On Sunday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the accession of King Frederik X to the throne from the balcony of the Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, where he also appeared in front of the public for the first time as king.
Frederiksen thanked Queen Margrethe II for her service to the country.
“The Crown Prince will now be our king, we know him, love him and trust him,” the Prime Minister said.
She wished the new head of state all the best and, according to tradition, wished the king nine times for his health.
Then King Frederik X of Denmark delivered the first speech.
“My mother, Queen Margrethe, ruled Denmark for 52 years. She followed the times, but she took our common heritage as her starting point. Today she has left the throne, but I hope to be the king who unites the country of tomorrow. This is a responsibility I take on with respect, pride and great joy. I need all the support I can get from my beloved wife, my family, from you and from God,” he said.
This was preceded by the ceremony of Queen Margrethe II’s abdication, which she unexpectedly announced in her New Year’s speech on December 31.
Frederik is Margrethe’s eldest son. The title of Crown Prince of Denmark was passed to Frederik’s eldest son, Christian.
According to preliminary estimates by the Danish police, up to 100,000 people gathered in Copenhagen to celebrate the transfer of power.
In honor of the new king, a fireworks display will be held in the harbor of the Danish capital – three times 27 shots from four guns, and late in the evening a fireworks show will be organized in the Copenhagen amusement park Tivoli Gardens.
There is no coronation ceremony in the Danish tradition.
The Danish monarchy is the oldest in Europe, dating back to the tenth century.
