When will Princess Mary become queen of Denmark? An explainer

The death of Denmark’s Prince Henrik this week has prompted discussion around when Crown Princess Mary will become the country’s queen.
 
Prince Henrik, 83, died in his sleep on February 13 at Fredensborg Palace, having been hospitalised with a lung infection and benign lung tumour last month.

A Royal House statement said the prince consort’s wife Queen Margrethe II and their two sons Prince Frederick, 49, and Prince Joachim, 48, were at his bedside.

As first in the line of succession, Crown Prince Frederick will one day be king of Denmark, and his 46-year-old Australian-born wife will become the queen consort.
 
The question now is when, exactly, this will take place.

RELATED: Princess Mary’s father-in-law Prince Henrik makes controversial comments
 
In January 2017, a Swedish magazine reported Queen Margrethe was contemplating stepping aside because she “missed” her husband, who had retired from public life a year beforehand.

Danish royal experts told the publication she was torn between serving her country and spending time with Prince Henrik, but neither the Queen nor the Danish Royal House responded to the claims.

However, speculation of this nature has surrounded Queen Margrethe for several years.
 
In 2010, Woman’s Day magazine and Danish publication Her og Nu reported she was expected to abdicate in April that year.

Five years later, ahead of her 75th birthday, Queen Margrethe told reporters she was “absolutely not” planning to step aside.
 
"I have no problems with my age. I may not be able to cross-country ski or dance ballet, but apart from that I'm physically fine,” HelloHello her saying in 2015.
 
Juliet Rieden -Australian’s Women’s Weekly editor and author of The Royals in Australia - believes it is “very unlikely” Prince Henrik’s death would prompt the queen to abdicate.

WATCH: Danish royals in mourning following Prince Henrik's death. (Post continues.)

“There is a long tradition in Denmark for the head of state to stay in office for as long as he or she lives," she adds.

"I think for Queen Margrethe to break with that historic tradition would be a big deal."

WATCH: 9Honey discuss the possibility of Princess Mary becoming Queen.