Who Is Crown Prince Christian, Heir To The Danish Throne?

Fairytales are replete with stories of dashing young princes who sweep damsels off of their feet. Turns out these takes of European royals aren't just fables, because straight out of central casting comes a real-life prince who would fit the bill in any fairytale: Christian Valdemar Henri John, also known as His Royal Highness The Crown Prince, Prince of Denmark. Oh, and for good measure, he's also the Count of Monpezat.

Born in October 2005 in Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, Prince Christian is the eldest son of Denmark's King Frederik X and Queen Mary. Ever since his father's ascension to the Danish throne in early 2024, the young royal has held the new title of Crown Prince Christian, second in line to become Denmark's next monarch. While his three younger siblings — Prince Vincent, and Princesses Josephine and Isabella — wait in the wings, the crown prince's recent coming of age will be seeing him step out into the spotlight like never before, as he takes his place among a pantheon of European royals that also includes his far more famous relatives, Britain's royal family, aka the House of Windsor.

If you're intrigued by Europe's various monarchies, you will want to keep reading. Here's what there is to know about Crown Prince Christian, heir to the Danish throne.

Crown Prince Christian of Denmark made his official debut a few months after his birth, on the occasion of his christening. With the Danish monarchy — as is the case with other European monarchies — a christening is a ritual with both religious and royal significance, traditionally marking the first time that the country's royal infant is seen in public. The christening took place within the chapel of Copenhagen's Christiansborg Palace, replicating a historic ceremony.

Prince Christian's christening was conducted by Erik Norman Svendsen, archbishop of the Diocese of Copenhagen. Musical accompaniment for the occasion was provided by Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir, with the recently arrived royal honored with the debut of new musical works from Danish composers Palle Mikkelborg and Fuzzy, also known as Jens Wilhelm Pedersen. In addition to introducing the prince to the public, the occasion of the christening was also when Christian's name was first revealed. As noted in Royalty Monthly, the royal family stuck to an old superstition that dictates they keep the name under wraps until the christening. So, prior to the christening, the media needed a placeholder name for Christian. They went with the nickname "kingaroo."

That said, royal watchers probably could've guessed the young prince's name. For centuries, Danish kings have alternated between the names Christian or Frederik, so one didn't exactly have to try too hard to figure out what King Frederik X would call his firstborn. 

Despite the family's royal pedigree, King Frederik X and Queen Mary evidently want their son and his siblings to grow up in circumstances that were as normal as possible. Prince Christian went to nursery school when he was just 18 months old, making him the first-ever Danish royal to do so. When he grew older, Christian also blazed another trail when he became the first member of his family to ever attend a public school. He attended Tranegårdskolen, a state school located in Hellerup, until grade 9. 

As "normal" as that all may sound, the young royal's early school years weren't exactly that relatable. When Christian started nursery school back in 2007, his first day of class was an event, to say the least. As The Sydney Morning Herald reported at the time, members of the media were there to document the historic occasion. Before his parents could drop him off at Dronning Louise Children's House, they had to navigate a group of photographers eager to get a snap of the royals. 

While King Frederik X and Queen Mary strove for normalcy when raising Prince Christian and his siblings, they still had royal duties to attend to. Eventually, Christian had royal duties of his own. In fact, the young prince undertook his very first royal engagement in 2008, when he was all of 2 years old, when he accompanied his grandfather, Prince Henrik, to the Copenhagen Zoo. This wasn't a typical day at the zoo, but was to officially open the new elephant enclosure.

As Hello! reported, the youngster didn't have to travel too far for the occasion; the zoo is situated in Frederiksburg Park, which is adjacent to the royal family's summer residence. While his grandfather held him, Prince Christian rang a bell to proclaim the new exhibit officially open.

The zoo's new home for its elephants was designed by the Foster + Partners architecture firm. "As our first zoo project, we were asked to create a new enclosure for a herd of Asian Elephants in Denmark's renowned Copenhagen Zoo," the firm's head of design, Spencer de Grey, told Dezeen. "We have designed a building that not only responds to the animals' natural behaviour, but is also a seamless insertion into the landscape that uses the site's natural properties to provide thermal insulation. We are delighted to learn that the elephants are enjoying their new home."

