Aussie flags flying high on a monumental Danish day

Denmark: When I arrived in Copenhagen it was clear the city was buzzing with anticipation for a monumental event.

Our hotel receptionist was excited to tell us Queen Margrethe II would abdicate the throne on Sunday, giving Denmark a new king for the first time in 52 years.

It is also the first time in 900 years a Danish monarch has abdicated the throne voluntarily.

As the receptionist checked my passport, I told her my country was excited too as the soon-to-be Queen Mary was Australian and met then Crown Prince Fredrick in a Sydney pub during the 2000 Olympics.

"Oh of course, well it's all very exciting," she said.

She told us all of the hotels in the area had a surge of bookings and were now at, or close to, capacity after now former Queen Margrethe ll announced she would abdicate her throne to her eldest son in her New Year's Eve address on December 31.

It was a complete coincidence my partner and I had already planned to be in Copenhagen as part of our Europe trip on the day of the abdication.

The monarchy is hugely popular in Denmark with a recent survey reporting 70 per cent of Danes are in favour of it, according to the Associated Press.

That support showed on the streets of Copenhagen on January 14, with a few Australian flags flying throughout the sea of red and white.

The Danes I spoke to were excited for the Australian, formally known as Mary Donaldson, to become their queen.

We went to Christiansborg Palace about midday, where Queen Margrethe followed by Crown Prince Fredrick and Princess Mary were due to travel just after 1.30pm (CET) to sign the official abdication papers and address the public from the balcony at 3pm (CET).

An hour and a half before the parade was due to start a crowd about 10 people deep had formed along the parade route, giving us a slim chance of seeing the royal car or carriage.

Instead, we managed to work our way to the front of a semi-circle platform underneath the balcony and waited two and a half hours in near freezing weather, to see the address.

I think I stopped feeling my toes after about 30 minutes but we were eager to keep our spot at the front left of the crowd so we didn't move.

I attempted to strike up a conversation with some locals but instead befriended a lovely Swedish mother and daughter, who had caught a 30-minute train across the border to witness the event.

When the moment finally arrived we discovered we had misjudged the width and scale of the balcony.

We were too far underneath the balcony to properly see Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the new king, queen and their children.

Instead, we caught glimpses of their waving hands and at one point, an obscured view of King Fredrick's and Queen Mary's heads when they leant over the balcony.

After we realised we could have had an unobstructed view if we stood at the back of the crowd.

"Well, at least we know for next time," my partner said after it was all over, knowing this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

We may have missed the moment visually but the genuine pride and joy Danes have for their royal family is something I will always remember.