All eyes are on King Charles III and the heir to the British monarchy, Prince William, after Europe and the rest of the world woke up to the shocking news that Denmark will get a new king on January 14.
Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II appeared on live television for her traditional New Year’s Eve speech and announced her abdication from the throne.
Queen Margrethe, who is 83 years old, took the title of Europe’s longest-serving monarch after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
The Danish sovereign served her country and the century-old institution for 52 years, compared to Queen Elizabeth, who reigned for over 70 years.
During her emotional speech, Queen Margrethe confirmed that her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, would become king on January 14, 2024.
Along with the unexpected announcement, Queen Margrethe talked about certain health issues that she recently encountered.
She confessed: “The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future – whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation. I have decided that now is the right time. On January 14, 2024 – 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father – I will step down as queen of Denmark. I leave the throne to my son, Crown Prince Frederik.”
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a statement thanking the Queen for her years of service and dedication to the country and the Danish people.
She said: “It is still difficult to understand that the time has now come for a change of throne. Queen Margrethe is the epitome of Denmark, and throughout the years she has put words and feelings into who we are as a people and as a nation.”
Many are now looking at the British monarchy, wondering if King Charles, who will be 76 in 2024, will eventually step down like the Danish and Dutch Queens.
In 2013, just before her 75th birthday, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands abdicated the throne.
Sources close to Prince William revealed that he sees his father as a transitional king, and he has enormous power and influence as the next in line to sit on the throne.
However, one royal expert believes that King Charles and his oldest son have a deal in place — at the age of 80, he will abdicate.
Clive Irving, author of The Last Queen, made the following revelation to The Daily Express: “I think Charles feels it’s his duty to serve, having waited so long, but he also knows he is the oldest person ever to have been Coronated. I think the deal has been made that when Charles is 80, he will quit and hand over [to William]. And the extent to which he’s handing over stuff now is pretty clear. He knows that William is a much more appropriate face for the monarchy than he is.”
The question on everybody’s mind is King Charles next to step down from his throne.
