Here are some photos of the Danish royal family on Sunday, attending a special service at Aarhus Cathedral. The service was “celebratory” for King Frederik X’s accession to the throne, following his mother’s abdication. Queen Margrethe did not attend but Frederik, Queen Mary and their children were all there and they did what amounted to a photocall outside the church. Fred and Mary’s first weeks as king and queen have seemingly gone well. By that I mean that they’re not dealing with a rash of newly-discovered mistresses popping up all over the place. Whatever Frederik was up to, it’s been handled discreetly, at least that’s what the Danes hope. Speaking of, yet another royal reporter has chimed in, confirming what is already widely believed: that Margrethe abdicated specifically because of Frederik’s infidelity.

There’s nothing quite like a meddling mother-in-law – and it appears even a Queen isn’t above trying to interfere with her son and daughter-in-law’s relationship if it arguably means it will save the future of her country’s monarchy. Or at least, that’s how Queen Margrethe II’s abdication in favour of her scandal-hit son Frederik, now King of Denmark, may seem to some onlookers.

For royal reporter Kenth G. Madsen, the former monarch’s decision to step back from her role on January 14, when her eldest became ruler following his accession to the throne, and her daughter-in-law Mary, became Queen, was ‘damage control’. Mr Madsen suggested that to secure the monarchy amid the ‘affair’ rumours, Margrethe was left with ‘no other choice’ but to abdicate to ‘remove the focus’ from the speculation and ‘at the same time give Mary the status of Queen’ to perhaps avoid ‘a royal divorce scandal’.

Speaking to FEMAIL, the royal reporter claimed: ‘It can be difficult to forgive alleged infidelity in a relationship unless the price for turning a blind eye is suitably high. Against the background of the disclosure of Frederik’s visit to Madrid and the documentation of the meeting with Genoveva Casanova, it is reasonable to believe that Queen Margrethe found the time to throw out a lifeline, before the relationship between the Crown Prince couple completely cracked due to the scandal.’

‘The Queen actually had no other choice: in a strategic move, the monarch succeeded in removing the focus from the affair rumours, and at the same time giving Mary the hyper rare status of queen. A royal divorce scandal of that magnitude could break the strongest royal house forever. The risk that the popularity and reputation the Queen has built up during her 52 years as monarch could be destroyed forever if she had not done damage control on the matter.’

[From The Daily Mail]

I’ve gone back and forth on this and, at this point, I genuinely believe that Frederik’s dalliance/affair with Genoveva Casanova was a huge factor in Margrethe’s abdication, but it wasn’t the only factor. I also believe Margrethe’s health and her recent back surgery were factors too. I just don’t see how Margrethe would abdicate solely to ensure that Mary sticks with a philanderer, especially when European monarchies are littered with scandals bigger than “an unfaithful heir” and/or “an heir going through a messy divorce.” Still, I really wonder what happened in the months between “Frederik’s affair being outed in the Spanish press” and Margethe’s abdication. Did Mary actually threaten divorce? Was she really considering it?

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.