Meet Queen Margrethe II, the reigning monarch of Denmark who is abdicating the throne after 52 years

Queen Margrethe II, now 83, was born at Amalienborg, the official residence of the Danish royal family, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

She is the daughter of Frederik IX, the former king of Denmark, and Queen Ingrid, born Princess of Sweden. She has two siblings: Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, 77, and Princess Benedikte of Denmark, 79.

Margrethe rose to the throne at 31 after her father, King Frederik IX, died of complications from pneumonia.

Like the United Kingdom, Denmark has a constitutional monarchy that disallows monarchs and members of the royal family from participating in politics or independently performing political acts.

However, the queen must sign all acts of parliament after they have already been cosigned by a cabinet minister.

Margrethe became the longest-serving current head of state in Europe and the longest-serving current female head of state in the world after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.

She has reigned for 52 years.

Before they married, Henrik held the title of Henri Marie Jean André, Count of Laborde de Monpezat. The couple wed on June 10, 1967, in a 20-minute ceremony that followed Danish traditions.

When Margrethe became Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, her husband took on the title of Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark. However, he was open about the fact he preferred to be known as king consort.

"It is no secret that the prince for many years has been unhappy with his role and the title he has been awarded in the Danish monarchy," the Royal Danish House's director of communications, Lene Balleby, told the newspaper BT in 2017, The New York Times reported. "This discontent has grown more and more in recent years."

Henrik's discontent with his title and, for a period of time, lack of salary, was so great that he requested not to be buried alongside his wife following his death, The New York Times reported.

They were married for 50 years before he died on February 13, 2018, at the age of 83.

He was buried on February 20, 2018, at Fredensborg Palace, in Fredensborg, Denmark.

Queen Margrethe has two children: Crown Prince Frederik, 55, and Prince Joachim, 54.

In September 2022, Queen Margrethe announced that four of her grandchildren would have their prince and princess titles changed to count and countess, starting in January 2023.

According to a statement from the Danish royal household, the decision, which it said was similar to recent decisions made by other royal families, was made so the children could "shape their own lives to a much greater extent."

However, it reportedly created a rift with the children's father, her youngest son, Prince Joachim, who criticized its effect on his four children. The queen later apologized but did not reverse her decision.

"I have made my decision as Queen, mother, and grandmother, but, as a mother and grandmother, I have underestimated the extent to which much my younger son and his family feel affected," Margrethe said in a statement. "No one should be in doubt that my children, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren are my great joy and pride. I now hope that we as a family can find the peace to find our way through this situation."

The Danish royal household did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

"I have decided that now is the right time. On 14th January, 2024 — 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father — I will step down as Queen of Denmark. I will hand over the throne to my son, Crown Prince Frederik," Margrethe said in her annual New Year's speech on December 31, 2023.

"Such a long time does not pass unnoticed for anyone — not even me," she said. "Time wears, and ailments increase."

Earlier this year, Margrethe underwent "extensive" back surgery that "gave cause to thoughts about the future," she said, and "whether now would be an appropriate time to pass on the responsibility to the next generation."