Denmark's Queen Margrethe has decided to cancel much of her jubilee festivities scheduled for this weekend in Copenhagen following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the royal palace has announced.
The 82-year-old Danish sovereign, who becomes with the disappearance of her distant cousin the European monarch with the longest reign in progress, was to celebrate with fanfare the 50th anniversary of her arrival on the throne.
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But the party was cut off from most of its public appearances, including a carriage parade through the streets of Copenhagen and an appearance in front of the crowd on the balcony of the royal palace, according to the new program broadcast by the court on Friday noon.
“Due to the sad news of the death of Elizabeth II (…), it is Her Majesty the Queen's wish to make several adjustments to the celebrations planned for this weekend for her 50th anniversary,” said the palace in a statement.
A jubilee already postponed
A gala performance at the Royal Theater on Saturday evening, a mass in Copenhagen on Sunday morning and a gala evening at Christiansborg Castle on Sunday evening are maintained but “in an adapted format”.
A ceremony at the Town Hall is postponed indefinitely.
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Originally scheduled at the beginning of the year to stick to the date of her accession to the throne, January 14, 1972, the queen's jubilee had already been postponed because of the Covid-19.
On the Danish throne for more than 50 years, Margrethe II is now the longest reigning in Europe, just ahead of the King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf, with more than 48 years.
In the rest of the world, only the Sultan of Brunei reigned longer (more than 54 years).
With the disappearance of Elizabeth on Thursday, Margrethe II also becomes the only full-title queen in Europe, even if three countries on the continent have crown princesses (Sweden, Belgium and Spain) destined to be crowned.
