Queen Margaret II of Denmark defied the bitter cold today to take a walk through the streets of Copenhagen with gilded royal horse-drawn carriagefor the last time as monarch before handing over the throne next week to her son, Crown Prince Frederick.

The 83-year-old queen, who was crowned in 1972, announced live on television during her traditional New Year’s Eve speech that she intends to abdicate, surprising many in this country of 5.9 million people.

“I was shocked to see the Queen resign. I also felt a bit sad because she’s been queen for 52 years and I thought she would go on,” said Laura Chinkel, a 21-year-old student who arrived outside the royal palaces with her mother so they could catch a glimpse of the queen.

“The Danish people have a lot of access to the Danish royal family because their members are involved in a lot of normal things, which is great,” he added.

The Queen made the journey from her residence at Amalienborg Palace near the waterfront to parliament for a traditional New Year’s reception in a carriage built in 1840 for Christian VIII by coachbuilder Henry Fife and covered in 24-carat gold leaf.

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Throughout her life the Queen has had the support of the public, who describe her as a tactful but also creative personality.

“She was a stable figure and a kind of big mother to all of us (Danes),” said Bende Lundback Pil, 57, as she watched the carriage pass with her daughter.

The queen often designed costumes and sets for plays and ballets based on the fairy tales of the famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.

She succeeded her father in 1953 at the age of 13, after a constitutional revision allowed women to inherit the throne. Her resignation will take effect on January 14 and she will be succeeded by her eldest son, who will become King Frederick I.