HM Queen Margrethe II’s abdication pen
On 14 January 2024, HM Queen Margrethe II signed her declaration of abdication
during a meeting of the Council of State at Christiansborg Palace. With this act, she ended her 52-year reign and passed the throne to her son, who in that very moment became The King of Denmark under the name Frederik X.
Queen Margrethe II signed the declaration using a green pen – the same type of pen that she has used for many years for her personal notes. Its use in this historical situation gave the pen symbolic significance.
After signing the declaration, Queen Margrethe II rose from her seat, picked up her cane and said, ’God save The King’ before leaving the Council of State Room. Frederik X then took his place at the head of the table, as the new head of state.
Today, the green pen is known as ‘the abdication pen’.
