With teary eyes, with his arm around Queen Mary’s waist and accompanied by his four children, the heir Christian, and the princes Elizabeth, Vincent and Josephine, Frederick X, the new king of Denmark, has begun his reign this year. Sunday, after Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaimed, from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace, with the required nine cheers at the beginning of a new stage in the history of Denmark. A kiss between Frederick and Mary has sealed the first public act of the new kings of Denmark.
The new King Frederick Frederick proclaimed his reign’s motto: “‘United, committed, for the Kingdom of Denmark”, after delivering the first speech of his reign.
The new king began by thanking his mother for her work: “Throughout half a century she has followed the times with our common heritage as a starting point. She will always be remembered as an unusual regent. My mother, like few others, has managed to become one with her kingdom. Today the throne passes. My hope is to become the king of the union of tomorrow.”
To continue assuming his commitment to the Danes: “It is a task that I have faced all my life…. a responsibility that I assume with respect, pride and great joy. I will strive to carry it out with your trust. I will need everything the support I can get from my beloved wife, from my family, from you and from that which is greater than us. I face the future with the certainty that I am not alone.” Next, Queen Mary came out to the balcony, then Christian, the new crown prince, who was joined by princes Isabel, Vicente and Josephine.
In the street, thousands of Danes have celebrated the new king, who has had to go out to the balcony several times, alone and in the company of Queen Mary, whom at the request of the citizens, he has kissed as he did on his wedding day, of which next month will be twenty years. An hour earlier, Queen Margaret II of Denmark (83) put an end to fifty-two years of reign, in a simple ceremony that lasted no more than ten minutes. Excited, dressed in a raspberry jacket suit, the only woman who until this Sunday wore a crown in Europe, signed the act of her abdication before the Council of State, which includes the new King Frederick (55) and the crown prince. , Christian (18). The event, which began at 2 p.m., was held behind closed doors and fifteen minutes later, Margarita, who will retain the honorary title of queen, said goodbye with “God save the King,” and left the room. where the ceremony was held.
Margaret, now honorary queen, who had arrived in Christiansborg by carriage, went in a Rolls Royce car to her residence in Amalienborg, from where, on television, she will follow the rest of the ceremonies that include the proclamation of Frederick balcony.
Outside, thousands of Danes, about 100,000 according to the Copenhagen police, have occupied the area from Amalienborg Palace, where Margaret, Frederick and Mary live, to Christiansborg Palace, where the ceremonies take place. Bundled up, given the low temperatures (2º and strong gusts of cold wind from the north), but enthusiastic, the citizens have shared this historic day in the streets, decorated for the occasion with flags and banners.
The new kings, followed by the next crown prince, began their path to the throne at 1:35 p.m. this Sunday, when they left their residence on two Rolls Royces, and escorted by motorized guards. Two minutes later, Queen Margaret’s entourage left for Christiansborg, making the journey for the last time in a historic carriage dating from 1892, pulled by six white horses and followed by a regiment of hussars of the royal guard. horse. Throughout the route, both delegations, one after the other, have received applause and cheers from the citizens.
The queen, the crown prince and Prince Christian, after arriving in Christianborg, went to the room where the Council of State was meeting, a formal institution, with mainly ceremonial functions, which is chaired by the monarch, and made up of members of the government and the crown prince. There, behind closed doors, the ceremony was held, in which Margarita signed the act that automatically makes Federico the new king. Subsequently, Danish television has offered images in which Margarita can be seen signing several pages of her abdication certificate, in the presence of Federico and Christian. Once signed, Margaret hands over the presidency of the council to her son, now formally King Frederick X, while the new heir, Christian, occupies her father’s position. Standing, he says goodbye with a “God save the King”; she leaves the room, closes the door and opens a new chapter in the history of Denmark.
Queen Margaret made the tour covered in a gray mink coat under which she wore a raspberry-colored suit jacket; Federico has worn a gala uniform and the new Prince Christian has a civilian suit, while the still Princess Mary has chosen a white dress, following in Letizia’s wake in the proclamation of Felipe VI.
After the signing of Queen Margaret’s act of abdication, the new kings, Frederick and Mary, offer a reception in Christiansborg, which is attended by the country’s leading authorities such as the prime minister, Mette Frederiksen; the president of the Danish Parliament, Søren Gade; representatives of the self-governing territories of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, as well as Prince Joachim of Denmark, the new king’s brother, and Jane Alison Donaldson, Queen Mary’s older sister.
