Mary and Fred set to rule as Queen Margrethe abdicates
With the Danish Queen’s husband stricken with dementia, Mary and Fred may soon take the throne
With Queen Margrethe of Denmark’s health hanging in the balance and news of her abdication imminent, it’s likely Australian Princess Mary and husband Prince Frederik will be taking the throne soon.
Last week, the 77-year-old Danish monarch was forced to pull out of a planned engagement in the UK after falling ill midway through the trip. And now, with the announcement that Margrethe’s husband, Prince Henrik, is suffering from dementia, royal expert Sebastian Olden-Jorgensen sensationally reveals that she could announce her abdication in her New Year’s speech.
Despite the fact that abdication isn’t a Danish tradition, Sebastian explains the Queen’s sudden bad health has forced her to do a U-turn on her previous decision to rule Denmark until her death.
‘After the news of her husband’s dementia, the situation has changed in the family and the otherwise very conscientious Queen will have a legitimate reason for changing her decision to be Queen until her death,’ Sebastian told Her & Nu.
The Danish Royal Court announced that Margrethe became unwell halfway through her trip to the UK earlier this month – she was due to attend a military event in the city of Canterbury – and despite insisting that the mystery ailment was not serious, the rest of the trip was cancelled, marking an unusual move for the usually stoic monarch. Earlier in the month, a statement was released on the royal family’s official website, confirming the news that Prince Henrik has been diagnosed with dementia. ‘It is with deep regret that Her Majesty The Queen has asked the Lord Chamberlain to announce [that] following a longer course of investigation, and most recently, a series of examinations conducted during late summer, a team of specialists at Rigshospitalet has now concluded that His Royal Highness Prince Henrik suffers from dementia,’ it read. With such stress on the Queen, it is no wonder she’s willing to give up her title.
‘It’s a tradition she will find hard to break, but the Danish people will probably approve of the change,’ continues Sebastian.
And it would appear that Mary and Frederik are more than ready to take on their new roles and responsibilities.
In a new interview with Danish publication Ud & Se, the 45-year-old mum-of-four appeared to hint at her upcoming role as Queen as she spoke about the transformation her life has undergone over the years.
‘We humans are good at adapting. But, of course, it’s pretty wild to be thinking of where I grew up and where I am today, sitting here talking with you. But because things happen one step at a time, they become possible to comprehend.’
Mary and Fred certainly have upped their royal duties lately. Just this month alone, Mary met with the Hungarian First Lady in Budapest, made a whirlwind appearance in New York to attend the UN General Assembly and held a business summit in Denmark. Meanwhile, Fred made a whistlestop tour of China.
It is also believed that Mary will meet with Prince Harry during his scheduled trip to Copenhagen in October.
‘The Queen has done the hard work for so many years, even though her sons are grown men and should be capable of helping her more. And that is just what will happen in the future,’ Sebastian predicts.
And with Margrethe needing more time to spend with her sick husband, all signs firmly point to Fred and Mary being crowned king and queen.
‘It’s pretty wild to be thinking of where I grew up and where I am today’