When Queen Margrethe announced on New Year's Eve that she would be abdicating in two weeks' time, it surprised and shocked many around the world. Not only is Margrethe currently Europe's longest-reigning monarch, there hasn't been an abdication in Denmark in nearly 900 years. Plus, as recently as 2016, Margrethe said she would never abdicate, saying, "It's always been: you stay as long as you live. That's what my father did and my predecessors. And the way I see it too."
Soon after Margrethe's abdication announcement, speculation abounded as to why she changed her mind.
Why did Queen Margrethe abdicate?
The Queen herself linked it to her back surgery, saying, "the operation also gave rise to thinking about the future—whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation," many commentators were quick to point out the timing—specifically in the wake of the affair rumors surrounding Prince Frederik.
"It’s possible that the Queen took this action because she would have been terrified of the marriage breaking up and the royal family losing Mary. It would have caused major problems. The Queen has always seen Mary as a tremendous asset," Phil Dampier, who has reported on the Danish royal family for the last two decades, told the Telegraph.
Dampier continues, "It just seems an extraordinary coincidence that she should make this unexpected announcement just a couple of months after stories emerged of the Crown Prince supposedly having an affair. In two weeks' time, the Prince and Princess will be pitched together as King and Queen and they will have to get on with it. The Queen may be thinking that they will patch up their differences and it will save their marriage."
So, did Prince Frederik have an affair? Has there been other drama? Here's everything you need to know:
Spanish tabloids linked Prince Frederik to a Mexican socialite, Geneva Casanova.
In October 2023, the Crown Prince (soon-to-be King Frederik X) flew to Madrid for a private visit. At the same time, Princess Mary was in New York. While he was there, Spanish tabloid Lecturas photographed Frederik with Genoveva Casanova, a Mexican socialite, and alleged he spent the night at her apartment.
Soon after, Casanova denied all speculation of a romantic entanglement. "I flatly deny the statements that suggest a romantic relationship between Prince Frederick and me," she said, per Hola. "Any statement of this type is not only completely untrue but also distorts the facts in a malicious manner. This is already in the hands of my lawyers, who will take care of the pertinent steps to protect my right to honor, truth and privacy."
The Danish royal family has not commented on the rumors.
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There's also drama within the Danish royal family.
In 2022, Queen Margrethe announced her decision to remove prince and princess titles from four of her grandchildren (the children of her second son, Prince Joachim). "It is a consideration I have had for quite a long time," Margrethe said. "I think it will be good for them in their future."
The Danish Royal Court said in a statement, "With her decision, Her Majesty The Queen wishes to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves."
Yet, Prince Joachim and his ex-wife Countess Alexandra took to the press to express their displeasure at the decision. "I can say that my children are sad," the Prince said. "My kids don’t know which leg to stand on. What they should believe. Why should their identity be removed? Why must they be punished in that way?"
Prince Frederik and Princess Mary backed Margrethe's decision, with the Crown Prince saying, "I myself am interested in the Danish monarchy staying slim over time, so I therefore support my mother's decision."
Margrethe defended her decision months later, saying, "For me, it has been important that it should not be Frederik’s lot to make such a decision. It was better that it was me—because then it is the old woman who has decided it." Did this perhaps foreshadow her thinking about her abdication?
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Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
