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Christian became the Crown Prince of Denmark following his father King Frederik ’s accession to the throne. The Crown Prince’s paternal grandmother Queen Margrethe abdicated on Jan. 14, 2024 during a Council of State meeting at Christiansborg Palace.
Months before the historic day, Christian celebrated his 18th birthday. At a gala dinner for her grandson’s milestone birthday, Queen Margrethe told Christian (translated to English), “Dear Christian, your 18th birthday is an important day, with it you come of age, just as it happens for all other young Danes. But there is still a difference. Your path in life is already set, for one day you will follow your father, just as he will follow me one day. You become a link in the long historical chain that has bound our country together for centuries.”
Frederik’s mother noted that Christian’s “apprenticeship only begins here, regardless of what you choose to do.” She said, “You have good skills, you are physically active and you are aware of your responsibilities. You have empathy, you have always shown that, not least towards your siblings. The good qualities that you possess and the ballast that you bring from home will follow you everywhere.”
So, who is the heir to the Danish throne? Continue reading to learn all about Crown Prince Christian.
1. He was born in 2005 at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark.
2. He is the eldest of King Frederik and Queen Mary ’s children.
3. His full name is Christian Valdemar Henri John. Mary and Frederik followed tradition by naming their firstborn Christian. According to CBS News, “Denmark has a four-century-old tradition of alternating between Christian and Frederik as names of Danish kings.”
4. Christian is a big brother. He has three younger siblings: Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
5. His godparents include Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, his uncle Prince Joachim of Denmark, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece. The Danish Prince was christened in 2006 at the Christiansborg Palace Chapel.
6. He became the Crown Prince of Denmark at 18 years old on Jan. 14. 2024.
7. He is currently first in line to the Danish throne.
8. Christian obtained his driver’s license in 2023.
9. He became a godfather to Prince Gustav Albrecht zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, son of Prince Gustav and Princess Carina zu-Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, in 2023.
10. He was a page boy at Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden’s royal wedding in 2010.
11. He started at Ordrup Gymnasium in Gentofte in 2022. Prince Christian previously studied at Herlufsholm, but the Crown Prince Couple removed their firstborn from the boarding school amid allegations of bullying at Herlufsholm.
At his 18th birthday gala dinner in 2023, the Crown Prince admitted that he was "nervous" about starting at a new school. He said (translated to English): "Last summer I had to start 2nd grade at a new high school. I was nervous. Really nervous. Everyone in my new class had known each other for a year. I was the new him. So there I was, with a high pulse and a dry mouth, on the threshold of something new. I got over myself, got to say 'hello' and introduce myself to my new classmates. They welcomed me and one step at a time I got to know the tone, the routines and the other students. Today it is hard to understand what I was so nervous about."
12. It was announced in June of 2023 that Christian’s main priority was focusing on his studies and that he was turning down a royal allowance for the time being. The Danish Royal House said at the time that an “agreement with The Prime Minister’s Office that support in the Danish Parliament for a law concerning an annuity will first be sought when the Prince turns 21 or upon a possible throne succession, if that takes place beforehand.”
“ Only after this time will it be expected that His Royal Highness will enter into official contexts to a greater extent. However, that depends on where the Prince is at that point in his education,” the Royal House continued. “Until then, Prince Christian will participate in official contexts to a limited extent, similar to now.”
13. The Crown Prince graduated from Ordrup Gymnasium on June 28, 2024. Christian's proud parents and younger siblings were present when he was presented with his diploma. Days before his graduation, the Danish Prince received his student cap, which according to the Museum of Danish America, symbolizes that the individual wearing the cap has passed their final exam in high school and is now qualified to study at a university.