Denmark’s King Frederik X has taken over the throne after the abdication of his mother Queen Margrethe II who was the longest reigning monarch.
He waved to the thousands who gathered in the capital Copenhagen to witness the start of a new era, as the Queen was the only ruler they knew.
The handover took place at a cabinet meeting at Christiansborg Palace in the capital, when Margrethe signed a declaration of her abdication, and officially transferred power to her son.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen then publicly proclaimed the King’s accession from the balcony of the palace – a tradition in place since the constitution of 1849.
Frederik followed with a short speech, before being joined by his Australian-born wife Queen Mary, and their four children, including the Crown Prince Christian.
“Today the throne is passed on. My hope is to become a unifying king of tomorrow,” Frederik said. His mother, he said, “will be remembered forever as an extraordinary regent.”
“To be queen and king is a link in a more than thousand-year-long chain. When one steps aside, the next is standing at the ready. And the crown prince that now becomes our monarch is a king that we know, a king that we like, and a king that we trust,” she had said.
Britain’s King Charles III – who had his coronation last summer – was among the first to congratulate the new king and queen.
“I look forward to working with you on ensuring that the enduring bond between our countries, and our families, remains strong, and to working together with you on issues which matter so much for our countries and the wider world,” he said in his message.
