, while a high tea took place at the

Shot Tower A shot tower is a tower designed for the production of small-diameter shot balls by free fall of molten lead, which is then caught in a water basin. The shot is primarily used for projectiles in shotguns, and for ballast, radiation shielding, ...

Taroona Taroona is a major residential suburb approximately 15 minutes drive from the centre of Hobart, Tasmania on the scenic route between Hobart and Kingston. Although on the edges of the City of Hobart, Taroona is actually part of the municipality o ...

Parliament House Parliament House may refer to: Meeting places of parliament Australia * Parliament House, Canberra, Parliament of Australia * Parliament House, Adelaide, Parliament of South Australia * Parliament House, Brisbane, Parliament of Queensland * P ...

in Hobart flew the Danish flag on 14 January. In

Wollongong Wollongong ( ; Dharawal: ''Woolyungah'') is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language, meaning either 'five islands/clouds', 'ground near water' or 'sound ...

, south of

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, the Danish Club of Australia hosted Danish expats and their families for a picnic to mark the royal transition. In

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, people gathered at the Danish Club at Denmark House to celebrate.

Changes in the Royal House

Following the change of monarch, several adjustments were made in the management of the Royal House. Christian Schønau, chief of the court of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary, succeeded Kim Kristensen as Court Marshal of the Royal House of Denmark on 14 January 2024. On the same day, private secretary

Henning Fode Henning Fode (born 28 January 1948) is a Danish civil servant who served as the Private Secretary and Chamberlain to Margrethe II of Denmark from 2008 until her abdication in 2024. Prior to his appointment, Henning Fode served in a number of pos ...

resigned after 16 years in office. A new private secretary was not appointed as the required duties are to be carried out by the Court Marshal in the new reign. In the newly established "Court of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe", Kim Kristensen took office as chief of court. Lasse Harkjær, the Master of Ceremonies resigned on 1 March 2024 to take up the position of Chief of Staff in Queen Margrethe's Court. Harkjær was succeeded as the Master of Ceremonies by Anders Friis on 1 March 2024.

Other changes

All royal patronages and honorary positions held by Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary ended upon the change of monarch on 14 January 2024, with decision to be made later regarding which patronages would be continued or redistributed. In May 2024, it was announced that the royal patronages had been reduced to 140 from 258, considering the other duties of members of the royal family. The new selection was based on historical relationships as well as on the special focus areas and interests of the royal family. In this new arrangement, patronages would last five years, after which the organisation or association concerned can apply for an extension. This system allows the royal family to take on new patronages as society develops. All royal warrants ended upon the abdication, as they are given by the reigning monarch. Holders of royal warrants were able to continue to use the title "Purveyor to the Royal House of Denmark" until the warrant ended or one year after the abdication (14 January 2025), with decision to be made later on the future arrangements. In November 2024, it was announced by the Royal House that the royal warrant system would be phased out as it was "no longer in keeping with the times". Existing holders of the royal warrant were allowed to use the designation until 31 December 2029, following which it will no longer be possible to use the designation. Honorary titles, such as lady-in-waiting, chamberlain and master huntsman, were not affected by the change of monarch, and the same applied to already awarded orders and medals.

Reactions

Danish Realm

The news of Margrethe's abdication was described as a "surprise" and a "shock", as many people had expected her to remain on the throne until her death. Danish newspapers hailed the Queen for her 52 years of service, with the broadsheet ''Weekendavisen'' describing her speech as "personal and perfectly balanced" with "no drama, no unnecessary pathos ... an abdication that can only take place in Denmark." In a statement, Prime Minister

thanked the Queen for "her lifelong dedication and tireless efforts for the Kingdom" and described her as the "epitome of Denmark". In her New Year's address on 1 January 2024, Frederiksen spoke of the shock and disbelief felt by Danes the moment the Queen announced her abdication and said it was "as if time came to a standstill." She thanked the Queen for her years of service and said: Deputy Prime Minister

Troels Lund Poulsen Troels Lund Poulsen (born 30 March 1976) is a Danish politician, who is the Deputy Prime Minister of Denmark and leader of . He also serves as Minister of Defence. He previously served as Minister for the Environment from 2007 to 2010, Minist ...

noted that the Queen's decision to abdicate shows both her "wisdom" and the monarchy's "strength and durability for Denmark", and said that the new King "will be able to lead the Danish monarchy safely into a new era, where tradition and renewal will be able to follow each other." Speaker of the Folketing

Søren Gade Søren Gade Jensen (born 27 January 1963) is a Danish politician who has been list of speakers of the Folketing, Speaker of the Folketing since November 2022, representing the Liberalism, Liberal party, Venstre (Denmark), Venstre. He was a Liberal ...

thanked the Queen for "being a thoughtful and unifying person for the entire Danish kingdom", and said that "by adapting the royal house step by step", Margrethe "managed to renew the royal house as an institution." Other Danish politicians also paid tribute to the Queen, including Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Prime Minister

Lars Løkke Rasmussen Lars Løkke Rasmussen (; born 15 May 1964) is a Danish politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2022. He previously served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2015 to 2019. He was Leader of the Ve ...

