Copenhagen witnessed a historic moment Sunday as Denmark celebrated the coronation of King Frederik X, ABC News reported.
Frederik X was proclaimed as the king of Denmark following the voluntary abdication of his mother, Queen Margrethe II. This event marked a rare occurrence in Danish history, with Margrethe being the first monarch in almost 900 years to step down voluntarily, according to ABC News.
The Danish monarchy, one of the world’s oldest, dating back to the 10th-century Viking ruler Gorm the Old, experienced its first succession in over fifty years not brought about by the death of a monarch. Despite its ancient lineage, the royal family’s role remains mostly ceremonial in modern times, the outlet reported. (RELATED: The New King Charles Penny Draws In The Most Brutal Joke Ever)
Denmark’s prime minister proclaims Frederik X as king after his mother, Queen Margrethe II, formally signed her abdication. https://t.co/ljmV4zhaW7
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 14, 2024
The abdication ceremony took place at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, a historic site that has long been the center of Danish power. Margrethe signed the official abdication documents in the presence of the government, symbolically passing the throne to her son. In a traditional and grand ceremony, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced Frederik’s ascension as king from the palace balcony, ABC News noted.
“My hope is to become a unifying king of tomorrow. It is a task I have approached all my life,” Frederik said in his speech, ABC News reported. “I want to return the trust I meet. I need trust from my beloved wife, you and that which is greater than us.”
The new king was later joined by his wife, the new Queen Mary, originally from Australia, and their four children, according to ABC News. The ceremony concluded with Frederik and Mary, dressed in a white gown with a sash, leaving Christiansborg Palace in a horse-drawn carriage amid the pealing of church bells, heading to their Amalienborg residence. There, they greeted the jubilant crowds, waving Denmark’s flag.