Yes, today it's 45 years since QMII was proclaimed Queen.
Summary of article in Billed Bladet #02, 2017.
Written by Trine Larsen.
Frederik IX caught a cold a few hours after delivering his New Year speech. It was a bad cold, so he had to cancel the New Year Courts and a few days later he got a heart attack. He was committed to hospital but his condition gradually worsened and on 14th January at 19.50 he died, surrounded by his wife, Queen Ingrid and his three daughters.
In that moment Princess Margrethe became Queen Margrethe. The day she had dreaded since she was thirteen had come. She had lost her beloved father and at the same time had to take on the daunting responsibility of becoming the Monarch.
The wheels were set in motion right away.
At 20.24 the public were told that Frederik IX was dead.
The next forenoon there was a State Council and here the government formally resigned and at the same time offered its condolences.
QMII at once requested the government to continue as before. - That is in accordance with the Constitution where the Monarch appoint and dismiss the governments. QMII had not appointed the government, her father had, hence the reason why the government formally resigned.
At 15.00 the PM, Jens Otto Krag (*) proclaimed the new Monarch from the balcony at Christiansborg in front of 50-75.000 silent people on the square.
He shouted four times, to all four corners of the world: "King Frederik IX is dead. Long live Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II".
Then QMII spoke: "My beloved father, our king, is dead and a great sorrow has afflicted us all. But greatest is the grief for my mother, Queen Ingrid - To her go all warm thoughts.
The deed that for almost 25 years was my father's has now been placed on my shoulders and I pray God help me and give me strength to lift the heavy inheritance. The love and faithfulness the Danish people through all these years have shown my father, became the basis for his deed as king.
May that trust that was shown my father, also be mine. That I ask for. It is that support which will make it possible for me to carry out my deed as Queen of Denmark.
That will be the quest of my life and in that I will dedicate all my work and strength. So help me God.
God's help, the love of the people, the strength of Denmark". (Her motto).
Then PH joined her on the balcony.
Frederik IX was laid on castrum doloris for five days in the palace church of Christiansborg, before he on 24th January was taken through Copenhagen to Copenhagen Main Railway Station, followed by tens of thousands of people.
In front walked the DRF, including two very young Princes. QMII believed they were old enough to attend the morfar's funeral.
On a train Frederik IX was driven to Roskilde and laid to rest outside Roskilde Cathedral.
(*) Jens Otto Krag, Social Democrat, was a very experienced politician and QMII were a bit in awe when dealing with him. She had a much better relationship with his replacement, also a Social Democrat, Anker Jørgensen, who was also very new to the job.
Jens Otto Krag was a republican and he is quoted to having said about then Princess Margrethe: "I hear she's intelligent. A pity". - Meaning that it was a waste of her intellect to be a royal and a later monarch.