Christian turns 21 and refuses the money

Crown Prince Christian of Denmark turned twenty-one this week and declined the government-funded stipend he became entitled to claim. He also refused a military salary while serving.

He chose military service over royal duties

Rather than becoming a full-time working royal, Christian pursued a military career. He serves as regent for his father King Frederik X when needed but is not a regular working royal.

His parents gave him freedom to choose

In his first major newspaper interview with Politiken, Christian said he faced no pressure from his parents or the royal court to join the military. He wanted to do it himself.

“I've always wanted to do it and thought it sounded exciting”

He followed his father's military path

King Frederik X served with the Danish Frogman Corps and earned the nickname Pingo in the corps. Christian's grandmother Queen Margrethe II volunteered with the Women's Flying Corps in nineteen fifty-eight.

The stipend refusal sends a message

Marie Rønde, royal correspondent for Denmark's TV two News, said refusing payment was wise. The Danish royal court thought taxpayers already pay the royal family enough without also funding military service.

“The thought in the Danish royal court is taxpayers pay a lot of money to the royal family already, why should we also pay more for Christian to serve?”

The royal house got a raise anyway

Following King Frederik's ascension to the throne on January fourteen, twenty twenty-four, the royal house received an additional seventeen million kroner, three point six five million dollars, per year.

Danes strongly support their monarchy

The Danish monarchy is one of the most popular in the world, with seventy-two percent of Danes supporting the ancient institution in a recent national poll.

His sister Isabella made history too

Princess Isabella, Denmark's nineteen-year-old spare to the heir, made history as the first Danish female royal to take part in military service when she joined up in August for eleven months of training.

Isabella also refused her military wage

Like her brother, Isabella turned down a military wage. Royal affairs commentator Jakob Steen Olsen said her service showed the royal family supports the government's decision to make military service compulsory for girls.

They live like other Danish teenagers

The royal couple allows Christian and Isabella space to enjoy their youth away from the royal spotlight. They attend music festivals and are seen on social media doing things other Danish teenagers do.

Danes like their royals being normal

Jakob Steen Olsen said Danes like the royals being able to live lives close to how other Danish teenagers live. They drink beer, dance, and hug different people, and Danes see that as fine.

“People like them being able to live lives that are quite close to how all other Danish teenagers live. They drink a lot of beer, they dance around, they hug different girls and boys, and Danes like that.”

Isabella's bratty moment made her popular

In twenty twenty-one, cameras caught Isabella answering her mother back at Crown Prince Christian's confirmation.

A controversial T-shirt caused a sensation

In twenty twenty-five, Isabella was photographed at a music festival in a Danish rap band T-shirt with words translating to I f-word him yesterday with an arrow pointing to the person next to her.

Queen Mary's response was measured

When asked by a journalist about her daughter's choice of clothing, Queen Mary said: Let's put it this way, some decisions are better than others.

“Let's put it this way, some decisions are better than others.”

Christian faced a test as regent

When the king was out of the country last summer, Christian had to step in as regent.He was at a festival at the time, raising questions about whether he should be there with that responsibility.

They went to regular schools like other kids

Prince Christian was the first heir apparent to go to a regular kindergarten and his siblings followed suit. Isabella graduated from Øregård Gymnasium, a normal state high school in Copenhagen.

Their father wanted a different childhood

King Frederik was thrown to the wolves at eighteen taking up official duties almost immediately. He felt let down and insecure. He has been clear he wanted a different, closer childhood for his own kids.

Mary brought a different parenting style

Mary Donaldson from Tasmania is close to her family. When they took Christian home from the hospital after birth, they explained to media he would always be only an arm's length away from them.

Danish media respects their privacy

Although there are no privacy laws in Denmark, there is a clear line between public and private that domestic media observes.They do not photograph the kids at school or playing soccer or at the beach.

Whether he will be a good king remains unknown

The Danes like their royals but whether Christian will become a good king is yet to be seen.