How a queen’s abdication sparked a renewed love for the monarchy

Queen Margrethe II’s abdication has not only marked the end of an era, but has also proved to be a catalyst for renewed support for the monarchy in Denmark. And the new king is exactly what the nation needs.

A collective shockwave raged through Denmark on December 31st, 2023 at 6 pm. In the queen’s annual New Year’s speech, she announced that she would be abdicating and handing over the throne to her son the now king Frederik X. No one knew. No newspaper had picked up the rumor.

The loss of this historic figure, who for 52 years has been the head of many national traditions, has awoken a special kind of nostalgic feeling in the Danish population. Though, what many skeptics lately have been pointing out as an obvious opportunity to abolish the monarchy or at least downsize their influence and profoundness, has in my opinion been an event that has sparked the love for the royal family across generations.

But why?

First of all, because of the magic. We live in a routine-filled everyday life with only a few spectacular joys that get us out of our seats. The royal family doesn’t have actual power and can’t influence directly on the country’s politics. But if there’s one thing they can do, it’s add a bit of sparkle to our everyday lives. We experience this magic at large royal weddings or grand birthday parties, where guests turn up in extravagant gowns. Meanwhile, everyone watches on from tv, and the local bakeries mark the event with a new cake so everyone can take part in the celebrations. It transports us into another world and to a forgotten time you only experience in movies.

Last time we experienced it was at the proclamation of King Frederik X on January 14th, when a mere 600.000 people took to the streets of Copenhagen. While wearing plastic crowns and waving the Danish flag, people watched as the parade of The Royal Life Guards and the gold-plated wagons with the royal family rolled through the city. It really serves as an example of how the monarchy, despite fluctuating support throughout the years, manages to bring people together in unity.

Last time we experienced it was at the proclamation of King Frederik X on January 14th, when a mere 600.000 people took to the streets of Copenhagen. While wearing plastic crowns and waving the Danish flag, people watched as the parade of The Royal Life Guards and the gold-plated wagons with the royal family rolled through the city. It really serves as an example of how the monarchy, despite fluctuating support throughout the years, manages to bring people together in unity.

The abdication could have just as well led to a situation, where the monarchy would lose a big amount of support as the head of the institution would be gone leaving the country with a void. But in my opinion, it seems to have been a reason to both remember great moments and also to look forward for new and different times. After the initial shock of the queen’s abdication, people quickly turned their attention to the king-to-be, who many see as a more modern and grounded figure. King Frederik’s more modern outlook might very well be what is needed in the 21st century and what will please even the skeptics. His focus on young people’s struggles in school and online is well-received by many. And his Royal Run-initiatives always succeed to drag everyone out into the streets of Denmark to compete side by side with the king.

But is this just a brief rekindling of a romance that will soon fade?

I think this new chapter has a lot in store with a new king who has a different approach to reigning. Queen Margrethe’s abdication made us all collectively shed a tear as it marked the end of an era. But her son’s accession marks the beginning of a new period with a down to earth approach and focus on modern topics.