Queen Margrethe II of Denmark Officially Abdicates
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, 83, announced her abdication on New Year's Day due to health reasons, ending her 52-year reign and making her the first Danish monarch to abdicate on her own in nearly 900 years. More than 100,000 Danes witnessed the historic moment in the capital, Copenhagen, as the new king, Frederik X, assumed the throne on the 14th and ushered in a new era.
In front of a crowd of Danish people waving red and white flags in the cold, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen later proclaimed 55-year-old Frederiksen as the new king on the balcony of the Kriegsberg Palace, where the parliament and government are located. Frederik X said he wanted to be a king who would unite the future, "a responsibility I take on with respect, pride and happiness. He kept putting his hand over his heart as the crowd cheered.
King Frederik and Queen Mary, an Australian-born commoner, rode back to their residence in a horse-drawn carriage, where they were greeted by cheering crowds. Charlotte, a fan of the Danish royal family, said she was delighted to be a part of all the excitement and experience. After dark, Denmark celebrated with fireworks to mark the beginning of a new era.
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