After a 52-year reign, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II is set to abdicate the throne

Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II made an unexpected announcement on Sunday (Dec 31), during a New Year’s Eve televised address, that she will abdicate the throne on January 14, transferring her duties to her son, Crown Prince Frederik. Citing her age and health concerns, the 83-year-old queen explained her decision to step down after a 52-year reign, making her Europe’s longest-serving monarch and the last reigning queen following the death of Britain’s Elizabeth II. She is recognized for modernizing the Danish monarchy during her tenure.

Reflecting on her long reign, Queen Margrethe II acknowledged the toll it takes over time, leading to her decision to pass on the responsibilities to the next generation. Despite previous statements that she would never abdicate, a back surgery in February prompted her to reconsider the timing of her retirement.

Queen Margrethe II is widely admired in Denmark for her artistic talents, contributing significantly to the nation’s cultural life. Historian Lars Hovebakke Sorensen attributes her popularity to her ability to unite the country through various challenges, including globalization, economic crises, and the pandemic, while remaining apolitical.

Born in 1940 to King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, Queen Margrethe II, a member of the House of Glücksburg, has been a prominent public figure in Denmark. Notably tall at six feet, she has often been seen casually strolling through Copenhagen with minimal security. She became the heir apparent in 1953 after a constitutional amendment allowed women to inherit the throne.

Apart from her royal duties, Queen Margrethe II is a linguist, designer, painter, costume and set designer, with significant contributions to the Royal Danish Ballet and Theatre. Educated at Cambridge and the Sorbonne in Paris, she is multilingual and has translated literary works, including collaborating with her late French-born husband, Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, on Simone de Beauvoir’s “All Men Are Mortal.”

Her artistic endeavors extend to illustrating books like a Danish edition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” and showcasing her paintings in museums and galleries both in Denmark and internationally.