Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II announces surprise abdication after 52 years on the throne in New Year’s Eve speech
THE Queen of Denmark today announced her plans to abdicate during her annual New Year's Eve speech.
Margrethe II, who is 83, is set to officially give up the throne on January 14.
She will have ruled as Denmark's monarch for 52 years by the time she steps down next month.
Margrethe is set to be followed by her eldest son, Prince Frederik, who is 55.
Frederik is married to Princess Mary, an Australian marketing consultant.
Since the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022, Margrethe became the world's longest-serving current female head of state.
Elizabeth II's death also made her the world's only current Queen regnant - a female monarch with the same ranking as a King in her own right.
Born in 1940, Margrethe only became heir to Denmark's throne in 1953 when the laws were changed to allow women to inherit the crown.
She was crowned on January 14 1972.
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