(VOVWORLD) -The next generational change in one of the seven reigning royal families in Europe began Sunday, when Danish Queen Margarethe II, 83, ceded the throne to Crown Prince Frederik after 52 years of her reign. Cannon shots were fired from Holmen, Copenhagen, to celebrate the royal transition.
 Danes gathered in front of the parliament in the center of Copenhagen to witness Queen Margrethe II passing the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik, January 14, 2024. Photo: AFP/VNA
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Crown Prince Frederik succeeded to the throne as King Frederik X. Princess Mary became Queen Mary. The Royal couple will bear the title the King and Queen of Denmark. Upon the succession to the throne, the new sovereign will take charge of all of the functions that, according to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Denmark, are incumbent on the Head of State.
An athlete, a military officer and a rock fan, the 55-year-old king of Denmark has a simple style and is popular in the Scandinavian country.
Growing up in the public eye was not easy for him as a young royal. In a 1996 interview, Frederik said that in his teens he sometimes wondered whether he could escape his fate. As he matured, he became more comfortable with his position as heir to the throne and was mentally prepared for it.
During the celebration of Queen Margrethe II's 50th year of rule in 2022, Crown Prince Frederik vowed to become someone worthy of following in his mother's footsteps to lead one of the oldest royal families in the world. To the people, the new King of Denmark is known for being a simple and sociable person. When attending official activities, the public can occasionally see him with his bodyguards mingling with a crowd of cyclists or giving high-fives to teenagers.
An avid sportsman, Frederik has competed in marathons, and is a member of the Danish Olympic Committee. He has a special interest in science, technology and innovation, and is the patron of the Danish Science Festival, Copenhagen Science City, the Danish Industry Foundation, World Wildlife, and Global Green Fund. He is also involved in initiatives to promote sustainable development, renewable energy and climate action.
Recent opinion polls showed that 80% of Danes support the monarch. A survey — commissioned by Denmark’s public broadcaster DR — published Friday showed that 79% of the 1,037 people polled said that they believed Frederik was prepared to take the reign and 83% said they thought his wife Mary was ready to become queen.