Queen Margrethe’s abdication will make history as it will be the first time in 500 years that a Danish monarch has abdicated the throne.
The last monarch to abdicate was King Christian II in 1523; after attempting to bring radical changes to Denmark in favour of commoners, the nobility rose up against him and forced him to relinquish the throne to his uncle, King Frederick I.
However, it has been close to 900 years since a Danish monarch voluntarily relinquished the throne. This was King Erik III Lam in 1146 when he reportedly abdicated to enter a monastery.
Swedish royal reporter, Jenny Alexandersson, told Aftonbladet that Margrethe’s decision is remarkable.
“It’s a big deal. Perhaps mainly because Denmark does not have a tradition of regents abdicating. You are queen or king until the day you die,” she said.
In fact, Queen Margrethe had once said she would reign until death. In a 2016 interview with Belgian reporter Wim Dehandschutter, she said: “In this country, we haven’t gone in for that way of handing over. It’s always been: you stay as long as you live. That’s what my father did and my predecessors. And the way I see it too.”
🇩🇰 In my interview in 2016, Danish Queen Margrethe rejected the possibility of abdication:
“In this country we haven’t gone in for that way of handing over. It’s always been: you stay as long as you live. That’s what my father did and my predecessors. And the way I see it too.” pic.twitter.com/cZZX3D6SnD
— [Wim Dehandschutter] (@WDehandschutter) December 31, 2023
Queen Margrethe will abdicate on 14 January 2024. Crown Prince Frederik will become King Frederik X at that time.
Be the first to comment on "Queen Margrethe’s abdication makes history"