Abdication

Abdication is the act carried out by a head of state, such as a King or Queen, when they no longer wish to remain in that position. Usually, when a King or Queen (a Monarch) abdicates, it is announced publicly to the people of the country they rule, on TV, Radio and in newspapers. Many Monarchs have abdicated in history, such as Edward VIII, who did this in 1936, after choosing to marry a commoner.

A commoner is someone who is just a normal member of the public, and does not have any royal blood in their family. Since it isn't allowed (in the United Kingdom) for a Monarch to marry someone who isn't of royal descent, King Edward VIII chose to stop being King, so that he could marry the person he loved, a lady called Wallace Simpson.

Some Monarchs leave their post for other reasons, the most recent of these being Margrethe II of Denmark, who announced her abdication live on television, on New Year's Eve 2023, during her annual address to the people of Denmark. She has been Queen of Denmark since 1972, when her father, King Frederik IX died.

Following the death of Elizabeth II in 2022, after 70 years on the throne, Queen Margrethe II became the longest serving Monarch in Europe, with a reign of 52 years. She announced that the next ruler of Denmark will be Crown Prince Frederik, who will take office on 14th January 2024.