Although there won’t be a lavish coronation like the one we saw in London last year, the historic abdication of Queen Margrethe II and succession by King Frederik X in Denmark on Sunday will involve a carriage ride, gun salutes and balcony proclamations.
The exact plan for Sunday’s succession – a unique historical event given no Danish monarch has abdicated since the 12th century – has now been announced by the palace in Copenhagen.
READ ALSO: How will Denmark’s Queen Margrethe hand over the throne on January 14th?
A key element of the programme will be the new King Frederik's speech from the balcony at Christiansborg Palace.
That historic moment will follow closely from another one: the proclamation of the succession by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in keeping with Danish royal custom – also from the Christiansborg balcony.
The programme itself contains a certain element of symbolism. For example, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary will arrive at Christiansborg by car and leave (as king and queen) by carriage, while the opposite will be true for Queen Margrethe.
Sunday January 14th
1:35pm Crown Prince couple leave royal residence Amalienborg by car, along with Prince Christian. They will be driven to Christiansborg Palace along central Copenhagen streets and squares Frederiksgade, Bredgade, Kongens Nytorv, Holmens Kanal and Prins Jørgens Gård. You can see a map of the route here.
1:37pm Queen Margrethe leaves Amalienborg by carriage, escorted by the Guard Hussar Regiment’s (Gardehusarregimentet) horse squadron and along the same route as the crown prince couple.
2pm Council of State at Christiansborg, attended by Queen Margrethe, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Christian along with senior government officials. The succession takes place at the moment Queen Margrethe puts pen to paper to sign her abdication.
2:15pm Queen Margrethe leaves Christiansborg and returns to Amalienborg by car. You can see the route the Queen will take here.
3pm Proclamation from the balcony of Christiansborg. King Frederik X will step out onto the balcony at Christiansborg Palace, after which Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will proclaim the change of throne. King Frederik will speak and conclude with his chosen motto or valgsprog, a unique phrase or word chosen by the monarch to reflect their values or ideals.
3:10pm Salute of honour fired from the gun battery Sixtus at nearby Holmen. After the proclamation, 27 rounds are fired three times by Sixtus.
3:15pm The royal flag will be lowered and re-raised at Amalienborg, moving it from Christian IX's Palace to Frederik VIII's Palace to reflect the change of regent.
3:30pm The king and queen leave Christiansborg by carriage, escorted by Guard Hussar Regiment’s horse squadron to Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg. See the route here.
5pm The royal banners will be transferred from Christian IX's Palace to Frederik VIII's Palace.
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