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King Frederik: Tens of thousands turn out for succession

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In a historic moment for Denmark, King Frederik X succeeded his mother as the nation’s monarch, drawing tens of thousands of people to Christiansborg Castle. Overwhelmed with emotion, King Frederik expressed his aspiration to be a unifying king for the future and praised his mother, who had voluntarily abdicated after an impressive 52-year reign, marking the first Danish monarch to do so in over 800 years. Despite the event being initially planned as low-key, the crowd celebrated as Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen officially proclaimed King Frederik on the balcony of the palace.

In his inaugural speech, King Frederik, now at the helm of Europe’s oldest monarchy at the age of 55, spoke of his lifelong commitment to becoming a unifying leader with pride and joy. The ceremony included a heartfelt moment as the new king wiped away tears, joined by his four children, including 18-year-old Crown Prince Christian, the newly designated heir. A kiss shared between King Frederik and his Australian-born Queen Consort Mary elicited cheers and whoops from the enthusiastic crowd.

As Queen Margarethe formally bid farewell to the throne after her unprecedented 52-year reign, thousands of people lined the streets to express their gratitude. The 83-year-old monarch had announced her decision to step down during a New Year’s Eve broadcast, citing reflection following back surgery in 2023. She will retain her title as Queen, while the King’s wife, Queen Consort Mary, maintains her own title. The British monarchs, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, sent their best wishes, acknowledging Queen Margarethe’s many years of dedicated service to Denmark.

Celebrations extended beyond Denmark, reaching Australia where King Frederik and Queen Consort Mary first met, with events in Sydney’s Slip Inn pub and across Queen Consort Mary’s home state of Tasmania. The global recognition reflected the significance of King Frederik’s ascension to the throne.

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Germany Seeks Forgiveness for Colonial Atrocities in Tanzania

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German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed deep regret and shame for the atrocities committed by his country during the Maji Maji rebellion in Tanzania in the early 1900s. The rebellion was incited by Germany’s oppressive policies, resulting in the death of nearly 300,000 people.

Steinmeier pledged to facilitate the identification and repatriation of the remains of the uprising’s leaders, including Chief Songea Mbano, and promised cooperation with Tanzania to return cultural artifacts. The president’s apology, while welcomed, was deemed insufficient by some Tanzanian historians who emphasized the need for accountability and justice.

This gesture follows Germany’s acknowledgment of genocide in Namibia and financial reparations, while in a similar vein, King Charles of the United Kingdom acknowledged past violence in Kenya during the struggle for independence but stopped short of issuing a formal apology.

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Queen Letizia of Spain to be present at World Cup final against England

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Queen Letizia of Spain is set to travel to Australia to witness the World Cup final between England and Spain in Sydney on Sunday. Notably, no British royals will be present at the event.

The match marks the first-ever final appearance for both England’s Lionesses and the Spanish team in the women’s tournament. Although Prince William, the President of the Football Association, will support the England team from the UK, he has opted out of making the long-distance journey to Australia due to his focus on climate change concerns.

In contrast, Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter, Infanta Sofia, will be attending the final, while King Felipe will be engaged in official obligations and won’t accompany them. The Royal Spanish Football Federation confirmed the queen’s participation, mentioning her prior visit to the team during training where she delivered a speech to the players and coaching staff.

Similarly, Prince William interacted with the Lionesses during training and awarded manager Sarina Wiegman an honorary CBE. Despite his absence from the event, Prince William is expected to watch the final on television. Both Prince William and King Charles conveyed their congratulations to the teams on their achievements and extended their best wishes for the upcoming final match.

Notably, England’s women had previously been awarded their medals by Prince William after winning the European championship, while Queen Elizabeth II had attended England’s men’s team’s World Cup final victory in 1966.

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