Charles may follow Danish Queen and pass crown to William early, experts claim
King Charles could follow the Danish monarch's suit and abdicate early passing the throne to William and Kate while they're still young, an expert claims.
News of Queen Margrethe's announcement she will abdicate on her 52nd year as queen has been received exceptionally well by Denmark's public, despite her popularity as monarch. The 83-year-old made the shock announcement in her New Year's speech, revealing how recent back surgery made her re-think her position.
After the late-Queen Elizabeth, Margrethe is also the world's longest serving female monarch. But her time on the throne will come to an end on January 14, as she hands the reigns over to Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, Princess Mary.
In Sunday's televised announcement, the Queen said: "The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future - whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation. 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."
Now experts believe the positive response to the shock abdication could prompt King Charles to think about his own reign. Despite him being on the throne for fewer than 18 months, some think it's possible he could step down after a few years and hand it to William and Kate while they are young.
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Queen Margrethe will have served 52 years on the throne when she steps down later this month (Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima)Royal biographer Phil Dampier said Charles may be influenced by Queen Margrethe's move, as well as the fact the Prince and Princess of Wales are very friendly with Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary. Mr Dampier told MailOnline: "It must make you wonder if in five or ten years’ time King Charles might think about doing the same if his health suffers or he just thinks it is a good time to pass on to William and Kate while they are still young.
He added: "Our late Queen would never abdicate because of what happened in 1936 when her uncle abdicated and her father came to the throne. But times change." Meanwhile, some royal commentators believe Queen Margrethe's decision was connected to recent scandal over affair rumours circling around Frederik and Mary's marriage.
Pictures were published several weeks ago of the Crown Prince out with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova in Madrid. Princess Mary was also spotted in tears shortly before Christmas, and published a cryptic post online about loneliness. The royal household refused to comment on the rumours, which Ms Casanova later slammed as false and "malicious".
Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Denmark's Crown Princess Mary (Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima)The Australian-born princess is hugely popular with the Danes, and is frequently compared to Princess Kate with whom she is said to be good friends. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams meanwhile said Queen Margrethe may have taken steps to ensure the monarchy was not seen as out of date - something which Charles has been known to be keen on ensuring with his own reign.
Mr Fitzwilliams told MailOnline the Queen may have "calculated that an ageing monarchy was not a good idea, especially if she had reigned for another decade or so". She currently enjoys huge popularity amongst the Danish public, with 80% approval rating.
Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary have been married 19 years since meeting in Sydney in 2000, in a romance regularly likened to a "real life fairytale". In early 2003, Frederik's mother Queen Margrethe publicly acknowledged the relationship and the couple announced their engagement at Amalienborg Castle later that year on October 8.
The couple have two children, Prince Christian and Princess Isabella.
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