, Leader of Liberal Alliance

Alex Vanopslagh Alex Dominique Kristensen Vanopslagh (born 17 October 1991) is a France, French-born Danes, Danish politician. He is a member of the Folketing, and party leader of the Liberal Alliance (Denmark), Liberal Alliance. He is a former chairman of its y ...

, Leader of the Social Liberal Party

Martin Lidegaard Martin Lidegaard (born 12 December 1966) is a Danish politician who has been the leader of the Danish Social Liberal Party, Social Liberal Party since 2022. He was the Foreign Minister of Denmark, foreign minister in the government of Prime Minist ...

, Leader of the Danish People's Party

Morten Messerschmidt Morten Messerschmidt (born 13 November 1980) is a Danish politician and since 2022 leader of the Danish People's Party. He was an elected Member of the Folketing at the 2019 Danish general election having previously served from 2005 to 2009. At ...

, Leader of the Conservative People's Party

Søren Pape Poulsen Søren Pape Poulsen (31 December 1971 – 2 March 2024) was a Danish politician who served as a member of the Folketing for the Conservative People's Party (Denmark), Danish Conservative Party and its leader from 2014 until his death. He was pre ...

, Leader of the Green Left

Pia Olsen Dyhr Pia Olsen Dyhr (born 30 November 1971) is a Danish politician and leader of The Green Left. She has been a member of the Folketing the 2007 general elections. Dyhr has served as Minister for Trade and Investment and later Minister of Transport ...

, Leader of New Right

Pernille Vermund Ann Pernille Vermund Bretton-Meyer (born 3 December 1975) is a Danish architect ( MAA) and politician, being a member of the Folketing since 2019. She is known for co-founding and being the leader of the national-conservative political party Ny ...

, Political spokesperson of the Red–Green Alliance

Pelle Dragsted Pelle Dragsted (born 13 April 1975) is a Danish author and politician who has been a member of the Folketing for the Red-Green Alliance since the 2022 Danish general election. He formerly served as member of the Folketing in 2015 to 2019. He has ...

, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen

Sophie Hæstorp Andersen Sophie Hæstorp Andersen (born 26 September 1974) is a Danish politician and the current Minister of Social Affairs. She was the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen from 1 January 2022 to 29 August 2024. She was the regional council chairperson of the Capi ...

, and Mayor of Aarhus Municipality

Jacob Bundsgaard Jacob Bundsgaard Johansen (born 28 February 1976) is a Danish politician and is the former Mayor of Aarhus Municipality. He is a member of the Danish Social Democrats. He took over after the former mayor Nicolai Wammen, who resigned as mayor to ...

Aksel V. Johannesen Aksel Vilhelmsson Johannesen (born 8 November 1972) is a Faroese lawyer and politician for the Social Democratic Party (Javnaðarflokkurin) and the current prime minister of the Faroe Islands. He previously served as prime minister from 2015 to ...

, prime minister of the Faroe Islands, hailed Margrethe as the "epitome of stability and majesty", and thanked the Queen for her "great work and faithfulness."

Múte Bourup Egede Múte Inequnaaluk Bourup Egede (; born 11 March 1987) is a Greenlandic politician who served as the 7th Prime Minister of Greenland from 2021 to 2025. He has also served as Chairman of the Inuit Ataqatigiit since December 2018, and a Member of t ...

, prime minister of Greenland, said that the Queen has been "liked and respected by many Greenlanders", and he thanked Margrethe "for her 52-year reign, dedication and commitment to Greenland".

Foreign

Several foreign leaders congratulated the new King and Queen following their accession on 14 January 2024.

References

External links

{{wikinews, Margrethe II, Queen of Denmark, announces abdication
H.M. Dronningens nytårstale 2023
.M. The Queen's New Year's Speech 2023on YouTube
Succession of the throne
at kongehuset.dk 2023 in politics 2024 in politics December 2023 in Denmark January 2024 in Denmark Monarchy of Denmark

Margrethe II