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Denmark's Queen Margrethe II Announces the End of Her Long Reign. On December 31, Queen Margrethe of Denmark announced that she would abdicate her throne after 52 years. Associated Press reports that the queen stepping down will hand power over to her son, Crown Prince Frederik. Margrethe, Europe's longest-reigning living monarch, said in her New Year's speech that she would abdicate on January 14, the anniversary of her accession to the throne. The queen took the throne at the age of 31 after the death of her father, King Frederik IX. According to Margrethe, a back surgery that she underwent earlier in 2023 led to , “thoughts about the future.” Those thoughts revolved around the future of Denmark, including passing the crown over to her son. In response to the queen's announcement, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen offered a, “heartfelt thank you to Her Majesty the Queen for her lifelong dedication and tireless efforts for the Kingdom.” . "In the new year, Crown Prince Frederik will be proclaimed king. Crown Princess Mary will become queen. The kingdom will have a new regent and a new royal couple." "We can look forward to all of this in the knowledge that they are ready for the responsibility and the task.", Mette Frederiksen, Danish Prime Minister, via NPR. Crown Prince Frederik André Henrik Christian has been the heir to the Danish throne since his birth on May 26, 1968. THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT