Denmark's King Frederik X begins reign after Queen Margrethe abdicates, ending historic 52-year tenure

Sunday marked a turning point for the Danish monarchy, as Queen Margrethe II officially abdicated the throne after a historic 52-year reign. 

The Queen, who is 83, signed formal abdication papers during a meeting at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, where huge crowds filled with people of all ages gathered to celebrate the royal succession. 

Her son, now King Frederik X, took the throne once the declaration was finalized. He was proclaimed King of Denmark from the palace balcony in a spectacle that, while traditional, is not called a coronation ceremony, unlike events held for the passing of the crown in other places including the United Kingdom. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaimed the new monarch's ascension.