Queen Margaret of Denmark gave a surprise in her New Year's speech: after more than half a century on the throne, she announced her abdication to her eldest son, Prince Frederick. A ceremony that will take place next Sunday, January 14, and that will mark the history of the monarchy in the Nordic country, being the first time in 900 years that a king voluntarily withdraws from the institution.
This Sunday Margaret II will cease to be the sovereign with the longest reign in Europe. At 83 years old, and despite showing no signs of wanting to retire from her position, it seems that her health problems would have made him reconsider and bequeath her institutional duties to her son. Looking ahead to Sunday, the Danish royal house has already shared the first official photographs of the future kings and Prince Christian, who will become first in line to the throne.
"I have decided that now is the right time," communicated the current Danish sovereign, announcing her son's abdication, a decision of which she did not inform the Danish Prime Minister either. Apparently, the back surgery she underwent almost a year ago would have made her rethink her future as an active member of the institution.
The popularity of Queen Margaret II in the country will be difficult to match for her son, who for years has been considered one of the most wayward members of the Danish royal family due to his love affairs, to the point that Parliament itself came to debate whether he was suitable to succeed his mother to the throne in 1992.
Years of scandals and controversies that seemed to end with the arrival of the Australian Mary Donaldson, who this Sunday will become queen consort. Together with her, the crown prince formed a family, with her four children.
In the images, both appear together. Prince Frederick dressed in a military uniform, while Princess Mary wears a spectacular blue dress signed by Lasse Spangenberg. The royal touch is given by a beautiful ruby tiara, a headdress designed before the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte.
The photograph of Margarita II shows her with a much more serene gesture. With a thoughtful look, the current sovereign wears the Poiré Pearl Tiara, her favorite. Crown Prince Christian, for his part, poses alone for the first time. He does so wearing the Order of the Elephant sash, the highest Danish symbol.
