Queen Margrethe II, who has the longest reign in Danish history, is set to hand over the throne to her eldest son Frederick today, Sunday. Tens of thousands are expected to gather in the streets of Copenhagen to witness this historic event. The queen surprised the nation, which has a population of about six million, on New Year's Eve with her decision to abdicate the throne after 52 years as queen, becoming the first to do so in nearly 900 years. Crowds from all over Denmark are expected to fill the streets of Copenhagen, reflecting the royal family's significant popularity.
Crown Prince Frederick (55 years old) and his wife Mary (51 years old), who was born in Australia and will become queen, are scheduled to leave the royal palace at 12:35 PM GMT in a 1958 Rolls Royce. Queen Margrethe (83 years old) will follow a few minutes later in a horse-drawn carriage for her final tour as queen through the capital. Unlike in Britain, there will not be a coronation ceremony, but the formal installation will take place around 1:00 PM GMT, marking the moment when Queen Margrethe will sign the document of abdication.
This will occur during a meeting of the State Council in Parliament, attended by the government, Frederick, and his eldest son Christian (18 years old), the next heir to the throne. Approximately an hour later, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will announce the new king's installation from the parliament balcony, where Frederick will give a brief speech before taking the horse-drawn carriage back to the palace alongside his wife.
The new royal couple takes the throne at a time when the royal family enjoys considerable public support. Recent polls conducted after the queen announced her abdication show that 82% of Danes expect Frederick to succeed in his new role, while 86% have the same expectations for Mary.
