Princess Mary’s children: What their new role means for four young royals
Both intense scrutiny and public adoration is expected to lay ahead for the four half-Australian offspring of the soon-to-be King and Queen of Denmark.
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For years they have lived under the gaze of an adoring public that has delighted in every childhood milestone and achievement.
Now, as their parents prepare for their next chapter as the King and Queen of Denmark, the lives of Crown Princess Mary’s four children are set to be followed and scrutinised even further.
Behind the walls of Copenhagen’s Amalienborg Palace, the mood is tense among the young royals — who despite their tender ages are strong individuals with distinct personalities — as they prepare for what one royal expert has termed a new “mission for life”.
With just days to go before she becomes HM Queen Mary, alongside incoming King and husband Crown Prince Frederik, the enormity of the burden her sons and daughters will now carry after their grandmother’s shock abdication will not be lost on the Australian-born royal.
Crown Princess Mary has famously won the hearts and minds of the Danish people, in her two decades as a royal.
But as pragmatic as she may be, she is all too aware of the difficulties she herself endured when she first left her native Australia for a life of intense scrutiny.
The devoted mother is said to be “deeply concerned” for her eldest son Prince Christian, who is destined to become king after his father but appears reluctant to fully launch himself into royal life.
“Crown Princess Mary is deeply concerned for Christian, who has lived a largely private life and has made veiled references to not wanting to lead a life in the royal spotlight,” royal expert and author Phil Dampier said.
Aged just 18 and considered one of Europe’s most eligible bachelors, Prince Christian announced last October he would forgo his royal allowance to instead focus on his education and wait until he is 21 before becoming a full-time working royal.
Their eldest son’s decision prompted the Tasmanian-born royal and her husband to enlist the services of a small army of civil servants to gently encourage him to undertake “king lessons” alongside his father, Danish royal expert Lars Hovbakke Sørensen said.
“The heir apparent has been taking king lessons with his father to better understand the country of which he will one day be king but he’s made references to not wanting to step into his father’s shoes,” Mr Hovbakke Sørensen said.
“Christian will in time take on more official duties but his great aunt Princess Benedikete, or mother, can step in for him whenever his father is away.
“Training to step up in his father’s shadow is underway and begun in earnest since his coming of age,” he said.
The team is also working with Princess Isabella, 16, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, who turn 13 next week, to help them build their confidence and master the art of public speaking.
“Frederik and Mary have made big efforts to protect their children from the harshest elements of royal life – namely cameras – but they’ve also endeavoured to bring a healthy understanding of their public roles,” Mr Hovbakke Sørensen said.
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Second in line to the throne is Princess Isabella, who is described as “a character” and likened most to her British counterpart Princess Charlotte for her guiding influence on her younger twin siblings.
Known to her family as Bella, the fashion-conscious teen often graces the front rows of haute couture shows and likes to borrow her mother’s threads for formal occasions.
For her confirmation, she recycled a white blazer and matching trousers previously worn by Crown Princess Mary during a 2017 visit to Sweden.
She also wore her mother’s jewellery and carried her silver clutch at Prince Christian’s 18th birthday party.
A keen equestrian and cyclist, Princess Isabella participates in competitive events and fun runs with her famously sporty parents, who she likes to accompany on state visits.
“She’s a very strong character and independent member of the Danish royal household, she guides her younger siblings at public events and is not shy to speak her mind,” Mr Dampier said.
Twins Josephine and Vincent enjoy the same outdoor pursuits as their older siblings with a focus on riding and athletics.
As fourth and fifth in line to the Danish throne, it is unlikely either of them will ever become king or queen meaning they will enjoy a greater level of personal freedom than their older siblings.
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Crown Princess Mary recently said Josephine was a free thinker, who told her once she could achieve her dreams “without anything or anyone stopping her because she is a girl.”
The focus of the Danish Royal House in the last year has been to empower Prince Christian and his siblings to play an active part in royal life.
Knowing the retirement of 83-year-old Queen Margrethe was nigh, palace aides had been guiding the children through carefully orchestrated public appearances.