Abdications are rare among European monarchs, but they do happen on occasion. For example, when Britain's King Edward VIII stepped down from the throne to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, he paved the way for his brother, and eventually his niece, the long-reigning Queen Elizabeth II. The Danish monarchy faced its own abdication in January 2024, when monarch Queen Margrethe II gave up the throne at the age of 83 in order to clear the way for her son, Frederik X, to take his place as king. That simple act, in which Margrethe signed a declaration, made Frederik the new monarch and bumped up his son, Prince Christian, into first position as Crown Prince Christian, heir to the throne. 

According to The Guardian, Margarethe's abdication was Denmark's first since 1146, and her initial announcement sent shockwaves through Denmark. And when Christian eventually becomes king, it's unlikely there will be a coronation (his father was officially declared king during a cabinet meeting, not a coronation ceremony).

As king, Christian is also likely to face a lot less turmoil than his British counterpart. "Instead of regalia, it [the monarchy] is a driving force for business and diplomacy," Danish citizen Morten Pelch told The Guardian. "The Danish media has never been as 'tabloid' as the UK's and the average Danish person hasn't had much call to question the monarchy."

Crown Prince Christian of Denmark certainly keeps a far lower profile than those ubiquitous British royals, yet that hasn't allowed him to escape entirely from the gossip mill. In August 2023, gossip emerged claiming that Christian was dating another royal, Italy's Princess Maria Chiara of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. As People reported, the rumor began when a photo emerged of the 18-year-old princess holding onto the shoulder of the 17-year-old prince while they attended the Monaco Grand Prix.

The scuttlebutt had apparently become so prevalent that the princess took it upon herself to issue a statement of denial. "I would like to set the records straight with regards to the unfounded rumor that has been circulating about me. Prince Christian and I share a close friendship," she wrote in an Instagram post, admitting she'd initially found the rumor to be amusing before it began spiraling out of control. "I believe it is now time to put an end to this rumor," she added, concluding, "While we all enjoy dreaming of fairy tales, what truly matters is reality."

In the fall of 2021, 15-year-old Crown Prince Christian of Denmark began attending the Herlufsholm School, among the most esteemed boarding schools in the country. Then, some disturbing allegations about the school emerged in a bombshell 2022 documentary, detailing claims that students had been bullied, beaten, and even sexually abused. (Christian himself, it should be pointed out, was not connected to any of the allegations.)

Christian's parents acted decisively, and yanked him out of the academic institution. "Bullying, violence and indignities are never acceptable," Christian's parents wrote in a statement that called for sweeping changes at the school.

The allegations led to a difficult decision, given that Christian's own experience at the school had been overwhelmingly positive. "The question is whether the two aspects can go hand in hand; whether we as parents can let our children go to Herlufsholm and, at the same time, respond and insist on the changes that benefit all students at the school," the statement added. He subsequently enrolled in Ordrup Gymnasium, starting in the fall of 2022.

In January 2024, the Daily Mail referred to Crown Prince Christian of Denmark as "Europe's most eligible bachelor." This declaration came about a few months after Princess Maria Chiara of Bourbon-Two Sicilies denied that she was dating Prince Christian.

Evidently, the status was thrust upon the young royal by the simple fact he's a next-in-line-to-the-throne heir. As the Mail pointed out, he's reportedly the only crown prince on the continent who isn't already married, so theoretically, he's a major catch to any young woman who dreams of being a queen one day. 

Being such a high-profile eligible bachelor may sound like an enviable position, but it also comes with a tradeoff. After all, every move the young prince makes will almost certainly be documented by the paparazzi, posing difficulties in getting to know someone and enjoy a normal dating life outside of the public eye.

One of the many perks of being a Danish royal is financial. For Crown Prince Christian, that included government funding he could receive on the occasion of his 18th birthday.

