After 52 years on the throne, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced her abdication in the 2024 New Year. The Queen of Denmark will be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, Queen Margrethe became the longest-serving monarch in Europe, and is also the longest-sitting monarch in Denmark’s history.
Although formal power in Denmark lies within the elected parliament and its government, the monarch is still responsible for representing the country with state visits, support for philanthropic causes and national celebrations.
Here, WWD looks at Queen Margrethe II through the years.
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Queen Margrethe, 1954
Princess Margrethe, later Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (left) and Princess Beatrix, later Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, pose together at Gråsten Palace in Jutland, Denmark, on July 31, 1954.
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Queen Margrethe, 1958
Princess Margrethe of Denmark poses for an official photograph on March 26, 1958.
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Queen Margrethe, 1964
King Frederik IX of Denmark with his daughter Princess Margrethe at an exhibition in 1964.
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Queen Margrethe, 1965
Princess Margrethe of Denmark at home on her farm in South Copenhagen in 1965.
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Queen Margrethe, 1965
Princess Margrethe of Denmark at home on her farm in South Copenhagen in 1965.
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Queen Margrethe, 1965
Princess Margrethe of Denmark on May 2, 1965.
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Queen Margrethe, 1965
Princess Margrethe shows gentle affection to a stray cat who happened to wander the grounds of her farm, which is located in the northern part of Denmark, during one of her visits on Dec. 30, 1965.
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Queen Margrethe, 1965
Princess Margrethe of Denmark poses at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen in 1966.
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Queen Margrethe, 1968
Princess Margrethe of Denmark with her husband Prince Henrik at Marselisborg Palace in Aarhus in 1968.
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Queen Margrethe, 1968
Princess Margrethe of Denmark visiting the Danish Food Centre in Manchester in October 1968.
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Queen Margrethe, 1972
The first official photograph of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, daughter of King Frederik IX, after her accession to the throne, in 1972,
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Queen Margrethe, 1972
Queen Margrethe of Denmark with her husband Prince Henrik and their sons Joachim and Frederik at Marselisborg Palace in Aarhus in 1972.
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Queen Margrethe, 1973
Queen Margrethe of Denmark with her son Prince Frederik on holiday in Megene, France, in 1973.
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Queen Margrethe, 1974
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark during a visit to the U.K. on May 2, 1974.
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Queen Margrethe, 1980
Queen Margrethe of Denmark poses with her husband Henrik, Prince Consort, on her 40th birthday on June 16, 1980.
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Queen Margrethe, 1980
Queen Margrethe of Denmark poses on her 40th birthday on June 16, 1980.
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Queen Margrethe, 1980
Queen Margrethe of Denmark (right) waving as she rides in an open carriage with Queen Elizabeth II, on their way to Royal Ascot, England, on June 17, 1980.
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Queen Margrethe, 1980
Meeting with Denmark’s Royal family, Prince Henrik De Montpezat, Queen Margrethe of Denmark in 1980 at Chateau De Caix in southwestern France.
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Queen Margrethe, 1982
Portrait of Queen Margrethe of Denmark in 1982.
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Queen Margrethe, 1987
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark as she arrives to make a speech to the parliamentaries in the hemicycle of Strasbourg European Parliament on July 8, 1987.
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Queen Margrethe, 1998
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and Prince Henrik of Denmark attend a Dinner at The Royal Palace, in Amsterdam as part of The 60th Birthday Celebrations of Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, on Jan. 31, 1998, in Amsterdam.
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Queen Margrethe, 1998
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and Empress Michiko of Japan attend a State Banquet at Fredensborg Palace, during a three day State visit on June 2, 1998, in Fredensborg, Denmark.
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Queen Margrethe, 2003
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 2003.
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Queen Margrethe, 2011
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Sonja of Norway and King Harald of Norway exit following the marriage of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, in London.
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Queen Margrethe, 2012
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark arrives for the official reception to celebrate 40 years on the throne at City Hall on Jan. 14, 2012, in Copenhagen.
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Queen Margrethe, 2014
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark smiles during a visit to Brandenburg Gate on Sept. 10, 2014, in Berlin.
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Queen Margrethe, 2017
Queen Margrethe with her son Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark attending her 77th birthday celebrations on April 16, 2017, in Aarhus, Denmark.
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Queen Margrethe, 2017
Prince Harry meets with Queen Margrethe II on Oct. 25, 2017, in Copenhagen.
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Queen Margrethe, 2021
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark officially goes aboard the Royal Yacht Dannebrog in the Port of Copenhagen on May 4, 2021.
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Queen Margrethe, 2023
Queen Margrethe of Denmark attends a gala dinner at Christiansborg Palace on Nov. 6, 2023, in Copenhagen.