New Year New Queen!

All signs point towards princess Mary ringing in the new year as queen of Denmark.

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As she celebrates one final Christmas in Australia, Princess Mary will be preparing to ring in the New Year as the queen of Denmark. This is set to be revealed in dramatic style during Queen Margrethe’s traditional New Year’s speech, with royal insiders predicting the 77-year-old monarch will announce her abdication.

In an interview with Danish magazine Kendte, royal expert Sebastian Olden-Jorgensen says the writing is on the wall for Mary and Fred to become king and queen in 2018.

Speculation about the abdication reached fever pitch recently when it was revealed there are some changes this year to the Danish queen’s New Year’s Eve speech to the nation.

The plans are markedly grander than usual with adjustments to the broadcast arrangements. The address will be delivered from the palace’s reception room and will also air on the big screen in the square at Amalienborg Palace.

These changes have raised suspicions that Margrethe is set to make a major announcement.