A shock might occur this New Year’s Eve when Her Majesty Queen Margrethe delivers her annual speech to Denmark. Royal expert Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen has claimed in an interview with Danish magazine Kendte that he thinks there are signs indicating The Queen is going to announce her abdication.
He said: “I think it is possible that The Queen will say she will abdicate. Next year, Crown Prince Frederik will be 50 years old. He is as ready as he can be to become King. Prince Henrik’s disease has just been announced, so it points in that direction.”
Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark. Photo: Mogens Engelund via Wikimedia Commons.
There is no doubt that Queen Margrethe will do what she regards as her duty to the country and her people. Her Majesty has stated several times in previous interviews that she does not intend to abdicate from the throne. The Queen has said she would not abdicate because this is a breach of tradition.
It is not rare for Danish media to speculate about a possible abdication. As recently as March this year there was great speculation about whether The Queen would abdicate when she hosted a mysterious dinner for the Danish government.
Her Majesty surrounded by her family waving to crowds on her 70th birthday in April 2010. From left to right: the Crown Princess, Prince Felix, the Crown Prince, Prince Christian, the Queen, Prince Nikolai, Prince Consort Henrik, Prince Joachim and Princess Isabella. Photo: Bill Ebbesen via Wikimedia Commons.
Queen Margrethe’s father, His Majesty King Frederick IX, died 14 January 1972. In the same moment Margrethe succeeded to the throne and become the first female Danish sovereign under the new Act of Succession. She was proclaimed Queen from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace 15 January 1972 by Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag. The Queen chose the motto: God’s help, the love of The People, Denmark’s strength.
In her first address to the people, Queen Margrethe said: “My beloved father, our King, is dead. The task that my father had carried for nearly 25 years is now resting on my shoulders. I pray to God to give me help and strength to carry the heavy heritage. May the trust that was given to my father also be granted to me”.
She never will that’s for sure!
I Love Her and I hope she stays!!
Queen Margrethe is intelligent enough to remain head of state. Abdication would be a strong break in Danish tradition.
Prince Henrik’s health is not good and unfortunately may worsen, but he will be well-taken care of.
Queen Margrethe will never abdicate. Other monarchs who did these last years were from countries where a tradition exists. That’s not the case in Denmark.
Crown Prince Frederik will only become King when ‘she is no longer there’ as Her Majesty answered some months ago to a journalist.
Could this be some kind of Royal pressure from Prince Frederick towards HRH’s aspirations to become a King before Queen Maregrette’s Reign is over?
Denmark has broken with tradition on many occasions starting with female succession in 1972 and with the marriages of Princess Margrethe to a commoner in 1967 to those of her sons in 1995 and 2004 respectively.
If she believes it is in the best interest for her to step aside in favour of her son and set precedent for future sovereigns in Denmark, I don’t think Danes would have any real objection. With longevity the way it is in the 21st century, to see her son have to wait until he is in his 60’s to fulfill his role as the Danish head of state seems impractical.
The decisions of the Sovereigns of Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain to abdicate I think is a trend of things to come because it just makes common sense – it isn’t necessary to die in office, so to speak.
Queen Juliana was asked many years ago, just months after she abdicated in favour of her daughter Beatrix if she regretted her decision and she replied “No, besides I look forward to seeing my daughter do well in the job as I thought I had done” – perhaps Margrethe might like to see the same 🙂
I often wonder if these types of “rumors” or speculation are actually leaks from the palace itself. Test the waters or let ideas float before an actual announcement to soften the blow. Like when the rumors started about the Japanese emperor is going to step down… turned out to be true! If a retirement is what she wants, I hope she gets to have one.