In the course of Le Monde's August 2018 interview with Queen Margrethe ll in her library at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen − just before French President Emmanuel Macron's official visit to Denmark − she said that she would never relinquish the throne. She has been queen since the age of 31, following the death of her father on January 14, 1972. Since then, however, she has undergone major back surgery (in February 2023) and had to give up smoking, leaving her exhausted. Not to mention all the quarrels with her youngest son, Prince Joachim, who was furious at seeing his children stripped of the titles of prince and princess in October 2022, a move intended to help modernize the institution by reducing the number of its members.

So it took everyone in Denmark by surprise when Margrethe took the opportunity during her traditional New Year's speech on December 31 to announce that she would be handing over the reins on January 14, 2024 − 52 years to the day after becoming queen − to her son, Crown Prince Frederik. In a press release, the royal court noted the unusual nature of this event: The last Danish monarch to have "voluntarily renounced the throne before his death" was King Erik III in 1146.

There will be no pompous coronation ceremony in Denmark as there was in England, just a simple "proclamation of succession." It will take place on the balcony of Christiansborg, the seat of the Danish parliament and government (well known to fans of the TV series Borgen), in the presence of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, a social democrat. King Frederik X, 55, will be flanked by his wife, Mary, 51, who will become queen, and their eldest son, 18-year-old Christian. The couple has three other children: Isabella, 16, and twins Vincent and Joséphine, 11.

According to Peter Thygesen, royal expert for the newspaper Politiken, the new sovereign will benefit from ideal circumstances for his inauguration. A poll conducted by Voxmeter and published on January 6 by news agency Ritzau has found that 82% of those questioned think he will make a good king and 86% feel that his wife Mary will be a good queen. Eight out of 10 Danes believe that Margrethe has made the right decision,and almost as many have declared their support for the monarchy.

The son is different from his mother: "Whereas she was a little distant, though popular, he is open, charming and approachable," said the journalist. It is expected that Frederik, an avid sportsman and fan of rock music, will bring a touch of modernity to the monarchy while Mary, ever-smiling and elegant, will add to its glamor.

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