Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, 83, announced her abdication live on television during her New Year's speech. The monarch, who has reigned for 52 years, will give way to her son, Prince Frederick, 55, who will become king on January 14.
The news is especially shocking not only in Denmark but in Spain, after the colossal scandal that occurred in our country and outside our borders after the compromising photographs of the Danish heir in Madrid and in the company of the Mexican came to light. Genoveva Casanova. The ex-wife of Cayetano Martínez de Irujo and the prince, married to Mary Donaldson, They met in the capital in October, had dinner alone and the future king of Denmark spent the night in the house of the Duchess of Alba's former daughter-in-law.
A survey published just two weeks ago did not leave Frederick of Denmark in a good light, the man who will succeed his mother to the throne in two weeks and will therefore become head of state of Denmark. “He is 55 years old and is not mature enough. This is extremely problematic for Federico. He understands that he is not prepared to assume the position,” commented then the Real House expert Kim Bach. after a survey in which the figure of the Queen Margaret and that of his son
According to that survey, 38% of Danish respondents consider the queen to be the best figure to represent the institution, compared to 29% who prefer Frederick. 44% also believe that the queen should be regent until her death, something that is not going to happen now, according to the announcement broadcast on television.
The numbers on whether the monarch should abdicate have now fallen from 65% to 47%. These data, obtained by TV2, passed judgment but do not seem to have influenced Queen Margaret when making a historic decision.
Photos of Mary Donaldson's husband with Genoveva Casanova in Madrid did not go unnoticed by the Danes: “The crown prince's pleasure trip to Madrid is to blame for this fall. Over the past 10 to 15 years the royal family has been working hard to prepare Frederick for the throne. A job that has fallen especially to the queen. He has frustrated him with a single trip and the image of him leaving Genoveva's house carrying a wheeled suitcase.“Bach added.
“After holding the top spot since at least 2014, now he has been clearly defeated by his mother. These results are disastrous for him.”says the expert. It must be remembered that this has not been the only scandal carried out by the Danish heir. The list is long but the straw that broke the camel's back was Casanova. But this scandal, clearly, has not been taken into account when deciding the imminent abdication of Margaret of Denmark to her son.
The photos of Federico and Genoveva
The heir to the Danish throne has concealed with official acts and a thunderous silence the media tsunami that has hit him since his photographs with the Mexican woman came to light on November 7. Since then, the Danish Royal House He has tried to show normality but the expressions of the future monarch and his wife have been analyzed to the smallest detail and have spoken for themselves. The tension has been evident. A few days ago, after more than a week apart, the prince traveled to Australia where the princess was already with her young children, Vincent y Josephine.
Genoveva, for her part, has taken refuge from the storm in San Sebastián, London, and Madrid, where she spent Christmas Eve with her ex-husband and her children. On the Constitution Bridge she was seen skiing in Andorra. The Mexican said that the prince was just a friend, denying that there was anything more behind the photos in which Federico de Denmark appeared entering or leaving his house in Madrid.