What to know about the abdication of Denmark's Queen Margrethe II

Queen Margrethe II, Denmark’s monarch for more than half a century, stunned her country when she announced on New Year’s Eve that she will hand over the throne to her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Queen Margrethe II, Denmark’s monarch for more than half a century, stunned her country when she announced on New Year’s Eve that she will hand over the throne to her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik.

Her abdication on Sunday will be the first time a Danish monarch has stepped down voluntarily in nearly 900 years.

Here are five things to know about the abdication of Margrethe, currently the longest-reigning monarch in Europe:

Before Margrethe, 83, announced that she would resign, most royal watchers assumed she would live out her days on the throne, as is tradition in Denmark. Margrethe had showed no signs of wanting to retire from her largely ceremonial position. Until recently, she had insisted that she considered being queen a job for life.

Health issues apparently made her reconsider. Margrethe underwent major back surgery last February and didn’t return to work until April. In her speech, she said the surgery prompted “thoughts about the future” and when to pass on the responsibilities of the crown. “I have decided that now is the right time,” she said.