As Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II announces she will abdicate the throne after a 52-year reign, the country will face a new future under the rule of her scandal-hit son, Crown Prince Frederik.
Her Majesty’s eldest son has dominated the headlines in recent months after rumours the married father-of-four had an alleged ‘affair’ with a Mexican socialite after being spotted on a night out in Madrid in October.
Frederik, who with his wife Princess Mary for 23 years, was spotted enjoying an evening with Genoveva Casanova, during which they strolled in the park, went to an art exhibition and had a meal while watching flamenco.
While the Royal Household refused to comment on photos of the pair together, Genoveva issued a public statement denying any kind of romantic relationship and called the rumours ‘malicious’.
Despite the swirling rumours of the alleged ‘affair’, the 55-year-old Crown Prince and his n-born wife, 51, appeared loved up as they headed into Aarhus cathedral on Sunday, December 24.
Crown Prince Frederik will become King of Denmark in from January 14 as his mother Queen Margrethe II announces her abdication. Pictured: Frederik giving a speech at the Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen in September 2022
Married Frederik was subject to scandalous headlines after he was pictured having dinner with a Mexican socialite in Madrid in October. Pictured: Frederik and Genoveva Casanova in Madrid
From January 14 he will become the King of Denmark, while Mary will become Queen, as his mother steps down after more than five decades of rule.
Queen Margrethe made the shock announcement during her traditional New Year’s Eve speech, saying it was time ‘to leave the responsibility to the next generation’.
The abdication means Frederik and Mary’s eldest son Christian, 18, will become Crown Prince months after signing a formal promise to uphold the country’s constitution should he become king.
During his adulthood Crown Prince Frederik has completed a number of academic and military courses, attaining the rank of Major General in Denmark’s Army and Air Force, as well as Rear Admiral in its Navy.
He earned the nickname ‘Pingo’ after completing a Navy scuba diving course after his wetsuit filled up with water, forcing him to waddle like a penguin.
Frederik has been married to Princess Mary for 19 years, with their relationship often being dubbed a ‘real-life fairytale’.
The couple had met when Mary, then a 28-year-old marketing executive, struck up a conversation with Frederik at a pub in Sydney in 2000 and had no idea he was royalty.
The 32-year-old prince asked Mary for her number, and from their their romance blossomed into a beautiful marriage and feel-good story which has also produced four children.
However, in recent months Frederik has been subject to scandalous headlines and rumours alleging an ‘affair’.
In October photographs emerged showing Frederick enjoying a night out with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova in Madrid, sparking rumours about the Danish royal.
Photos of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Genoveva Casanova on a night out in Madrid without his wife Crown Princess Mary emerged in October. Pictures, taken throughout the day, showed the pair having a stroll around El Retiro Park
Lecturas claimed both Frederik and Genoveva went to her apartment building separately at around 7pm. Genoveva, dressed in jeans and a brown coat, is seen heading into her apartment building
The Crown Prince is pictured heading into Genoveva’s apartment building to change his clothes following a walk in the park at around 7pm
Frederik is seen leaving Genoveva’s apartment building before heading to dinner. He appears to have to have changed from a navy jacket and brown trousers into a white shirt and dark trousers with a smart dark jacket
The pair are seen outside the apartment in Madrid at around 9pm before heading out to dinner. Photos show Genoveva ditched her chic camel coat with a tie belt in favour of a white shirt, black wide-leg trousers and a black jacket worn on her shoulders
The pair appeared to head into a Flamenco show at the Corral de la Morería in Madrid. They are pictured outside the venue at around 1am. The magazine claimed the pair remained at their table, which had been flanked by two of the Danish Prince’s bodyguards, while other customers left, waiters finished up their shifts and the lights were being switched off
Lecturas claimed the pair did not emerge from the restaurant until 1am, when they walked out on to the street and got in a car. In a ‘gesture of courtesy’, Crown Prince Frederik opened the car door for his dinner companion
The pair are seen in their car home from the restaurant. Frederik appeared to have changed from a navy jacket and brown trousers into a white shirt and dark trousers with a smart dark jacket
Next day, the magazine claims the heir to the Danish throne was taken to the airport via car where he flew home to Denmark. Crown Prince Frederik Of Denmark is seen alone the next day
Crown Prince Frederik is seen heading off at 8.30am the next day in a black coat and trainers
Spanish magazine Lecturas reported that, during their night out, Frederik – who is a fourth cousin of King Charles – and Genoveva visited a Pablo Picasso exhibition, walked through El Retiro Park and later went out for dinner.
At around 7pm, Lecturas claimed both Frederik and Genoveva went to her apartment building separately, and both re-emerged at around 9pm, two hours later, both having changed their clothes into evening wear.
In the photos, Genoveva had ditched her chic camel coat with a tie belt in favour of a white shirt, black wide-leg trousers and a black jacket worn on her shoulders.
Meanwhile Frederik appeared to have changed from a navy jacket and brown trousers into a white shirt and dark trousers with a smart dark jacket. Again, they were reported to have emerged from the building separately, but got into the same white car.
The magazine claimed the pair watched a flamenco performance at a Spanish restaurant, El Corral de la Moreria, which finished at midnight.
It also claimed they remained at their table, which had been flanked by two of the Danish Prince’s bodyguards, while other customers left, waiters finished up their shifts and the lights were being switched off.
Lecturas claimed the pair did not emerge from the restaurant until 1am, when they walked out onto the street and got in a car.
In a ‘gesture of courtesy’, Lecturas reports Prince Frederik opened the car door for his dinner companion.
The next day, the magazine claims the heir to the Danish throne was taken to the airport via car where he flew home to Denmark.
