A Guide to Abdication in the 21st Century
Queen Margrethe of Denmark joins a short list of kings and queens who have abdicated their thrones this century.
On New Year's Eve, Queen Margrethe surprised the world when she announced she would be abdicating in two weeks, passing the throne to her eldest son, Prince Frederik (who will soon reign as King Frederik X). When she abdicates, the Danish royal family notes, "it will be the first time in nearly 900 years that this has happened in Denmark."
But while abdication—giving up the throne—may be rare in Denmark, there are a few examples of abdication in the modern era that Margrethe could've looked towards, including Queen Beatrix (2013, the Netherlands), King Juan Carlos I (2014, Spain), and Emperor Akihito (2019, Japan). Here, a guide to abdication in the 21st century:
2024: Queen Margrethe of Denmark
Abdication date: January 14, 2024
Age at abdication: 83 years old
Length of reign: 52 years
Succeeded by: Her son, Prince Frederik, who will become King Frederik X
Queen Margrethe announced her plans to abdicate in her New Year's Eve address, saying, "I have decided that now is the right time. On 14 January 2024, 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father, I will step down as Queen of Denmark. I leave the throne to my son Crown Prince Frederik."
Pictured: Queen Margrethe delivers her New Year's speech, announcing her plans to abdicate in two weeks' time.
2019: Emperor Akihito of Japan
Abdication date: April 30, 2019
Age at abdication: 85 years old
Length of reign: 30 years
Succeeded by: His son, the now-Emperor Naruhito
Emperor Akihito became the first Japanese emperor to abdicate in nearly 200 years. "I am deeply grateful for the people that accepted me as a symbol and supported me," Emperor Akihito said upon his abdication. "I sincerely wish, together with the Empress, that the Reiwa era which begins tomorrow will be a stable and fruitful one. I pray, with all my heart, for peace and happiness for all the people in Japan and around the world."
Pictured: Emperor Akihito attends the abdication ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan.
2014: King Juan Carlos I of Spain
Abdication date: June 19, 2014
Age at abdication: 85 years old
Length of reign: 39 years
Succeeded by: His son, the now-King Felipe VI
The official reason given was age, but, it came after news of an affair, an elephant hunting safari, and a corruption investigation involving his son-in-law.
Read more: Juan Carlos I and the Spanish Royal Family's Game of Thrones
2013: King Albert II of Belgium
Abdication date: July 21, 2013
Age at abdication: 75 years old
Length of reign: 20 years
Succeeded by: His son, the now-King Philippe
"I realize that my age and my health are no longer allowing me to carry out my duties as I would like to," he said in his abdication announcement. "Prince Philippe is well prepared to succeed me."
Pictured: King Albert II in front of the Cathedral of St Michael and Saint Gudula prior to the Inauguration of King Philippe.
2013: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
Abdication date: April 30, 2013
Age at abdication: 75 years old
Length of reign: 33 years
Succeeded by: Her son, the now-King Willem Alexander
Queen Beatrix followed Dutch tradition, becoming the third monarch in a row to abdicate. (Her mother, Queen Juliana, abdicated on her 71st birthday, and her grandmother, Queen Wilhelmina abdicated at the age of 68.) She's now known as Princess Beatrix, and greeted crowds on the day of her abdication, saying, ""I am happy and grateful to introduce to you your new king, Willem-Alexander."
Pictured: Queen Beatrix and King Willem Alexander appear on the balcony of the Royal Palace to greet the public after her abdication and ahead of the Inauguration of King Willem Alexander.
2013: Emir Hamad bin Khalifa of Qatar
Abdication date: June 25, 2013
Age at abdication: 61 years old
Length of reign: 18 years
Succeeded by: His fourth son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani
He deposed his father in a bloodlesss coup in 1995, but the transition to power for his son was much smoother due to the abdication. Sheikh Hamad simply stated, "I declare that I will hand over the reins of power to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and I am fully certain that he is up to the responsibility, deserving the confidence, capable of shouldering the responsibility and fulfilling the mission."
Pictured: Sheikh Hamad days before announcing his abdiccation.
2006: King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan
Abdication date: December 14, 2006
Age at abdication: 50 years old
Length of reign: 34 years
Succeeded by: His eldest son, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
King Jigme Singye Wangchuck acceded to the Dragon throne when he was just 16 years old, and stepped down in favor of his 28-year-old son. "The crown prince has much to learn about the responsibilities that go with ruling the country," he said at the time. "I have decided to step down so that the new king will be able to gather experience before the parliamentary elections in 2008."
Pictured: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, left, and his father, former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck during a coronation celebration at the Chang-Lime-Thang stadium on November 8, 2008 in Thimphu
2004: King Nordom Sihanouk of Cambodia
Abdication date: October 7, 2004
Age at abdication: 81 years old
Length of reign: A little complicated—he reigned from 1941 to 1955, abdicated and was succeeded by his father. He then was prime minister, Chief of State, exiled, reinstated as king in 1993, then abdicated again in 2004. Technically, then, 24 years.
Succeeded by: His eldest son, King Norodom Sihamoni
Pictured: King Norodom Sihamoni (R) and his father, king Norodom Sihanouk (L) and Cambodian people at Phnom Penh airport.
2000: Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg
Abdication date: October 7, 2000
Age at abdication: 79 years old
Length of reign: 36 years
Succeeded by: His son, Grand Duke Henri
Grand Duke Jean took the Luxembourg throne after his mother, Grand Duchess Charlotte, abdicated in 1964. Decades later, he would abdicate in favor of his eldest son, Prince Henri.
Pictured: Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duke Henri on the balcony of the Grand Ducal Palace on the day of the abdication.
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.
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