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ROYAL FAMILY

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaims Frederik X king of Denmark

With the words 'Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II has abdicated, long live His Majesty King Frederik X', Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Sunday afternoon proclaimed the new Danish regent in front of thousands in Copenhagen.

Published: 14 January 2024 15:44 CET
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaims Frederik X king of Denmark
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaims Frederik X as king of Denmark. Photo: Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix

To overwhelming cheers from a vast crowd, a clearly emotional King Frederik stepped on to the balcony at Christiansborg at 3pm after earlier being made regent by the abdication of his mother Margrethe II.

In accordance with Danish tradition, PM Frederiksen was next on to the balcony, giving a short speech in tribute of the outgoing queen before proclaiming the king three times.

King Frederik then gave a short speech of his own, in which he also thanked his mother for her contribution to Denmark during her 52 years on the throne.

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“She will always be remembered as a regent beyond the ordinary,” he said in reference to Queen Margrethe.

“My hope is to become a unifying king of tomorrow,” he added.

He ended the speech by revealing his personal motto as regent, also dictated by tradition.

The motto, Forbundne, forpligtet, for kongeriget Danmark, translates approximately to “Bound together, obliged, for the Kingdom of Denmark”.

He was then joined by Queen Mary and the royal couple’s four children: Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.

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CULTURE

Queen Margrethe to design set for ballet at Copenhagen Tivoli

Queen Margrethe may have abdicated as Denmark's monarch but she hasn't given up her side job as a set designer, returning to the role for a performance of Hans Christian Andersen's Blockhead Hans this summer.

Published: 11 March 2024 15:30 CET
Queen Margrethe to design set for ballet at Copenhagen Tivoli

A ballet baseed on the popular fairy tale, called Klods-Hans in Danish, will be performed this summer in the Pantomine Theatre at the Tivoli Gardens amusement park, which celebrates its 150th year in 2024. 

“There are so many possibilities in the fairy tale about Blockhead Hans, who is a person you can’t help but like, and that gives us many possibilities on stage,” Margrethe said in the press release issued by Tivoli. 

Queen Margrethe has previously designed the sets for six performances at the Pantomime Theater, including those for “Cinderella”, “The Tinder Box” and “The Swineheard”, all stories by Hans Christian Andersen. 

Margrethe has also helped to create the two critically acclaimed ballets at Tivoli’s Concert Hall, “The Nutcracker” and “The Snow Queen”, where she has created more than 100 costumes and numerous stage images.

“I have tried to make performances for the Pantomime Theater before and have a good feeling for what works well on the small stage. I am looking forward to getting started with that together with the other forces behind the show,” she said. 

Tobias Praetorius, choreographer and soloist at the Royal Ballet, is behind the choreography for the ballet performance. Conductor and TV host Phillip Faber has written the music.

“It has been exciting work to make the orchestra’s sound merge with Andersen’s story, Tobias’ thoughts and choreography and Queen Margrethe’s visual universe,” Faber said in the announcement.

Blockhead Hans will be performed approximately 30 times in Tivoli over the summer, with the premiere on June 22nd.

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