Denmark’s King Frederik X lived away from the spotlight, yet he managed to establish a significant name for himself and gained considerable popularity through his various interests and activities. On January 14, 2024, he ascended the throne of one of Europe’s oldest monarchies after his mother, Queen Margrethe II, announced her abdication.
Early Life and Upbringing
Prince Frederik André Henrik Christian, known as Frederik X, was born on May 26, 1968, in the Danish capital of Copenhagen to Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and a French diplomat from a noble family, Henri de Laborde de Monpezat.
Throughout his youth, Frederik was shy and reserved, uncomfortable with the attention surrounding him, according to specialists in Danish royal family matters. Some even described him as a “lonely and troubled teenager.” The political engagements of his parents often left him seeking distractions, which he found in his passion for fast cars and sports.
Education and Academic Formation
Frederik attended Krebs’ School in Copenhagen and briefly studied at the Roches School in Normandy, France, before graduating from Øregaard High School on the outskirts of Copenhagen.
In 1995, he graduated from Aarhus University with a Master’s degree in Political Science, becoming the first member of the Danish royal family to acquire such a degree.
He also studied at Harvard University in the United States under the pseudonym Frederik Henriksen for a full year. In addition to Danish, he speaks English, French, and German.
Military and Diplomatic Experience
Frederik began his extensive military service in the Royal Danish Army’s Life Guards in 1986, and two years later, he became a platoon commander in the Royal Danish Guard before entering the army reserves.
He served in the Danish Defense’s army, navy, and air force branches and participated in the navy’s Frogman Corps, where he was among the four who passed most of the rigorous tests from among some 300 recruits in 1995.
His peers whimsically nicknamed him “Pingo,” meaning penguin, after an incident where his suit filled with water, causing him to walk like a penguin. He later became a reserve Captain in both the navy and the army in 1997.
Frederik worked at the Danish Mission to the United Nations in New York City in 1994 and as a first secretary at the Danish embassy in Paris during 1998 and 1999. He then trained at the flight school and was appointed a reserve Captain in the Air Force in 2000. He completed additional level two command training at the Royal Danish Defence College in 2001 and 2002.
In 2002, he became a senior commander in the army, air force, and navy, and was appointed a staff officer in the Defense Command between 2002 and 2003 and later as a lecturer at the Defense College’s Institute of Strategy.
In April 2004, he was appointed to senior ranks in the navy, promoting him to the rank of Admiral, in addition to becoming a Colonel in the army and an Air Squadron Leader in the Air Force. He was promoted in April 2015 to the rank of Commodore in the navy, and Brigadier General in the army and air force.
King Frederik X of Denmark and his wife Mary during his ascension to the throne of the country (Getty)
External Interests
Frederik’s passion for fast cars and sports has been enduring. He suffered a motorcycle accident and skiing mishaps that landed him in the hospital, but he showed his strength and endurance by participating in a four-month, 3,500-kilometer-long ski expedition across Greenland in 2000.
Frederik’s increasing commitment to physical fitness is reflected in his evolving interest in running. In 2018, he joined other members of the royal family in a race that included thousands of citizens across Denmark.
He is profoundly committed to protecting the environment from the harmful effects of climate change. This passion largely stems from the awareness he gained during a trip to the Arctic in 2009. Since then, he has attended many UN-sponsored climate summits and spoken frequently about the urgent need to combat global warming.
Official Roles and Responsibilities
- Platoon Commander in the Royal Danish Guard in 1988.
- First Secretary at the Danish embassy in Paris in 1998 and 1999.
- Reserve Captain in the Air Force in 2000.
- Senior Commander in the army, navy, and air force in 2002.
- Staff officer in the Defense Command in 2002 and 2003.
- Admiral, Colonel, and Air Squadron Leader in 2004.
- King of Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands commencing in 2024.
Ascension to the Throne
Frederik ascended to the Danish throne following Queen Margrethe II’s abdication, announced during her traditional New Year’s Eve speech on December 31, 2023, after 52 years of reign.
Large crowds gathered in Copenhagen on January 14, 2024, to witness the historic event as Frederik ascended the throne, becoming the King of Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands.
