Europe’s longest-reigning monarch Queen Margrethe II rode through Denmark’s capital in a gilded, horse-drawn coach as she concluded her final public New Year’s event before her abdication later this month.
Key points:
- Queen Margrethe travelled in the Gold Coach during the traditional New Year’s fete
- She will sign her formal abdication on January 14
- Prince Frederik and his Australian-born wife Princess Mary will become king and Queen of Denmark
Thousands braved the freezing temperatures, strong winds, snow and sleet to cheer the popular royal along the route on Thursday. She will step down on January 14 after 52 years on the throne.
The 83-year-old will hand the throne to her oldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, in the first such resignation in Europe’s oldest ruling monarchy in nearly 900 years.
Margrethe rode in the so-called Gold Coach—pulled by six white horses—which is used when the monarch travels from the royal residence at Amalienborg Palace to Christiansborg Palace during the traditional New Year’s fete. The event included officers from the armed forces and former Danish prime ministers Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Helle Thorning-Schmidt, among others.
She wore a fur coat and white gloves in the closed 19th-century coach, which is covered in 24-karat gold leaf and topped with four gilded crowns on its roof.
The carriage was escorted by members of the Hussar Regiment in blue uniforms with red jackets.
Five hours later, Margrethe left Christiansborg Palace in the coach to return to her residence at Amalienborg Palace.
Prince Frederik to take over
Earlier this week, the queen held a series of events to greet the Danish government, parliament, top civilian and military officials and foreign diplomats.
The Christiansborg Palace, which is used for official royal events such as gala banquets and public audiences, also houses the Danish parliament, the prime minister’s office and Denmark’s highest court. It is located a little over half a mile from Amalienborg.
The queen will sign her formal abdication on January 14 at a state council — a meeting with the Danish government — making Frederik, 55, and his Australian-born wife Mary, 51, king and queen of Denmark.
Although monarchs in several European countries have abdicated to allow younger royalty to take over, there is no such tradition in Denmark.
For years, Margrethe has insisted that she will not quit. However, her health has changed that. In her annual New Year televised address on December 31, she said back surgery in early 2023 led to “thoughts about the future” and when to pass on the responsibilities of the crown to her son.
“I have decided that now is the right time,” she said.
When she ascended the throne in 1972 after her late father, King Frederik IX, only 42 per cent of Danes supported the monarchy. The most recent survey shows that 84 per cent of Danes favour it to a high or some degree.
AP