Despite stepping down from the throne, Queen Margrethe II will still have her hands full following the January 14 ascension of King Frederik and Queen Mary.
Danish palace sources confirm to Woman’s Day that a big motivation for the monarch’s shock move is to mentor the crown’s new heir, Prince Christian.
Margrethe has high hopes for grandson Christian.
(Credit: Getty)While he’s only just turned 18, Christian has been a mainstay in the headlines in recent years – particularly surrounding his love-life.
Straight and narrow
Last year, sources confirmed to Woman’s Day that he was in fact growing close to Princess Maria Chiara of Bourbon Two Sicilies after the young pair spent the summer together.
It’s believed Margrethe is now eager to focus her attention on passing on her wealth of experience and knowledge of the royal job to Christian, one of her eight grandchildren.
Christian has been linked to Princess Maria.
(Credit: Instagram)Margrethe’s mission
“The last thing the family needs is another errant heir,” comments one palace sleuth, who maintains the sovereign “can now focus more of her attention on her grandson, while they both watch his father ascend to the throne”.
“Margrethe’s mission is to show Christian the realities of being a monarch, especially in a modern world where there is growing criticism of their power.”
As for finding a future queen, Christian will be under the watchful eye of his grandmother, with insiders confessing she has big expectations for the teenager to find the “right partner to share his life with”.
“She knows that expending energy on frivolous romances is only going to hurt him in the end,” the source continues.
While Margrethe will be stern, sources acknowledge that she brings about her mentorship with a great sense of understanding of the pressure hanging over an heir to the throne.
“Her Majesty was once a chain-smoking princess who liked to party back in the day, and her marriage was not without issues,” the insider says of Margrethe’s long union with Prince Henrik of Denmark, who died in 2018.
“She understands better than anyone how best to navigate public life,” adds the source, who says Christian and his grandmother share an unbreakable bond.
Margrethe with Queen Elizabeth in 2000.
(Credit: Getty)Farewell to the world’s last reigning queen
An artistic, flamboyant woman known for her former habit of smoking, her dislike of technology and being affectionately nicknamed “Daisy” by her loved ones, Queen Margrethe has made an incomparable mark on Denmark in her 52 years on the throne.
Margrethe’s abdication will be a sad farewell to the world’s last reigning queen, and the longest-serving current monarch in Europe. It’s the first time a Danish monarch has given up the throne since King Eric III in 1146.
Since taking the crown from her late father, King Frederik IX, in 1972, Margrethe has steadily become a beloved and popular figure in Denmark.
Last week, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen thanked the monarch for her “lifelong dedication” to her country, saying, “Queen Margrethe is the epitome of Denmark.”
Margrethe and Queen Elizabeth II were distant cousins and bonded over being the only remaining female sovereigns.
A decade ago, Margrethe described the British royal as “inspiring” and “very important to me.”
Proud parents Fred and Mary on their son’s 18th birthday.
(Credit: Getty)Mary’s first week
There’ll be no huge ceremony or grandeur when Prince Frederik and Princess Mary become King and Queen of Denmark, but their first week in the new roles will still be a whirlwind!
Unlike the lavish coronation of Britain’s King Charles, there will be no formal coronation for the Danes.
Instead, on January 14, Fred will be pronounced King Frederik X during a cabinet meeting, before the prime minister presents the new monarchs to the Danish people from a balcony at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen.
In the low-key ceremony, Mary will also commit to her new duties as the queen.
Alongside Her Majesty Queen Mary, it’s likely that the couple’s eldest son, Christian, will make an appearance under his new title – heir to the throne, His Royal Highness Prince Christian.
