Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II abdicating

In her New Year's Address, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II announced that she will step down as the Queen of Denmark on 14 January 2024 and hand over the throne to her son His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik. 

HM The Queen's 52-year reign is the longest by a monarch in Danish history. She took on the role of Queen at the age of 31 in 1972 when her father, HM King Frederik IX, passed away. Since then, HM The Queen has been a beloved anchor and a gathering figure for Denmark.

When HM The Queen abdicates at the Council of State on Sunday, 14 January 2024, it will be the first time in nearly 900 years that an abdication has taken place in Denmark, and it will be an extraordinary and historic event. 

On 14 January, HRH Crown Prince Frederik will become King Frederik X of Denmark and Denmark's Head of State.

Photo: Per Morten Abrahamsen ©