It’s been one whole year since Queen Margrethe of Denmark officially abdicated the throne.
It’s also been a year since the then-Crown Prince Frederik and Australia’s own Princess Mary became King and Queen.
To mark the momentous occasion, on January 14, 2024, Frederik and Mary participated in a Danish Royal Proclamation — similar to a coronation but much shorter and less opulent.
Here are our favourite moments from the coronation of King Frederik X and Queen Mary, one year on.
Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary, and HRH Prince Christian leaving Amalienborg
Despite the weather dipping below zero degrees, Danish royalists lined the streets to catch a glimpse of Prince Frederik and Princess Mary as they began their trip to Christiansborg Palace for the Danish Royal Proclamation.
The couple’s eldest child HRH Prince Christian accompanied them on their journey.
Queen Margrethe II riding in the historic Golden Wedding carriage
Queen Margrethe travelled to the Danish Royal Proclamation alone in a historically significant carriage. Called the ‘Golden Wedding’ carriage, the opulent piece was made at the end of the 19th century to mark the 50th wedding anniversary of King Christian IX and Queen Louise of Denmark.
The official abdication
HM The Queen, HRH The Crown Prince and HRH Prince Christian worked together with the Government and the Council of State to finalise Queen Margrethe’s abdication. During that time, Queen Margrethe signed a declaration of her abdication but the entire process was done behind the walls of the castle and away from cameras.
The King and Queen hug their respective siblings
The Danish palace shared behind-the-scenes footage from the historic day in January 2025, and in it the King can be seen hugging his brother Prince Joachim before stepping out onto the balcony of Christiansborg Palace.
There’s also a sweet clip of Mary hugging her older sister, Jane Stephens, before joining her husband on the balcony.
The new King stepped onto the balcony for the royal proclamation
Following the official abdication, a tearful King Frederik X stepped out onto the balcony of Christiansborg Palace.
His Majesty was visibly taking in the surreal moment of thousands of people beneath the balcony cheering for him.
The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, then gave an official speech proclaiming Frederik as King. And soon after, King Frederik stepped up to the podium to give a speech himself.
“My hope is to become an unifying king of tomorrow. It’s a task I’ve been waiting for all my life. It is a responsibility I take on with respect, pride and great joy. It is a deed I will take pains to carry out and carry through the position I have been entrusted with,” he said.
Queen Mary joins her husband on the Christiansborg Palace balcony
The newly crowned Queen Mary stepped onto the balcony to join her husband, King Frederik X, after his speech.
She looked radiant in a white Søren Le Schmidt dress that draped elegantly at the neck and prominently featured a brooch from the Danish Ruby Parure.
The couple’s four children — Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine — also joined them on the balcony.
The King and Queen ride in a carriage to Amalienborg
King Frederik and Queen Mary rode in a carriage through Copenhagen as they made their way back to Amalienborg following the royal proclamation.
They were all smiles as they waved to the thousands of royalists lining the streets.
