Royal insiders say Princess Mary and Prince Frederik at 'freezing point' amid Queen's abdication

All eyes are on Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary with less than two weeks until the royal couple become King and Queen of Denmark.

The royal couple have had a tumultuous few months after rumours of an affair between Frederik and Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova dominated the headlines.

After putting on a united display over the festive season and holding hands and smiling as they attended a Christmas Eve with their children, things looked frosty again with rumours circulating that the pair were 'exchanging words' before a New Year's reception.

Walking side-by-side as they arrived at Christiansborg Palace, insiders told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet that the atmosphere felt at a "freezing point" and that the couple "did not look like they were enjoying themselves".

"Words were exchanged between the two, and it didn't look like they wished each other good luck," the paper claimed.

Queen Margrethe's abdication

Queen Margrethe II announced in her New Year's speech her intention to leave the throne to Prince Frederik after her 52-year reign.

"I have decided that now is the right time," the Queen, 83, said.

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"The 14th of January 2024, 52 years after I followed my beloved father, I will step back as the Queen of Denmark. I leave the throne to my son the Crown Prince Frederik."

Queen Margrethe, who was 31 when she became Queen after the death of her father, said the back surgery she underwent in early 2023 led to "thoughts about the future".

“The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future — whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation,” she said.

Speculation has swirled since the announcement that the Queen's decision came after the rumours that Frederik had an affair with Genoveva, and that she's stepped aside in a bid to save Frederik and Mary's marriage.

Royal commentator Phil Dampier told The Telegraph: "It's possible that the Queen took this action because she would have been terrified of the marriage breaking up and the royal family losing Mary. It would have caused major problems."

What happened between Frederik and Genoveva?

Lecturas published photos showing Frederik and Genoveva attending a Pablo Picasso exhibition in Madrid, claiming the pair were romantically linked.

Genoveva has slammed any reports of a romantic connection between herself and Frederik, telling Hola! she 'categorically' denies any suggestion that she and Frederik are romantically involved, saying the rumours are "malicious" and untrue. She also said that she is looking to take legal action.

Lecturas claims Frederik and Genoveva went to her apartment building separately, both emerging separately two hours later before getting into the same car.

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