Denmark Abdication/ Accession (2024) - Main Page

Following Prince Christian swearing allegiance to Monarch after 18th Birthday
Photo: Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset ©

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced during her New Year's Eve Speech (Dec 31st, 2023), that she will abdicate in favor of her son, Crown Prince Frederik. Queen Margrethe has had various health issues over the last few years. 

Queen Margrethe of Denmark will abdicate on January 14th, 2024. This date was chosen as it is her Accession Day, having become Queen exactly 52 years earlier after her father, Frederik IX's death. 

Denmark does not have a tradition of abdication. Queen Margrethe will become the first Danish monarch in almost 900 years to abdicate, and the 2nd in Denmark's history. (King Eric III Lamb of Denmark abdicated in 1146, at age ~25, after ruling for 9 years.)

The Denmark Constitution does allow for abdication per §6 of the Act of Succession, which simply says: 

The provisions of Sections 2-5 shall apply correspondingly in the case of the abdication of a King. 

[Provisions in Sections 2 through 5 lay out the normal succession rules.] 

Official Portraits

• Photos for media use Pre-Abdication/Accession
• Official Accession Photos
• Set 1 & 2
• Set 3
• Set 4

Press Releases/ Posts

• Announcement of Abdication 
• Press Release from Palace
• Press Release from Denmark Government
• History of Abdication
• Change in senior staff
• Titles
• Background on Succession to the Throne
• Patronages, Court Suppliers, Honorary titles, & Honors
• Patronage Review
• Timings for Events on Jan 14th
• Golden Wedding Anniversary Coach
• Tradition behind proclamation during an accession to the throne
• Congratulations List at Palace
• Crown Jewels
• Mottos of Monarchs
• Messages from Foreign Royals

Q&A:

We will be answering some questions here.

Schedule:

Sunday Dec 31st, 2023

• Announced Abdication during New Year's Eve Speech

Monday Jan 1st, 2024

• Annual New Year's Gala Banquet

Wednesday & Thursday Jan 3rd-4th

• New Year’s Receptions

Monday 8th 

• Hold Official Audiences

Wednesday 10th 

• Receive the new Ambassador of Ukraine H.E. Andrii Yanevskyi at Christian IX's Palace

Sunday, Jan 14th (Abdication/Accession Day)

• Various Events
• Detailed Schedule
• Accession Speech
• Live Streams
• DR1 (Danish) )****(Probably the best)****

Monday Jan 15th

• 10 AM
• Meeting at Parliament Chamber
• Speech by Prime Minister & Speaker of the Parliament 
• Letter by King Frederik
• Reception in former Upper Chamber
• Attending:
• King Frederik 
• Queen Mary
• Queen Margrethe
• Crown Prince Christian
• Prince Joachim
• Princess Benedikte
• “Royal Family”

Sunday Jan 21st

• 2PM
• Church service at Aarhus Cathedral
• Attending:
• King Frederik 
• Queen Mary
• Queen Margrethe 
• Princess Benedikte

Titles:

Royal	Old	New
Margrethe	HM The Queen/ Queen Margrethe II	HM Queen Margrethe
Frederik	HRH The Crown Prince/ Crown Prince Frederik	HM The King/ King Frederik X
Mary	HRH The Crown Princess/ Crown Princess Mary	HM The Queen/ Queen Mary
Christian	HRH Prince Christian	HRH The Crown Prince/ Crown Prince Christian
Other	Titles will not change