Publication of the pictures in Lecturas led the divorcee Mexican socialite to issue a statement ‘categorically’ denying any suggestion the pair are romantically involved, branding it ‘malicious’ and untrue, according to Hola!.
Both Mary and Frederik (pictured together in Denmark) have not commented on the claims
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark (left) put on a brave display as she hosted Queen Letizia (right) of Spain and her husband on the third day of their state visit to Denmark, just hours after the photos emerged
Divorcee Genoveva Casanova – the former daughter-in-law of the billionaire Duchess of Alba – was pictured by a Spanish gossip magazine enjoying a day out with Frederik in Madrid
Then: A fresh-faced Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark drapes his arm around Tasmanian advertising executive Mary Donaldson in a photo believed to be taken shortly after their first meeting in 2000
Frederik and Mary married on May 14, 2004 at Copenhagen Cathedral, with the newly minted Crown Princess opting for a beautiful gown by Danish designer Uffer Frank and a veil first used by Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden in 1905
Married for 19 years and proud parents to four children (pictured together), the famously down-to-earth royals are adored by millions, with Mary poised to become the world’s first n-born queen
The socialite wrote: ‘I categorically deny the statements that suggest a romantic relationship between Prince Frederik and me.’
She added: ‘Any statement of this type not only completely lacks the truth but also misrepresents 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 honour, truth and privacy.’
The editor of Lecturas, Luis Pliego, claimed on Spanish TV station Telecinco, that Frederik’s visit to Madrid was ‘secret’.
Since the photos emerged, those in the know have claimed the pair are good friends who ‘meet several times a year,’.
‘They have a friendship. They know each other and have friends in common. They usually meet several times a year,’ Susanna Griso, who presents Spanish TV show Espejo Público, claimed.
Griso alleged Genoveva had become close to the heir to the Danish throne after they met on a high end mountain hunting trip.
The presenter explained: ‘These are exclusive meetings, where you have to pay a lot of money to attend.
‘All of the royals and children of the major families are there. The trips are organised mostly in Germany and Austria.’
On trips of this kind, usually in mountainous regions, guests pay thousands of Euros to be able to hunt European big game animals like red deer, Alpine Ibex, wild boar and mouflon wild sheep.
Griso added: ‘Her friends have told me that she is having a very bad time of it. She is in hiding right now and has turned off her mobile phone because she doesn’t want anyone to call her.’
The news broke amid a packed schedule of events for the royal couple during the state visit King Felipe of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia, and will no doubt have been viewed as an unwelcome distraction by Mary, who has scarcely put a foot wrong in her almost two decades as a working royal.
Frederik and Mary make their first official appearance together at the Tasmania Yacht Club ahead of the Dragon Boat World Championship on January 19, 2003
Despite the storm that has left European society agog, the Crown Prince and Princess both joined King Felipe of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia on the final day of their state visit to Denmark yesterday
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has been spotted holding hands with husband Prince Frederik while attending a Christmas Eve church service with their four children
Despite swirling rumours of the Prince’s alleged ‘affair’ that rocked the family, Mary and Frederik appeared loved up as they headed into Aarhus cathedral on Sunday, December 24
The royal couple were all smiles as they stepped out alongside Prince Christian, 18, Princess Isabella, 16, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, both 12
The popular royal family celebrated Christmas day at Marselisborg Castle with Frederik’s mother Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
Since the photos emerged Mary has remained tight-lipped about her husband’s dinner with the socialite, and the pair have put on a united display in public appearances.
However, during one instance after the publication of the photos, body language expert Judi James told FEMAIL that Mary looked ‘disengaged’ when joining the Spanish King and Queen in Copenhagen in November.
Her husband, meanwhile, appeared ‘hesitant’ towards his wife while on the outing with King Felipe and Queen Letizia during their visit to Denmark.
The couple put on a united front during an appearance at Aarhus cathedral on Christmas Eve alongside their children, before heading to Marselisborg Castle for Christmas Day with Queen Margrethe.
Mary looked stylish in a $1,400 floral Saloni maxi dress she paired with Aquazzura’s knee-high suede Gainsbourg 85 Boots, and smiled as she held Frederik’s hand.
The royal also kept cosy from the winter chill in a grey soft-drop coat and matching burgundy gloves.
She will become the world’s first n-born queen next month, and is popular with the Danish public due to her dedication to royal duty and her fluency in the language.
Chain-smoking Queen Margrethe, who is also famed for her flamboyant sense of style, will step down from the throne on January 14.
Margrethe II (below right) was third cousins with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, both descended from Queen Victoria
Like King Charles, Queen Margrethe wants a slimed-down Danish monarchy. But stripping some grand-children of their titles caused a furore and she apologised for the way it was done
In her broadcast today, Queen Margrethe II stated: ‘I have decided that now is the right time. On January 14, 2024, 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father, I will step down as Queen of Denmark.’
The Danish Queen (right) will be succeeded by her eldest son Crown Prince Frederik (centre) pictured with his n-born wife Crown Princess Mary
Margrethe II was the eldest of the three daughters of King Frederik IX of Denmark, and succeeded him to the throne in 1972
Queen Margrethe II (centre) pictured with her son Crown Prince Frederik (left), daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Mary (right) and their four children Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine
The 83-year-old queen, who took over the throne in 1972, is the longest-serving monarch in Europe following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
In February, she underwent a successful back surgery.
‘The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future – whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation,’ she said in her speech.
‘I have decided that now is the right time. On January 14, 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.’
In Denmark, formal power resides with the elected parliament and its government. The monarch is expected to stay above partisan politics, representing the nation with traditional duties ranging from state visits to national day celebrations.