On New Year’s Eve, the Danish Queen Margrethe II announced her abdication and that she would be succeeded by Crown Prince Frederik.
The change of throne will be announced today at Christiansborg Palace and Crown Prince Frederik will then become His Majesty King Frederik 10.
“Incredibly popular”
In Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, it is a big event and Greenland’s self-government invites municipalities and private individuals to flag for the new king.
– He is incredibly popular, but not only him but the entire royal family, says Elisabeth Heilmann, born and raised in Greenland but living in Sápmi for many years.
Colonialism and structural power remain in the Denmark-Greenland relationship. As recently as last fall, Greenlanders sued Denmark for coercive interventions against Greenlandic women. But the royal house is not seen as part of what happened throughout history. They are much more open and express great understanding of what is happening in Greenland, says Elisabeth.
– I want to say that there is a mutual love between the royal house and the Greenlandic people. Crown Prince Frederik captured Greenlandic hearts when, as a young soldier, he participated for a few months in the Sirius Battalion within the Danish military, which monitors the eastern side of Greenland.
Another relationship with Greenland
The reason why the royal house is so popular, Elisabeth believes, is because the royal house has a different image and a different relationship to its former colony.
– Queen Margarethe knows an incredible amount about Greenlandic culture and so does Crown Prince Frederik. I think the Greenlanders, my people, are very much looking forward to a new era.
Greenland’s cultural center Katuaq in Nuuk is organizing a party with coffee and cake and a big screen and has invited all citizens to participate in celebrating the coronation of King Frederik.
– Even the Greenlandic associations in Denmark organize events with fine clothes, coffee and cake. So it will be a party, for sure! says Elisabeth Heilmann.