As Queen Mary and King Frederik hosted their first state visit with Iceland’s President Halla Tómasdóttir earlier this week, the Queen no doubt had her son, Crown Prince Christian, in her thoughts.
For the occasion, the 52-year-old Danish royal looked sophisticated in a purple coat dress by Søren Le Schmidt, complemented by a matching headband by Jane Taylor and a delicate gold necklace adorned with four amethyst gemstones.
This sentimental necklace holds special meaning, as it was first worn by Mary when she left Rigshospitalet with her newborn son Christian in October 2005. The amethysts, representing February—Mary’s birth month—add a personal touch to the piece.
The state visit occurred just one week before Christian’s 19th birthday on October 15. Currently, on his gap year in Africa, the Crown Prince is involved in the daily operations of two farms as part of his extended stay in East Africa, which the Danish palace announced in the summer. Christian is expected to return to Denmark in December.
Following in the footsteps of his father, King Frederik, and his grandmother, Queen Margrethe, who also spent time abroad during their youth, Christian is gaining hands-on experience in nature conservation and farm management.
Christian became Crown Prince on January 14, when his father ascended the Danish throne following Queen Margrethe’s unexpected abdication. Over the past year, Christian has reached several significant milestones, including receiving Denmark’s highest honor, the Order of the Elephant, from Queen Margrethe on his 18th birthday.
He also made a formal declaration to uphold the Constitution during a Council of State meeting, enabling him to act as regent if King Frederik is unable to fulfill his duties. In June, he graduated from Ordrup Gymnasium in Gentofte.
It remains unclear what Christian’s next steps will be after his return in December, though military training and university enrollment are likely in his future.
Meanwhile, it’s been a busy week for King Frederik and Queen Mary, who recently hosted the Icelandic state visit. The visit included a glittering gala dinner at Christiansborg Palace, where Queen Mary dazzled in a midnight blue gown and the Pearl Poire tiara. The royal couple also attended a dinner marking the American Chamber of Commerce in Denmark’s 25th anniversary on Thursday and celebrated Holstebro’s 750th anniversary on Friday.
