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While King Frederik X and Queen Mary ’s eldest son Christian became the Crown Prince on Sunday, their three youngest children, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, became Knights of the Order of the Elephant.
The Order of the Elephant is said to be the oldest and most distinguished Danish Royal Order of Chivalry. According to the statutes of the Order of the Elephant, the sons and daughters of the Sovereign of the Orders, who is now King Frederik, are born members of the order. The “three new Knights of the Order of the Elephant will likely be presented with the Order of the Elephant’s insignias on their 18th birthdays,” per the Danish Royal House.
Frederik and his younger brother Prince Joachim became Knights of the Order of the Elephant when their mother Queen Margrethe ascended to the throne in 1972, and they were presented with the insignias when they turned 18.
Queen Margrethe bestowed the Order of the Elephant upon Mary and Frederik’s firstborn, Crown Prince Christian, on his 18th birthday last year. At the time, it was revealed that his elephant had previously been worn by his late grandfather, Prince Henrik. It underwent a minor restoration, including having the Queen’s monogram affixed.
Eagle-eyed royal watcher Gert’s Royals spotted the Crown Prince wearing the Order of the Elephant’s rosette on the lapel of his jacket on Sunday. Christian, his father and paternal grandmother took part in a Council of State meeting on Jan. 14, during which Queen Margrethe signed her abdication declaration, thus making Frederik the King and Christian the Crown Prince.
In a speech following the proclamation on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace, His Majesty said (translated to English): “Today, the throne passes on. My hope is to become a gathering king of tomorrow. It is a task I have approached all my life. It is a responsibility I take on with respect, pride and great joy. It is a deed I will make an effort to carry through the trust I encounter. I need all the support I can get. From my beloved wife, from my family, from you and from that which is greater than us. I face the future with the certainty that I am not alone.”