Who is Crown Prince Frederik? A Look at Denmark's Next King

On the last day of 2023, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced her abdication, which would take effect on January 14.

Taking her place is her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, who would be known upon his accession as King Frederik X.

As the countdown to the transition of power began in Denmark, here are some details about the next Danish king.

Royal Degree-Holder

Frederik André Henrik Christian of the House of Glücksburg-Monpezat was born on May 26, 1968, to then-Princess Margrethe and her French diplomat husband Henri de Laborde de Monpezat. He was the eldest of Margrethe and Henrik's two sons, with the younger one being Prince Joachim.

His mother became Queen of Denmark after the death of his grandfather, King Frederik IX, in 1972. This meant he became crown prince at the age of three.

After attending basic education, Frederik became the first Danish royal to complete a university education after graduating with a degree in political science at Aarhus University in 1995. He used the name "Frederik Henriksen" as a student.

Upon graduating from university, he was posted as First Secretary to the Danish Embassy in Paris from October 1998 to October 1999 as a nod to his French heritage.

Soldier and Adventurer

Part of Frederik's royal duties was not only to represent Denmark but also to serve and defend it.

As part of these duties, Frederik completed extensive military studies and training in all three services of the Danish armed forces, including as a combat diver for the Danish Navy's Frogman Corps, which is equivalent to the US Navy SEALs and the British Special Boat Service.

He also completed further leadership training at the Royal Danish Defense College in Copenhagen. Prior to his accession as king, he was promoted to the full ranks of general in the Danish Army and Air Force and admiral in the Danish Navy.

Who is Crown Prince Frederik? A Look at Denmark's Next King

(Photo: Ole Jensen/Getty Images)

A Wife from Down Under

While serving as a military officer and royal representative for Denmark at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Frederik met Australian lawyer and marketing consultant Mary Elizabeth Donaldson.

After four years of secret courtship, Queen Margrethe gave her consent to the marriage of Frederik and Mary, with the wedding taking place on May 14, 2004, at Copenhagen Cathedral.

The future king and queen have four children together, with their eldest son Prince Christian set to become the next crown prince upon Margrethe's abdication.

Frederik X

As Margrethe's reign over Denmark is about to end, it would be expected that the next monarch would be known as King Frederik X.

Equally loved like Margrethe, Frederik, and Mary represented a modernized Danish monarchy as they gave their four children as normal an upbringing as possible, including sending them mainly to state schools, the BBC reported.

Like his British counterpart, King Charles III, Frederik has also developed a sense of being close to nature and a drive to pursue solutions that would improve the world's climate issues.

It was also speculated that Margrethe's abdication was a motherly gesture to preserve the marriage of his son and daughter-in-law following rumors that Frederik was allegedly having an affair with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova.

The outgoing monarch was also under pressure after cutting off Prince Joachim and Princess Marie and their family of royal titles and stipend to downsize the House of Glücksburg.

Despite the rumors, Frederik and Mary appeared together in Margrethe's final New Year's Day dinner gala on Monday (January 1) alongside Prince Joachim and his wife Marie.