Prince Christian
Bitter disappointment! He was denied the birthday present he was hoping for
A longing view of the forecourt of Amalienborg Palace? Unfortunately, the much sought-after gift for Prince Christian when he came of age was not at the gates.
© Mads Claus Rasmussen / Getty Images
What a party! Prince Christian celebrated his coming of age on October 15, 2023 with a lavish banquet. Royals mingled with his circle of friends. There was feasting, laughter and dancing. Of course there were also presents for the birthday child. But the future heir to the Danish throne waited in vain for an ardent wish.
This milestone is a long-awaited goal for every young person: their 18th birthday promises them the world – and the freedom to enjoy their life in a self-determined manner. For For Prince Christian, the day of honor on the occasion of his coming of age only means one thing: holding court, as befits a royal second in line to the Danish throne. But deep in his heart, the son of Prince Frederik, 55, and Princess Mary, 51, was perhaps also hoping for something that many teenagers his age have on their wish list: a car.
Prince Christian, the unlucky man: Court breaks with tradition
The royal has had his driver’s license in his pocket since June. But his dad and mom hadn’t yet brought the right vehicle to his door. For good reason: Before his birthday, the law allowed the prince to only be accompanied by an adultover 30 years of age behind the wheel. For this limited driving pleasure, the limousines from Papa Frederik’s fleet were sufficient. But by the happy deadline, Christian had perhaps secretly been expecting a little runabout in the driveway – not without justification, since his father was also able to look forward to having his own vehicle when he came of age. But presents of this kind are now over at the Danish court.
“The tradition will no longer be continued across the board. If the prince were to receive such a gift, he would be forced to reject it,” the Swedish newspaper Svensk Damtidning has found. “Today the Danish royal family does not accept cars,” it continues. A bitter disappointment for the birthday child.
The consolation? Excellent gift from King Harald
Nevertheless, Christian did not go away empty-handed. He was even given a special honor by the Norwegian monarch. “His Majesty King Harald V. of Norway has awarded His Royal Highness Prince Christian the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav,” the palace in Oslo announced on its official Instagram channel. The award was apparently given on his behalf Prince Haakon50, handed over the with Princess Mette-Marit50, and their daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra19, had traveled to Copenhagen for a festive reception for his godson.
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Prince Frederik and Princess Mary provide an alternative surprise
However, the awarding of the medal was no surprise Caroline Vagleroyal expert from “Se og Hør” explains: “It is a tradition that the Norwegian and Danish monarchs award each other’s heirs to the throne the nation’s highest order when they come of age. Therefore, Princess Ingrid Alexandra received it at the age of 18 Years also the Elephant Order of Queen Margrethe, which she used for the first time during the Christian celebrations. Now it will be exciting to see when he gets the first opportunity to use his Norwegian assignment.”
However, Christian’s disappointment over the denied mobile gift will quickly disappear over the course of the evening. His parents and some of his friends had prepared a no less wonderful surprise for him: After the banquet at Christiansborg Palace, the party continued wildly in the large hall at Amalienborg Palace. Priceless memories that a car can hardly keep up with.
Sources used: svenskdam.se, seoghoer.dk