[Politics] Frederick X, new king of Denmark

[Mr.Daniel]

Since he was three years old, he has been known as Crown Prince of Denmark, but this Sunday he left Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen as King Frederick X, sovereign of the oldest monarchy in Europe.

The royal transition in Denmark was triggered just a few weeks ago with Queen Margaret II's announcement on New Year's Eve, when she revealed her intention to abdicate in early 2024. The news that Frederick's hugely po[CENSORED]r mother, the world's only reigning queen, would abandon the throne shocked Danes throughout the country.

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Margaret had become Europe's longest-serving monarch after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. The couple had a reputation for being very close, and it was taken for granted that the Danish head of state, like her distant cousin, He considered his role to be a job for life.

However, it appears the 83-year-old monarch has changed her mind and will step aside exactly 52 years after ascending the throne. So who is the new king of Denmark and what kind of monarch will he be?

A rebellious teenager
Although the Danish monarchy dates back more than 1,000 years, its members currently have a limited role under the country's Constitution. The Danes are immensely proud of their royal family and the monarchs play an important ambassadorial role.

"It's extremely po[CENSORED]r. Polls show very convincing support from the Danish people," Birgitte Borup, culture editor for the Danish newspaper Berlingske, told CNN. "Queen Margaret is serving her the monarchy on a silver platter."

Borup said Frederick will be "a different kind of king," who is "down to earth and interested in sports, whereas his mother is more culturally distinguished." She added that “her main challenge from him might be his ability with words,” since he “is not known for his style in front of crowds.”

Born in 1968, Frederick is the first child of Margaret and her late husband, Prince Henry, who died in 2018. His given name was chosen in accordance with the Danish royal custom of the heir apparent being called Frederick or Christian. His only brother, Prince Joachim, was born in 1969.

Growing up in the public eye was not easy for the shy young prince. His primary education took place at Krebs' Skole, an elite private school in Copenhagen, and then he went to a boarding school in Normandy, France. Federico felt uncomfortable with the media attention and worried about his fate. In the early 90s, many saw him as a "party prince" with a penchant for fast cars.

His time at Aarhus University helped rehabilitate his reputation and in 1995 he became the first Danish royal to earn a master's degree. His political science studies included a year abroad at Harvard, where he enrolled under the pseudonym Frederik Henriksen, a nod to his father.