MARY AND FREDERIK STEP UP TO THE THRONE

Royal watchers believe that a devastated Queen Margrethe may consider scaling down her duties or abdicating in the wake of her husband’s death.

While there is no history of abdication in the Danish royal family, in recent years the monarchs of the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain have all stepped down.

Margrethe, who is 77 and has suffered from a bad back and the effects of heavy smoking, is looking increasingly frail.

‘The Queen has always said she wouldn’t abdicate, just like Queen Elizabeth, but now I’m not so sure. This could change things,’ royal reporter Lise Benson of Her & Nu magazine said.

Margrethe would also love to see Mary become queen.

‘There is no doubt Margrethe absolutely loves Mary and trusts her totally to be a great queen and to give Frederik fantastic support when he becomes king. She is convinced they are ready and willing to take over at any time and that could be the key.

‘The Queen is a pragmatist and will do what is best for her country,’ a senior courtier told New Idea.

‘After 45 years of hard service no-one could say she hasn’t fulfilled her duties to the best of her ability, so we shall see in the near future what she decides.’

The palace has announced Henrik’s ashes will be partly spread at sea and partly in the gardens of Fredensborg Palace. This comes after Henrik’s shock announcement that he didn’t want to be buried next to his wife, as he was never called king.

‘That means that he had not changed his mind,’ University lecturer Sebastian OldenJorgensen said of this announcement.

‘Whether the Queen will abdicate or not is a moot question, but of course, she now does not need to take consideration of him and that simplifies the situation. Maybe in a year or two? The Crown Prince turns 50 this summer and is as prepared as he will ever be.’