However, he decided to turn that funding down, instead deciding to place the focus on his education; according to a statement, the issue would be revisited when he turned 21. "His Royal Highness Prince Christian turns 18 on 15 October 2023," noted a royal statement issued via Instagram (via People). "Prince Christian's main priority in the coming year will be the completion of the prince's upper secondary education. In continuation of this, the Royal Palace will provide information on Prince Christian's further youth and education courses when the time is right."

If the prince did decide to accept that funding at age 21, the statement noted, it would be expected that he'd work for the money by undertaking a far heftier schedule of royal engagements that he had to date. "Until then," the statement added, "Prince Christian will only participate in official contexts to a limited extent."

For Crown Prince Christian of Denmark, another perk of royalty is getting to attend great parties — some of which are held in his honor. That was the case when he turned 18 in October 2023. The milestone birthday was celebrated by a very posh gala held at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. According to People, the guest list featured a who's who of young European royalty, including Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra, and Princess Estelle of Sweden. Also in attendance was 19-year-old Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands.

As one might anticipate, the dress code was as posh as it gets, with white tie required for men and ball gowns for women; tiaras were not strictly demanded, but were certainly encouraged — and there was certainly no shortage of them at the soiree. What's more, Christian's grandmother, Queen Margarethe, enlisted popular Danish group Benjamin Hav & the Family to perform a special concert. "The concert was Her Majesty the Queen's surprise to all the guests," noted a statement (via People).

Following the party, Christian's new status at 18 would potentially allow him to be appointed as head of state. However, a statement declared (via People), "Prince Christian will not get a seat in the Council of State until a change of throne has taken place."

During Crown Prince Christian's gala 18th birthday bash, a famous fairytale played out in real life. The evening ended with a mystery when one of the female party guests exited without one of her shoes, leaving one behind.

Palace courtiers posted a photo of the solo shoe on Instagram. "Is it Cinderella who forgot her shoe last night?" read the caption accompanying the pic (via People). "When the guests at Her Majesty the Queen's gala dinner yesterday had gone home, this lonely stiletto shoe was left at Christiansborg Castle. The owner is welcome to contact us to get it back."

The shoe's owner was eventually found to be Anne-Sofie Tørnsø Olesen, one of the 200 students who'd been invited from various parts of Denmark to attend the party. As she told Danish news outlet Se Og Hør (via People), any resemblance to the beloved fairytale was entirely intentional. "It was meant to be a fairytale ending à la Cinderella," she said. "I thought it was a bit funny myself, and I talked to my family and friends about it before, and they agreed that I should do it. It's a chance you won't get again."

After turning 18, Crown Prince Christian marked another royal milestone when he officially became a knight in the Order of the Elephant. The honor took place at a ceremony, in which he was joined by his grandmother, Queen Margrethe, and father, King Frederik X, with his newly created coat of arms added to the others in Knights' Chapel. The prince's coat of arms was designed and painted on a shield by Danish artist Ronny Skov Andersen. "First the weapon is drawn up with pencil, then the sketch is transferred to the metal plate with chalk and then coloured with a few colors: red, blue, green, black, gold leaf (yellow) and silver (white)," noted a caption accompanying a photo of the artist in action, as reported by Tatler.

The Order of the Elephant was around for a few centuries before King Christian V implemented the official statutes in 1693. Since then, less than 900 people have been awarded with this honor, and it's primarily reserved for royals and heads of state. It is not only the highest-ranked honor in the country,  but it's one of Denmark's two chivalric orders. Needless to say, it's a big deal. 

When Crown Prince Christian of Denmark graduated from Ordrup Gymnasium in 2024, he decided to delay the remainder of his education in order to take a gap year. The gap year has become something of a tradition for many royals, with Britain's Prince William spending a year in Chile, while Prince Harry took off for the Australian Outback. In Denmark, it's also encouraged: Christian's father, King Frederik X, and his grandmother, Queen Margrethe, both took some time off for travel after they finished school, too.

For his gap year, Christian decided on East Africa. As a statement issued via Instagram proclaimed (via People), his trip would go from September to December of 2024. He planned to "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." After he returns to Denmark, it's thought that he will go to university or begin military training.