Denmark’s queen abdicates after 52 years on the throne

Denmark’s queen abdicates after 52 years on the throne

Good evening we begin with breaking news and Denmark’s Queen Margarita has made the surprise announcement in her new year address that she will abdicate she will step down on January the 14th and be succeeded by her eldest son Crown Prince Frederick the 83-year-old queen took over the throne in 1972 and is the

Longest serving Monarch in Europe following the death of Queen Elizabeth uh II now yesper steets European correspondent for TV2 in Denmark joins me now thank you very much for being with us and I just wonder first did this come as a surprise to the country it’s a complete shocker it’s a

Total surprise there was no indication in advance that she was going to now to announce this so uh so the nation is in shock so why do you think uh she’s made the decision well she’s 83 years old uh she said in her spe speech tonight that she

Had a major back surgery earlier this year she recuperated well um and and she’s doing fine uh but she says that uh you know when you are 83 of age uh you know you’re not able to do the same things as you were when you were younger

And uh so so I think she just found that the time was right that’s what she said in her new year speech that she thought the time was right to pass on the Baton to her oldest son Prince Frederick who’s 55 years of age so also and that’s the

Speculation in Denmark maybe also to give him the chance to become king to be become sovereign because he’s too old maybe that has also played into her decision so what will the country what will Denmark make of it do you think I mean there has been a fair bit of well

We um you know I suppose it goes with all royal families but a fair bit of drama well um it’s it’s uh unheard of that you advocate in Denmark she’s often been asked the queen has often been asked uh this question uh increasingly as she got older uh and especially after the queen

Of the Netherlands abdicated uh several years ago but Queen Margaret has always said that tradition in Denmark is that you stay until you’re not able to do your duties anymore because that is the family tradition and I I think we have to go back to I think the

1400s uh in Danish history to to find a similar situation so it’s just unheard of you stay on but but um she she’s also very aware that you know you you need to to keep the the monarchy modern you need to keep in line with the modern times uh

So I think that has also played into a consideration that it would maybe also be Unworthy of her to stay on until she’s 85 or 90 even though she was able to so the the the immediate reaction in Denmark is that it’s actually a very wise decision even though it’s a huge

Surprise right and how prepared do you think uh the Crown Prince is well he’s he’s prepared he’s been preparing since uh he turned 18 uh and his own son who will now become the new Crown Prince uh he his name is Christian he turned 18 earlier this year

And and from the age of 18 you basically start preparing taking taking over the throne so he has he’s been an apprentice for uh for over 30 years now uh and he is uh he’s well prepared his personality is very different to his mothers he he’s

Um he’s a a sports guy he doesn’t have the same same artistic interest as uh as she has he’s not as eloquent as uh and as she is so so there are huge expectations and and also a little bit of um you know people are are almost

Praying that he will do well because he he not have the same god-given Talent as his mother has had right is he popular yes but he’s very popular and I mean he’s almost my age and uh he’s very popular among the young people he’s done uh something extremely clever a couple

Of years ago he created this sporting event uh sporting event called royal run where he basically encourages uh people from all over Denmark to take part in a run you can run a mile you can run less you can run more but basically just to encourage people to exercise and use

Their talents uh on on the street or in the sporting field and that has become a huge popular success so in that respect he’s already uh shown that his trademark is going to be different from his mother’s right and just finally uh yes but how do the Danish people view their

Royal family I am I right in saying it’s sort of relatively modern royal family it’s fairly modern even though they keep their distance and that’s the balance that every royal family has to take that you know they they need to to keep their distance while also kind of

Acting and being like the rest of us but the royal family it’s is hugely popular there was a poll made just a few days ago that showed both the queen and the Crown Prince now to be the king uh they are all very popular which is kind of

Absurd in a country like Denmark where we pride pride ourselves of um not having a hard we we we think we’re all the same uh so so it is kind of absurd that the royal family has that status but that is very much thanks to the queen who’s now abdicating

Denmark’s queen has unexpectedly announced her abdication in her traditional New Year’s Eve speech.

Margrethe II will formally step down from the throne on 14 January.

That will be exactly 52 years to the day of her ascension to the throne in 1972.

The 83-year-old monarch will be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik – who will become Frederik X.

Full story: https://news.sky.com/story/denmarks-queen-margrethe-ii-unexpectedly-announces-abdication-in-new-years-eve-speech-13040139

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