Queen Margrethe, the popular Denmark Queen has surprisingly announced her abdication 52 years after her accession. She pointed to recent back surgery and her advancing years as the reason though there is speculation she was trying to shut down the aftermath of rumours about Crown Prince Frederik’s alleged extra-marital dalliance in a bid to keep his popular wife Princess Mary on board.
Margrethe’s father died on 14 January 1972 at 7.50pm and she abdicates as tr Uranus is conjunct the Accession Midheaven and tr Saturn is conjunct the Descendant; and the Solar Arc Saturn is moving to oppose the Accession Capricorn Sun. There have been pressures building for several years with tr Pluto conjunct the Accession Sun and SA Neptune also conjunct as well as SA Pluto crossing the IC. So the decision may have been growing or even made a while back .
Queen Margrethe, 16 April 1940 10.10 am Copenhagen has a successful, confident and idealistic Sun Jupiter conjunction in Aries in her 10th house along with a communicative Mercury in Pisces and an organized, disciplined Saturn in Taurus. Her passionately enthusiastic Venus Mars conjunction in Gemini is in her friendly 11th and her flamboyant (and secretive) Moon Pluto in Leo is in her 1st.
She has worked as a scenographer, costume designer, and Tolkien illustrator and is known for her strong archaeological passion. Despite a number of health issues over the years she continued to chain smoke until last year. She has had osteoarthritis, cervical cancer, spinal stenosis with recent major back surgery and two doses of covid last year.
Crown Prince Frederik will step up, 26 May 1968 11.50pm, who is popular like his wife and mother though it was thought he had given up his earlier playboy life. He doesn’t have his mother’s lucky, successful, career-oriented chart with a private 4th house New Moon in Gemini and a chaotic, unsettled 8th house Uranus Pluto conjunction in Virgo. Plus a tricky Saturnine yod inconjunct Pluto Uranus sextile Neptune which requires maturity and self-discipline to get the best of it otherwise it can be self-defeating.
He’s not at a phase of his life where he really wants to shoulder heavier responsibilities with tr Saturn still sinking through the middle portion of his First Quadrant. So it would not be his choice.
Princess Mary, 5 February 1972, Hobart, Australia, an independent-minded Sun Aquarius trine Uranus has won over the Danish public with her dedication to royal duty and her fluency in the language. She will mesh better with the Danish public than her husband.
The relationship between Denmark and Queen Margrethe is affectionate, friendly and a successful combination with a Sun Venus conjunction and Jupiter Pluto conjunction. Princess Mary also inspires admiration and and enthusiasm with an exuberant composite Sun Venus Mars conjunction opposition Jupiter.
Prince Frederik less so with a disruptive Uranus Pluto conjunction; a suspicious, doubting Neptune square Saturn; and stuck-together-but-not-by-choice Saturn square Pluto.
The Denmark country chart, 5 June 1849 12.15.pm Copenhagen, with its Gemini Sun opposition a Sagittarius Moon square Neptune will be feeling sadness as an era passes this year as tr Saturn in Pisces hard aspects the Sun and Moon. The Solar Arc Sun Midheaven is also square the Denmark Neptune for a disappointment now and the SA MC is conjunct the Moon next year for new beginnings.
For details on Frederik and Mary see post December 6 2023. No doubt more anon at handover.
No surprise that Princess Mary is a Sun Aquarius, trine Uranus. She radiates interest and glamour.
In Denmark, does the monarch have any political power or influence? Or are they a figurehead only?
Largely ceremonial only, just like the UK. No real power.
When you read about his exploits it’s clear Frederik would be happier living life as an Australian adventurer a la Crocodile Dundee than playing the role of Prince of Denmark. Denmark is too small for him. Perhaps he chose an Australian wife to be sure he could get away from time to time. I do wonder if he will be the last King of that country and whether all the European monarchies will be facing a crisis as ordinary people find them increasingly less relevant.
Possibly. Gemini’s always seem most comfortable living/chasing a dual existence.
Somebody on Twitter commented that Australia has got a member of the Danish royal family as its monarch (King Charles III, through his father, who was born a Prince of Greece and Denmark), while Denmark will get an Australian as its Queen.