Lucie Rychla
August 25th, 2016

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More than one in three Danes would like to see Queen Margrethe II abdicate within the next 12 months, reveals a new YouGov survey carried out for Metroxpress.

Some 37 percent of the 1,004 respondents want the queen to retire, while 40 percent would prefer her to stay and 23 percent do not care either way.

Danish Royal Family experts believe most of the Danes in favour of her abdicating merely wish for the 76-year-old monarch to be able to rest and enjoy a retirement.

Margrethe’s 81-year-old husband, Prince Henrik, announced his retirement at the beginning of January and has since given up most of his official duties.

“The Danes think it is okay for the queen to retire,” Trine Ville Mann, a journalist and author of several books on the Royal Family, told Metroxpress.

“Her husband does not want to help her anymore, and her health is no longer what it used to be.”

READ MORE: Prince Henrik of Denmark dropping his title

Ready for new generation
However, Lars Hovbakke Sørensen, another expert on the Danish Royal Family, contends that Margrethe II will likely follow tradition and remain on the throne until she dies.

“It would have to be something quite extreme before she abdicates,” Hovbakke noted.

Both experts agree the Danes are ready for Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Mary to become the new king and queen of Denmark.