Let’s take a
look back at some of the biggest moments of the year for the Danish
Royal Family!
KING FREDERIK PROTECTS GREENLAND
King Frederik in Greenland
Foto: Kongehuset ©
Perhaps the biggest story out of the Danish Royal Family’s
sphere this year: the baffling interest of the US government in
acquiring
Greenland. Though it’s an autonomous country, it’s still a part
of the kingdom of Denmark.
King Frederik paid special visits to the country and
shared his support for Greenland amidst the ongoing political
event.
In a sharp statement on Danish television in March, the King
said “We live in an altered reality.” And as Prince
Vincent and Princess Josephine celebrated their 14th
birthdays,
their Greenlandic middle names came into the spotlight.
PRINCESS ISABELLA TURNS 18
Princess Isabella Steen
Evald, Kongehuset ©
Princess Isabella turned 18 on 21 April and was celebrated with
two events in Aarhus and Copenhagen. At Aarhus City Hall,
she joined 150 young people for an event celebrating the arts
and culture of the city. In a speech, she said: “The fact that
you have chosen to celebrate me, and that so many have come
together, makes me happy and touched. You should know that it means
a lot to me.”
The next event,
a gala performance at the Royal Theatre, saw a mixture of
opera, classical music, Broadway showtunes, and modern pop, with
Princess Isabella in black-tie formal.
As a birthday gift, Princess Isabella
received a tiara from her grandmother Queen Margrethe. The turquoise and aquamarine tiara once belonged
to Crown Princess Margretha of Sweden, who handed it down to her
daughter Ingrid upon her confirmation. Princess Ingrid married
Crown Prince Frederick in 1935, later becoming queen consort of
Denmark upon his accession. Queen Ingrid was the great-grandmother
of Princess Isabella.
Princess Isabella posed for her first official gala portraits
wearing the tiara.
(Speaking of Princess Isabella, a rebellious style choice forced
Queen Mary to make a rare comment on her daughter’s fashion:
“Some decisions are better than others.” Click
here to read the full article.)
QUEEN MARY’S SPECIAL STYLE STATEMENTS
Det Danske Kongehus
Instagram still/ fair use
In Finland at the start of the year,
Queen Mary stole the show with a 200-year-old gold tiara that
once belonged to Queen Caroline Amalie. The stones, gathered during
a trip on the Grand Tour of Italy, date back to between 1819 and
1821. Queen Mary’s bracelet was made for Princess Vilhelmine Marie
and featured stones from Mount Vesuvius.
Later in the year, as she and King Frederik travelled to the
Faroe Islands, it was revealed that her national costume dates back
to 2005, to her
first official visit to the area after her marriage.
CROWN PRINCE CHRISTIAN ENLISTS
Crown Prince Christian’s
selfie from F-16 detdanskekongehus / Instagram / Fair
Use
Crown Prince Christian followed in the footsteps of his fellow
heirs and enlisted in the Danish military,
beginning training with the Hussar Guards in Slagelse in
February.
After a visit from the family the next month, it was deep into
training,
which he completed in August. The Danish Royal Court announced
that Crown Prince Christian would immediately begin lieutenancy
training, which will run through August 2026 and include a period
of platoon service afterwards.
Some other highlights of the year? Crown Prince Christian
attended his first New Year’s levee. He also flew over Denmark
and made
a childhood dream come true! There was also a bit of
sibling rivalry, but all in good fun, of course.
QUEEN MARGRETHE TURNS 85
Kongehuset
Queen Margrethe quietly celebrated her
85th birthday in April (it’s
a popular birthdate for royals!) but she still
kept active
throughout
the year.
PRINCE JOACHIM MAKES A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT
Les Kaner ©️
Though they turned up in Denmark to mark New Year’s Day and
attend the levees, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie were soon back
in the United States to carry out their duties while he serves as
Defense Industry Attaché and Deputy Defence Attaché in
Washington.
Among the events they attended in this capacity:
the Invictus Games in Whistler, British Columbia. Princess
Marie, meanwhile,
popped up in Denmark to carry out engagements towards the end
of the year.
Over the summer, it was announced that Prince Joachim and
Princess Marie will extend their stay through August 2027.
The couple spent Christmas, with their children, in Washington
as well.
QUEEN MARY THE WORLD TRAVELLER
Queen Mary with the Great
Pyramid at Giza, Egypt behind her Foto: Kongehuset ©
Not including the state visits to Finland (with her ancient
jewellery), France (with her French style) and Latvia (where
she topped the best-dressed list), Queen Mary had her own
agenda when it came to travelling for work.
In June, she travelled to Nigeria to see the work of the
government’s Africa Strategy and the bilateral work both countries
are undertaking. In November,
she travelled to Egypt to attend the opening of the Great
Egyptian Museum and took unforgettable photos at the Great Pyramids
of Giza. In early December, she
travelled to Kenya for the United Nations’ Environment
Programme and spoke of tackling climate change.