Prince Christian’s life is about to change when he becomes heir to the Danish throne on 14 January, following his father Crown Prince Frederik’s accession.
Queen Margrethe announced her abdication in her New Year’s address – the first time such an event has occurred in Denmark in nearly 900 years.
Her grandson, Prince Christian, is in the final year of his secondary education at Ordrup Gymnasium in Gentofte and celebrated his 18th birthday last October with a lavish gala dinner.
Like his parents, Christian also faces big changes of his own.
Firstly, as Frederik and Mary become King and Queen, Christian will assume the title of Crown Prince of Denmark.
There’s also the possibility that the young prince will receive a large royal allowance, given the change of throne.
It was previously announced by the Danish royal palace that Prince Christian would not receive financial support from Folketing (Parliament) “until he turns 21 or upon a possible change of throne, if it takes place before that”.
It’s not known if Christian will increase his public duties to coincide with his new position, but the Danish palace said on his 18th birthday that the prince’s “main priority in the coming year will be the completion of his upper secondary education”.
Queen Margrethe currently receives around 100 million Danish kroner (£11 million GDP) annually to help support her living and staffing costs.
After completing his secondary education, Christian may decide to go to university like his parents and is likely to undergo military training like his father, Frederik.
On the day of his 18th birthday, Queen Margrethe gifted Prince Christian the Order of Elephant – Denmark’s highest honour.
Christian wore the Order of Elephant, previously worn by his late grandfather Prince Henrik, at his 18th birthday dinner in October.
It’s likely that Crown Prince Frederik will carry on his mother’s tradition and award the Order of Elephant to his three youngest children – Princess Isabella, 16, and 12-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine – on accession day.
When Frederik and Mary become King and Queen, each of their children will move up a place in the line of succession. Prince Christian will be first in line, followed by Princess Isabella as second, and Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine as third and fourth respectively.
Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary and their four children currently reside at Frederik VIII’s Palace within Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.
It’s not known whether the family will move into Christian IX’s Palace at Amalienborg – where Queen Margrethe currently calls home.
The Danish queen also uses Marselisborg Palace in Aarhus and Gråsten Palace in the Jutland region of southern Denmark as her summer residences.
