Transitioning from a rebellious teenager to a popular family man, Crown Prince Frederik is soon-to-be king of Denmark following Queen Margrethe II's surprise abdication.
ADVERTISEMENTAs Denmark's Queen Margrethe II makes the historic announcement of her abdication after an illustrious 52-year reign, all eyes turn to the poised heir, Crown Prince Frederik, set to ascend the throne.
In her New Year's speech, Europe's longest-reigning living monarch revealed her plan to pass the royal mantle to her son on 14 January, marking the anniversary of her own ascension to power at the age of 31.
Ever since his birth on 26 May 1968, Frederik André Henrik Christian has been the heir to the Danish throne.
But what more do we know about Denmark's soon-to-be king?
1) Royal relations
Prince Frederik is the oldest son of Queen Margrethe and her late French-born husband, Prince Henrik, who died February 2018.
Born at a time when his maternal grandfather, Frederik IX (whom he was named after), ruled the Danish throne and his matrilineal great-grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf, held the Swedish throne, Frederik, 55, shares his royal legacy with his younger brother, Prince Joachim.
2) From party prince to academic achiever
In 1995, he achieved a milestone by becoming the first Danish royal to earn a master's degree.
Frederik, who was considered a rebellious "party prince" with a liking for fast cars in the early 1990s, turned his reputation around when he graduated from Aarhus University with a masters in political science, which included a year stint at Harvard University.
His final paper analysed the foreign policy of the Baltic States, a subject he had explored firsthand during multiple visits to the region.
3) "Pingo" in the navy
Frederik has completed extensive military studies and training in all three services (navy, army and the air force) notably completing the training as a frogman in the naval elite special operations forces Frømandskorpset.
It was here that he earned the affectionate nickname "Pingo" (Penguin), from an alleged incident when his wetsuit filled with water and he was forced to waddle like a penguin.
Crown Prince Frederik continues to play an active role in his country's defence forces.
4) When prince meets consultant
In 2003, Queen Margrethe gave her consent to his marriage to Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, an Australian marketing consultant he met during the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
The royal wedding took place on 14 May 2004, at Copenhagen Cathedral, marking the beginning of a family that would expand to include four children: Christian (born 15 October 2005), Isabella (born 21 April 2007) and twins Vincent and Josephine (born 8 January 2011).
However, in 2023, tabloids alleged an affair between Frederik and Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova.
Photos of the two spending an evening together in Madrid fuelled the controversy, prompting Casanova to issue a statement denying any romantic involvement and dismissing the rumours as "malicious".
The Royal Household refrained from commenting on the matter.
5) Marathon monarch
An avid runner, Prince Frederik has completed marathons in Copenhagen, New York, and Paris.
ADVERTISEMENTNotably, he became the first royal to complete an Ironman in 2013.
And in celebration of his 50th birthday on 21 May 2018, he launched "Royal Run," a public running event spanning Denmark's five largest cities.
Boasting over 70,000 participants in its first year, including Frederik and his family, the event was a hit with the Danish public and is now an annual affair.
6) Frederik the fearless
Prince Frederik is known to have an adventurous spirit, made clear from his participation in several expeditions, including one to Mongolia in 1986 and the "Expedition Sirius 2000" in Greenland as a film photographer.
Beyond expeditions, Frederik engages in cross-country skiing and has even tackled the Vasaloppet, the world's biggest cross-country ski race, alongside Norway's Crown Prince Haakon.
ADVERTISEMENT7) Environmental activist
Frederik has a keen interest in climate change and sustainability, and has actively engaged in expeditions, forums and environmental events.
This commitment aligns with his mother's sentiments, as she dedicated her last New Year's Eve speech to emphasising the urgency of addressing climate change.
"We need to address climate change. The consequences are not only in the future. They are here already, and they are extreme. Most people in Denmark are fully aware of this, even if it has been difficult for some of us to fully realise it. Together we must now find the hope and determination to do something," she said.
