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Yesterday officially marked the succession of the throne of the Kingdom of Denmark as Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II signed her abdication during the Council of State meeting.

His Majesty King Frederik X is now Denmark’s king.

It is always a great pleasure to have royal visitors attending the meetings in the Chamber, more especially today.

I shall therefore extend a cordial welcome to His Majesty King Frederik; Her Majesty Queen Mary; His Royal Highness Crown Prince Christian; Her Majesty Queen Margrethe; His Royal Highness Prince Joachim; and Her Royal Highness Princess Benedikte.

I likewise bid all our other guests a hearty welcome.

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When, on New Year’s eve, we learned about Queen Margrethe’s intention to step aside as monarch and entrust the throne to her eldest son, it was as if time stood still.

This announcement seemed unreal. We looked at one another. Did we hear right?

We realised that, by this abdication, we were witnessing an extraordinary historical event in Denmark. This last happened in this country several centuries ago. Those of us who are alive and aware today will always remember where we were on New Year’s eve in 2023 when we heard that Her Majesty Queen Margrethe would step down.

Most Danes have known no other regent. This is also one of the reasons why the succession has touched us all so deeply. Now, we must accustom ourselves to a new era.

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52 years ago yesterday, it was a queen dressed in black who was proclaimed queen from the Christiansborg balcony. 

Pictures from then depict a queen weighed down with grief. However, it was also a queen who – despite the gravity of the situation – appeared composed and prepared to take on the responsibility of her mission in life.

Upon her accession, Queen Margrethe had hopes that she would be successful in playing her part to the benefit of Denmark and the Danish people.

Where I come from, we use big words very sparingly. Thus, I would like to say – as we would in Jutland – that the Queen’s wish came through. This way, people from Jutland and, hopefully, everyone else will understand that Her Majesty Queen Margrethe has done splendidly.

The Queen has been a unifying factor to all Danes and a distinguished representative of Denmark on her official travels abroad.

I personally had the honour of being a part of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe’s entourage in connection with the Queen’s official visit to China in 2014.

I still remember this visit vividly. It was an exciting programme – but also a highly strenuous one. Those of us who had newer birth certificates gasped for breath, finding it difficult to keep in step.

But not the Queen! Despite the exertions, the Queen was highly committed, with great reserves of energy, up to the very last item of the programme. It was impressive to witness. This is what today’s young people mean when the say that someone has “got style”. 

Through her 52 years as regent, the Queen more than once made the Danes pause and reflect.

Observantly, the Queen has taken part in the lives of the Danes. She has taken an interest in her people. When she has considered it necessary, however, the Queen has not refrained from rebuking us.

Many will remember the 1984 new year's speech in which the Queen admonished the Danes for their lack of tolerance towards the foreigners among us. And, when the Corona pandemic was raging at its highest, the Queen reproached those who did not take precautions against infecting others.

”This is simply not good enough” were the words. Brief and to the point.

We are left with a sincere respect for the commitment which the Queen has put into her vocation. 

Queen Margrethe considered this vocation to be her fate. This may appear onerous. But we never experienced our queen to be subdued by the responsibility resting on her shoulders. The Queen cheerfully performed her representative duties and always displaying a keen interest.

Queen Margrethe has always displayed a particular love for the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Though both the Faroese and Greenlandic people live far from Denmark, they have always been close to the Quenn’s heart.

Queen Margrethe’s devotion to the Faroe Islands and Greenland was returned. And, in more than one sense, the Queen often experienced a whirlwind reception on her travels to the North Atlantic.  

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Her Majesty Queen Margrethe was not born to the throne. At her birth in 1940, only boy children could inherit the throne. 

Fortunately, this was changed. Introducing a so-called conditional female throne succession, the Danish law of succession of 1953 ensured that the Queen could succeed her father, King Frederik IX.

In 2009, the decisive step towards absolute equality was taken and, hence, the throne passes to the firstborn of the monarch, regardless of gender.

Her Majesty Queen Margrethe was not just a queen of her time, as she was just as much a queen at her time.

The Queen modernised the royal house, bringing the royal house closer to the Danes.

Not by way of upheaval. But step by step. Respecting the history and traditions of the monarchy.

The Danes may well be one of the most informal people in the world. We are straightforward. Respect for authorities is not exactly a matter of course to us. After all, we do live according to the principle of 'just who do you think you are?' (which we refer to as ‘the law of Jante’).

In Denmark, you are born royal. However, you will not be accepted as truly royal until you have earned it.

All those warm feelings pouring towards Queen Margrethe these last days represent an acknowledgement of considerable gratitude. And considerable appreciation. As we all know, both run far deeper than formal deference.

As the departing sovereign, Queen Margrethe can rejoice in passing on the throne to her eldest son at a time during which the Danish royal house enjoys such wide support throughout the kingdom.

The Queen concluded her last New Year's speech with a personal greeting to us all. I humbly express my sincere gratitude. On behalf of the Folketing and from the bottom of my heart, I take the liberty of wishing Her Majesty Queen Margrethe all the best.

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The Danes have had plenty of time to get to know their new king.

Many have followed the King since childhood, as a young person and a father and, also, through the national activities that have motivated and inspired a great number of Danes.

The then Crown Prince impressed the Danes when, in the company of five fellow travellers and 36 sledge dogs, the Crown Prince headed across the Greenland inland ice. A 3,500 km trip from Qaanaaq to Daneborg through uninhabited and icy polar regions. 

His Majesty King Frederik is well prepared for his new duty. The King holds an education in political science from Aarhus University – supplemented by a stay at Harvard University in USA.

Add to this, the King has received special training in the Danish Navy’s Frogman Corps. Being a former military man, I probably know better than most what it takes. To become a frogman is no mean feat – you must be endowed with particular strengths.

The title of frogman is not bestowed upon you just because you have blue blood running in your veins. It requires physical as well as mental stamina.

Just as his grandfather, our new King is a straightforward person, characterised by a warm humanity that makes it easy for the King to establish ties to the Danes.

As Minister of Defence, I have had the pleasure of visiting the Danish soldiers serving in Afghanistan together with the then Crown Prince. It was highly favoured among the soldiers to receive such a grand royal visit. The respect was further increased as the Crown Prince put up for the night on the same footing as the soldiers in the camps.

I am quite confident that King Frederik will be a good king to the entire Danish Realm. By his side, the King has an intelligent and popular wife, the Queen Mary.

The Danish monarchy is more than 1,000 years old, whereas the Danish democracy is of a more recent date.

Today we celebrate the accession of our new King in the most important hall of the Danish democracy, the Chamber.

This is evidence that the elected as well as the inherited power can go blissfully hand in hand. This is because both parties understand and respect such duties and areas of responsibility as they each perform and represent.

I congratulate His Majesty King Frederik X, wishing him all the happiness and strength as he follows in the footsteps of Queen Margrethe II.

I hereby give the floor to the Prime Minister.

[The Danish Prime Minister speaks]

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I propose that we give nine cheers for His Majesty, King Frederik X.

Long live the King! (followed by nine cheers of hurra)

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I will ask the assembly to remain seated after I have brought the meeting to a close in a little while. We have a festive surprise at the end of today’s session.

The next meeting of the Parliament will be held tomorrow, Tuesday 16 January 2024, at 1 p.m.

I refer to the agenda set out on the Parliament’s website.

The meeting is adjourned.

[Performance by the Danish National Girls' Choir].