King Charles and Queen Camilla send 'very best wishes' to Denmark's new monarch
The King and Queen have sent their “very best wishes” to King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark on the day of their accession to the throne.
Charles wrote a message, shared by Buckingham Palace, in which he also paid tribute to “the many years of service” of Queen Margrethe II, Frederik’s mother and Europe’s longest-reigning monarch. She announced her abdication in a televised New Year address after describing how back surgery she underwent last year led to “thoughts about the future”.
Buckingham Palace said Charles has written privately to the 83-year-old, who stepped down on Sunday after a 52-year reign. Queen Margrethe signed her formal abdication at a meeting with the Danish government, making way for Frederik, 55, and his Australian-born wife Mary, 51, who is the daughter of Scottish immigrants.
Queen Margrethe signs a declaration of abdication next to Crown Prince Frederik and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)In his letter to Frederik and Mary, Charles wrote: “My wife joins me in writing to convey our very best wishes on the day of your accession to the throne of the Kingdom of Denmark. I look forward to working with you on ensuring that the enduring bond between our countries, and our families, remains strong, and to working together with you on issues which matter so much for our countries and the wider world.
“I pay tribute to the many years of service of your mother, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, and remember fondly the frequent visits between our countries, including our visit to Copenhagen and Elsinore in 2012. I was delighted that Your Majesties were able to attend our coronation last year and I much look forward to future opportunities to celebrate the close connection that unites our countries and our families.”
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Thousands gathered in downtown Copenhagen to see the royal procession (EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)Thousands of people gathered in downtown Copenhagen to witness a royal succession in one of the world's oldest monarchies. The royal guards' music band made their daily parade through downtown Copenhagen but wore red jackets, instead of their usual black, to mark major events.
Wearing a magenta outfit, Margrethe signed her abdication during a meeting with the Danish Cabinet at the Christiansborg Palace, a vast complex in Copenhagen that houses the Royal Reception Rooms and Royal Stables as well as the Danish Parliament, the prime minister’s office and the Supreme Court. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen next proclaimed Frederik king from the balcony of the palace before thousands of people — subjects of a kingdom where the trappings of royalty are mostly symbolic in today's modern era of constitutional democracy.
The Danish royal family wave to the crowd after a declaration of the King's accession to the throne from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace (Getty Images)Frederiksen read the proclamation three times, which is the tradition, as Frederik stood beside her wearing a ceremonial military uniform adorned with medals. He was then joined on the balcony by new Queen Mary and the couple's four children, and the crowd spontaneously sang the national anthem.
“My hope is to become a unifying king of tomorrow," Frederik said. “It is a task I have approached all my life.” 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 said.
Frederik then kissed Mary and another great cheer rose from the crowd. The abdication document was earlier presented to Margrethe as she sat at a massive table covered in red cloth around which royals and members of the Danish government were seated. Frederik sat beside her.
Danish King Frederik X and wife Queen Mary of Denmark kiss after their proclamation (WireImage)After signing it, Margrethe rose and gestured to Frederik to take her place. “God save the king,” she said as she left the room. The abdication leaves Denmark with two queens: Margrethe keeps her title, while Frederik’s Australian-born wife becomes Queen Mary. Frederik and Mary’s eldest son Christian, 18, has become crown prince and heir to the throne. Christian handed Margrethe her walking stick as she departed from her abdication ceremony.
Copenhagen resident Rene Jensen, wearing a replica of a royal robe and a bejeweled purple crown on his head, said he expects Frederik to be “a king for the nation, representing us everywhere.” The last time a Danish monarch voluntarily resigned was in 1146 when King Erik III Lam stepped down to enter a monastery. Margrethe will be abdicating on the same day she ascended the throne following the death of her father, King Frederik IX.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaims King Frederik X's accession to the throne from the balcony at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen (EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)Denmark’s monarchy traces its origins to 10th-century Viking king Gorm the Old, making it the oldest in Europe and one of the oldest in the world. Today the royal family’s duties are largely ceremonial.
Australians also turned out on the streets of Copenhagen to celebrate one of their own becoming queen. “I think it’s good that she’s not from royalty and has a normal Australian background. We can relate more to that because she’s from a middle-class background, and we are too,” said Judy Langtree, who made the long journey from Brisbane with her daughter to witness the royal event.
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