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Danish Queen Margarethe II abdicates throne, her son Frederik X proclaimed king

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared 55-year-old man and Australian-born Princess Mary as King and Queen of state

Denmark's King Frederik X and Denmark's Queen Mary wave from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark Martin Meissner/AP Photo

Denmark's King Frederik X and Denmark's Queen Mary wave from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark

© Martin Meissner/AP Photo

STOCKHOLM, January 14. /TASS/. Denmark's longest reigning monarch, Queen Margrethe II, has officially stepped down after 52 years on the throne.

The 83-year-old queen signed the official declaration of her abdication in favor of her 55-year-old son, Prince Frederik, at the Christiansborg Palace.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared Frederik X and Australian-born Princess Mary King and Queen of Denmark.

Queen Margarethe II stunned the nation on the New Year’s eve when she announced her decision to abdicate. She is the first Danish monarch in nearly 900 year to voluntarily relinquish the throne.

Queen Margarethe’s II abdication violates the country’s centuries-long tradition when the ruling monarch leaves the throne only with his or her death. However, 81% of the country’s residents think that her decision is right and only four percent disagree with it.

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