Denmark's Queen Margrethe II surprised the nation by announcing her abdication from the throne on January 14 in a New Year's address. After an impressive 52 years of reign, Europe's longest-serving monarch will hand over the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik, as reported by The Associated Press.

In a speech commemorating his mother's half-century on the throne in 2022, Prince Frederik expressed his commitment to guiding the ship when the time comes, pledging to follow in the footsteps of his chain-smoking mother, who had, in turn, followed her father's leadership in the thousand-year-old institution.

However, this measured assurance reflects a notable evolution from his earlier years. Gitte Redder, an expert on the Danish royal family, noted that while not strictly a rebel, Prince Frederik was initially uneasy with media attention and the awareness of his future role as king during his childhood and youth.

According to Redder, it was only in his mid-20s that Prince Frederik began to gain confidence, marking a significant transformation in his approach to his royal responsibilities.

His transformation began after graduating from Aarhus University in 1995, the first Danish royal with a university degree. While at Harvard under the pseudonym Frederik Henriksen, he paid tribute to his father, Prince Consort Henrik. Fluent in English, French, and German, Frederik matured through military training and notable feats, including serving in the navy's Frogmen Corps and a 2000 Greenland ski expedition.

In a live television address, the 83-year-old Queen Margrethe II announced her decision to pass the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik, expressing that her contemplation about the future intensified after undergoing back surgery in early 2023. She deemed it the right time to relinquish the responsibility to the next generation.

Expressing gratitude to the Danish public for their support, Queen Margrethe's decision was acknowledged by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Looking ahead to 2024, he shared that Crown Prince Frederik would be proclaimed king, with Crown Princess Mary assuming the role of queen.

Anticipating a new regent and royal couple, the prime minister expressed confidence in their readiness for the responsibility and the task. Queen Margrethe II is set to abdicate the throne on January 14, the same day she ascended to the role following the death of her father, King Frederick IX, at the age of 31 in 1972.

Image source: The Guardian