The King’s New Year’s Speech

His Majesty King Frederik delivered his first New Year’s speech on New Year’s Eve. You can read the full speech below in English.

New Year’s Eve makes the passage of time palpable. When the clock strikes midnight, two years briefly meet, and an ending becomes a beginning. Tonight, we bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new—just as we have done year after year.

And yet, something is different this time—for my mother, Queen Margrethe, for me, and for you. Even though we have all had a year to adjust to the idea, I know that some may still feel a bit nervous on my behalf. After all, can a New Year’s speech be delivered by anyone other than Queen Margrethe?

Many reflect on the past year on New Year’s Eve. What do we take with us from the year that has passed, and what do we look forward to in the year to come? One day in particular stays with me: January 14th. The journey through the streets of Copenhagen to Christiansborg. My mother’s final Council of State meeting. The moments before the balcony doors opened. A deep breath. Christiansborg Palace Square. The crowd before me. My family right behind me.

To step forward and meet such tremendous support, joy, and love. To stand on the balcony with Queen Mary as Denmark’s royal couple. To take it all in—or at least try—moved and overwhelmed. That moment stays with me. It stays with us. Forever. Thank you, all.

A year ago, my mother delivered her 52nd New Year’s speech. A speech that surprised most by being her last. Tonight, I deliver my first. There is a first time for everything and a last time for just as much. These moments tend to stand out more than others. They are beginnings and endings throughout life, and we attribute special significance to them. The first day of school—and the last. Those are moments we remember. And celebrate.

Our family did just that this summer when the Crown Prince finished high school, joining thousands of other young people in marking the end of their youth education with festive celebrations. I have always cherished that time of year, when our young people venture out wearing caps of all colors, taking to the streets, squares, and beaches arm in arm. Who doesn’t recall that exhilarating sense of freedom, with the whole world open before them and every door just waiting to be opened?

It looks effortless when youth lets loose. Yet, it can be anything but. Many young people lose their footing—not just momentarily, but for extended periods. For some, it becomes so overwhelming that they fall ill. “Why can’t I be like everyone else?” they may wonder. There’s rarely a simple answer. However, we do know that it helps to have someone to confide in and lean on. Our closest relationships are our most important safety net—both when life knocks us down and when it overwhelms us.

As parents to four teenagers, Mary and I have learned the value of listening. Asking without presuming. Embracing before acting. Our children are different, just as young people are. There is no single narrative that captures everyone. The best insight we gain into who young people are comes from letting them speak for themselves. Time and again, they impress us with their understanding of themselves and others. In my eyes, they are courageous. They dare to show vulnerability and see it as a strength. Today’s youth stand firm in their identities. You dare to be both-and. Both vulnerable and strong.

Both-and. On one hand and on the other. In an era of increasing polarization, this nuance is easily lost. We risk reducing the world to its extremes when we draw hard lines. “Are you for or against?” we’re often asked. Yet, we might find ourselves somewhere in the middle, because we can see things from multiple perspectives and empathize with others. This is one of our finest qualities as humans and something we Danes excel at.

Many times, I’ve borrowed someone else’s perspective and discovered something new. It can be challenging, but it is always enriching, even when we don’t entirely agree. Disagreement shouldn’t prevent us from exchanging views and opinions. It’s through these exchanges that we have the chance to move closer to one another. Our good fortune is that we trust each other here in Denmark. That trust makes it easier to see the fellow human being before seeing an adversary.

Volunteerism is a shining example of humanity, and most Danes engage in some form of voluntary work at some point. It could be anything from tutoring children in a homework café, to starting a new gymnastics class, to holding someone’s hand as life comes to an end. Volunteerism takes many forms, but its common denominator is that it provides meaning for all involved—for the one giving their time and the one receiving it.

Volunteers keep countless initiatives and activities alive, including Royal Run, where 2,500 volunteers showed up this year so the rest of us could walk and run together in five host cities. To all of you who contribute your energy to the common good—thank you. I also want to thank everyone I meet during audiences. One of the many joys of my new role is continuing a tradition of meeting people who have dedicated their working lives to a single place and hearing life stories from across the kingdom.

The electrician who has wired half the town. The educator who has nurtured generations of children, some of whom have become parents of new children in the same place. Most can’t quite fathom where the time has gone, but their years of diligence form part of Denmark’s backbone. This also applies to those who safeguard our security: the police, emergency services, and defense forces—including those deployed abroad. You take risks on behalf of the rest of us. Thank you for your vital contributions.

We live in a turbulent time. We watch developments in the Middle East with bated breath, feeling deeply for the many families who are suffering. In Europe, not far from here, the Ukrainian people are bravely fighting for their freedom—and for ours. The war in Ukraine is a brutal reminder that peace cannot be taken for granted, not even on our continent. Europe must stand firm in upholding our shared values.

Seventy-five years ago, Denmark was one of 12 countries that founded the NATO defense alliance. Together, we committed to protecting security and peace. Since then, more countries have joined—most recently Finland and Sweden. This strengthens the Nordic region, Europe, and our collective defense of freedom. The world’s conflicts can only be resolved through international unity. This also applies to the fight for our planet’s health.

Nature’s treasures are borrowed, not owned. None of us owns the sky or the sea, the forests or the valleys, the meadows or the stars. None of us has the power to place even the smallest leaf on a nettle. Our responsibility is to care for our Earth, for tomorrow is another day. We must pursue every path that leads in the right direction—not one path at a time, but all at once. We already have many good solutions, and together they offer hope for the future. It’s a hope we must hold onto and act upon.

The first time and the last time. Beginnings and endings throughout a lifetime. We often remember these. But there is also everything in between. The everyday moments. Ordinary days that may seem insignificant but make up the majority of life. I am grateful for my everyday life with Queen Mary, our four children, and our two dogs. I am glad that Prince Joachim and Princess Marie have settled well in Washington with their children, and that my mother is enjoying her new chapter in life.

Everyday life can quickly carry us along. Suddenly, a week, a month, or a year has passed. What remains? Togetherness. Mary and I felt it deeply on January 14th, and we feel it when we travel throughout the Kingdom of Denmark. There is a unique atmosphere when we meet you where you live. When we get a glimpse of your daily lives.

We are all connected and individually committed in the Kingdom of Denmark—from the Danish minority in Southern Schleswig, even outside the kingdom, all the way to Greenland. We belong together. Mary and I felt this strongly during our visits to these places and everywhere in between. We still have the Faroe Islands to look forward to, and we are excited to visit the North Atlantic this summer.

I wish all Danes—at home and abroad—a happy New Year. We have much to be proud of and thankful for: trust, humanity, and unity.

My first New Year’s speech. It won’t happen again, but I will never forget it. They say, “Well begun is half done.” That may be an overstatement, but Mary and I could not have wished for a better start as the royal couple. We look forward to everything the new year brings and, above all, to walking this journey together—with each other and with all of you.

Thank you for the year that has passed, and Happy New Year.

GOD SAVE DENMARK