King Frederik X and Queen Mary – a royal couple will soon sit on the throne in Denmark again. With the abdication, surprisingly announced in her New Year’s speech, Queen Margrethe II clears the way for her 55-year-old son and his 51-year-old wife Mary. The monarch plans to abdicate on January 14th – the 52nd anniversary of her accession to the throne.
The 83-year-old doesn’t have to worry about the future of the monarchy: according to a survey by the Danish broadcaster DR, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary are just as popular as Margrethe. Accordingly, more than 80 percent of Danes have a positive image of the soon-to-be royal couple.
The future royal wife, who was born Mary Donaldson in Tasmania, will be the first Australian to receive such a royal title, wrote the Australian broadcaster ABC. The head of government of Australia’s smallest state, Jeremy Rockliff, has already congratulated her on the title and praised her as a “wonderful ambassador for Tasmania”.
Will there be a coronation ceremony?
A pompous coronation ceremony like last year in Great Britain for King Charles III. There will not be, monarchy expert Cecilie Nielsen told broadcaster DR. “We don’t carry out coronations in Denmark. We have a proclamation, and it will be on January 14th that Crown Prince Frederik will be proclaimed king by the Prime Minister,” said she.
That should suit the nature of the heir to the throne: not standing out in the crowd, meeting people at eye level – that’s Frederik’s style. Despite his many public appearances, he was never a great speaker. For this he had to endure a lot of criticism from the Danish media in his younger years.
What role will the royal couple’s children play?
Of the soon-to-be royal couple’s four children, Christian (18), Isabella (16) and the twins Vincent and Josephine (12), the eldest in particular will experience a significant change. Prince Christian becomes crown prince when his father ascends to the throne.
He will also take on many official tasks and become a permanent member of the State Council, an advisory body to the Danish monarch, said monarchy expert Lars Hovbakke Sørensen to the Danish news agency Ritzau. This means that he becomes his father’s deputy and takes on the role of head of state when his father is abroad. Previously it was only intended that Christian should carry out his grandmother’s duties in exceptional cases.
Are the scandals a thing of the past?
As a young man, Frederik had a reputation as a party prince. Scandals, flirtations and a penchant for fast cars have been a recurring topic in the gossip columns in past decades. But since the mid-90s things have become quieter.
When he was spotted going out for the evening with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova in Madrid a few weeks ago, the tabloids were abuzz with speculation – but Frederik and Mary endured it stoically. The two have long been considered a dream team that cannot be easily disturbed.
Frederik gained recognition, among other things, for his sporting enthusiasm. He ran various marathons, completed an Ironman and has taken part in the Swedish cross-country skiing classic Wasalauf over 90 kilometers several times. In the military, in his mid-20s, he underwent the rigorous training to become a Navy combat swimmer. The Crown Prince also earned respect when he drove almost 2,800 kilometers through Greenland on a dog sled expedition in the freezing cold.
Where are the possible pitfalls?
The relationship with his younger brother Joachim (54) is no longer completely untroubled. The break between the brothers came when Queen Margrethe withdrew the titles of prince and princess from Joachim’s children – her grandchildren. Prince Joachim and his ex-wife, Countess Alexandra (59), then publicly displayed their hurt feelings, forcing the Queen and Crown Prince to react.
“It was emotionally very difficult for Frederik, especially since he has a close relationship with his brother. The two usually have good chemistry,” summed up royal family expert Marianne Singer from the magazine “Billed-Bladet” at the time. The matter does not develop into a real scandal. That would also be atypical for the otherwise rather inconspicuous and down-to-earth Danish royal family.
