Photo: The Danish Royal House
Crown Prince Christian turns 21 and gets a cross only seven wear
Denmark’s Crown Prince Christian turns 21 on Thursday. The day is private, but King Frederik has awarded his son the Grand Commander’s Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog, the highest grade, worn by only seven people. New official gala portraits have been released at the same time.
Denmark's Crown Prince Christian turns 21 on Thursday. The day is being marked privately, but the royal house is using the occasion for two things: the King has given his son a rare honour, and new official portraits have been released.
A cross only seven people wear
King Frederik, 58, has awarded his son the Grand Commander's Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog. It is the order's highest grade, and can only be given to royals who are already knights of the Order of the Elephant.
Seven people currently wear the cross. Besides the Crown Prince himself they are his parents, King Frederik and Queen Mary, his grandmother Queen Margrethe, 86, Prince Joachim, Princess Benedikte and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, 80.
King Harald of Norway, who died in August, was also a Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog.
The cross bears Frederik IX's monogram
The cross itself has been used before. It was last awarded by Frederik IX, Christian's great-grandfather, and still bears his monogram. It will now be restored, and the monogram replaced with King Frederik's.
New portraits in red gala uniform
The pictures were taken a few weeks before the birthday. It is the first time the Crown Prince has been photographed officially in the Royal Life Guards' red gala uniform.
In the portraits he wears the Order of the Elephant and the new Grand Commander's Cross, both with breast stars. He also wears his commemorative medals, struck to mark particular occasions: Queen Margrethe's birthdays in 2010, 2015 and 2020, the jubilees of 2012 and 2022, the then royal couple's golden wedding in 2017, Prince Henrik's 75th birthday in 2009 and Prince Henrik's memorial medal from 2018.
"Surreal to think about"
In his first major interview, with the Danish newspaper Politiken, the Crown Prince recently said he feels nervous at the thought of succeeding his father on the throne.
"It is also surreal for me to think about," he said. He said he has known since childhood what future awaits him: "I have been prepared for the task by my parents. So it is something I am of course both excited and nervous about."
Still with the Life Guards
Day to day, Christian is a second lieutenant and platoon commander with the Royal Life Guards at the Garder barracks in Høvelte. He continues in service until the summer of 2027, and receives no pay from the armed forces.
The question of an annuity, the fixed sum royals receive from the state to cover their costs, only arises once he moves out and establishes his own household.