“Destined as they are for a lifetime of royal service, it’s imperative the children learn early on what their future roles will require and inside the palace a team of civil servants has been recruited to not only guide Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary to step up, but to also encourage their four children to take on more duties,” Mr Hovbakke Sørensen said.
“All of them have been in the spotlight more, at opening ceremonies, fronting more public speaking engagements and learning how to handle increased public scrutiny as their father prepares to ascend the throne.
“The Danish royals are deeply loved, it’s a bittersweet time in Denmark, we don’t want to see Queen Margrethe go, she is hugely popular, but we are excited about a young monarchy preparing for a mission for life.
“Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary are as popular as Queen Margrethe – the Danish royal family receives remarkably high approval ratings of between 82 per cent and 92 per cent, but in Denmark we also love the four children, who give interviews on television about their lives; they are more down-to-earth and considerably more open compared to the British royal family.”
PRINCE CHRISTIAN, 18
The soon to be Crown Prince Christian was born at the Copenhagen University Hospital on October 15, 2005.
The next day, fireworks exploded over Australia and a 21-gun salute was fired from the Sixtus Battery at Holmen naval base in Copenhagen and at Kronborg Castle heralding the birth of the first Danish royal heir born since his father in 1968.
In line with royal tradition – which dictates each king alternates between the names Frederik and Christian, – he was baptised Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John at just over three months old, at Christiansborg Palace Chapel on January 21, 2006.
He was the first Danish royal to attend daycare in 2007 before moving on to Tranegårdskolen public state school, in affluent Hellerup outside Copenhagen.
At the start of 2020, all four of the royal children barked on several weeks of a 12-week program at the Lemania-Verbier International School in Switzerland before the coronavirus pandemic forced them to return to Denmark.
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In June 2022, after finishing his first year as a boarder at prestigious Herlufsholm, he was abruptly transferred to Ordrup Gymnasium state school when allegations of bullying, violence and sexual abuse surfaced in a documentary.
“It is heartbreaking to hear about systematic bullying and about the culture of abuse and violence that many have been a part of,” his parents said announcing the transfer.
Prince Christian undertook his first official engagement opening of a new elephant house at the Copenhagen Zoo with his late grandfather, Prince Henrik in 2008.
When he turned 18 last October, he formally vowed to uphold the country’s constitution, an important step forward in his journey as a king-in-waiting.
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The four-times great grandson of Queen Victoria and fifth cousins with Prince William and Harry speaks fluent English, German, French and Danish.
A keen sportsman he plays football, rides, and regularly takes part in runs with his parents.
At his coming of age party he was linked to Princess Maria Chiara di Borbone-Two Sicilies who has since said they share only “a close friendship”.
PRINCESS ISABELLA, 16
Second in line to the throne after Christian is Princess Isabella, but when he has children she will drop down the royal rank.
Born Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe on April 21 2007, the Princess of Denmark is also known as Countess of Monpezat.
She began her schooling at Tranegårdskolen in August 2013 and was due to attend the scandal-hit elite Herlufsholm Boarding School in June 2022 but was instead sent to Ingrid Jespersen’s private high school, known for its academic excellence.
PRINCE VINCENT AND PRINCESS JOSEPHINE, 12
Twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine will turn 13 on January 10.
Born 26 minutes apart on January 8, 2011, Vincent arrived first at 10.30am, and his sister just before 11am, at Copenhagen University Hospital.
The pair were baptised three months later on April 14, 2011, as Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander and Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda, at the Church of Holmen in a dual ceremony.
The name Frederik was chosen in honour of Vincent’s father, Crown Prince Frederik, following the Danish royal tradition that sees all future kings named either Frederik or Christian. Josephine’s middle name Mathilda was a tribute to Princess Mary’s Australian heritage.
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The twins won over the hearts of Australians when their mother took them to Admiralty House in Sydney on a visit to see family in 2011.
They live with their family at two Danish royal residences, the lavish Amalienborg in Copenhagen and in the Chancellery House at Fredensborg Palace, on the eastern shore of Lake Esrum. They were also students at Tranegårdskolen, in the Danish capital.
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