Queen Mary speaks out after son leaves home

Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark said goodbye to their son Crown Prince Christian this week.The 18 year old has left home to begin an extended stay in East Africa. 

When asked by Billed Bladet on Wednesday how it was saying farewell to her firstborn earlier in the day, the mom of four admitted (via B.T. and translated to English), "We are looking forward to everything he will experience and learn on his journey, but at the same time we will miss him unimaginably."

The Danish Royal House announced Christian's travels to East Africa on Aug. 30. In a press release, the Royal House shared, "On 4 September, His Royal Highness The Crown Prince will set out for an extended stay in East Africa. There, The Crown Prince will be involved in the daily operation of two farms, which will, among other things, include practical and administrative tasks and also give The Crown Prince insight into local nature protection."

© Martin Sylvest Andersen

The plan is for Christian to return to Denmark in December. The Danish Royal House noted that in the royal family "there is a long tradition that the successors to the throne go on extended stays abroad during their youth and have the opportunity to develop and experience the world."

Christian's father, King Frederik, took part in an expedition to Mongolia in 1986, and in 1989, worked at a vineyard in California for a year, while the Crown Prince's paternal grandmother, Queen Margrethe II, went on longer trips to the East and South America in the 1960s.

Mary and Frederik's eldest child graduated from Ordrup Gymnasium this past June. He is the oldest of the King and Queen's four children. Mary and Frederik are also parents to Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine. Christian, who is first in line to the Danish throne, became the Crown Prince of Denmark following his grandmother's abdication in January.

Two days before setting out on his trip to East Africa, Christian traveled to Paris, France for the Paralympic Games, where he met with athletes and watched different matches. Sharing footage from his visit to the French capital, the Royal House wrote (translated to English): "A big thank you for a beautiful day in Paris! 🇫🇷."