Prince Christian's 18th birthday, October 15, 2023

[Muhler]

This post is about the Danish coverage of Christian's B-day, by DR1, BB and BT.
TV2 will also show live, but they can't be seen live outside DK, so you will have to dig up clips later on on tv2.dk.

DR1 will basically cover Christian non stop from the forenoon, at 10.00 until the gala dinner ends around 22.00 in the evening - i.e. some 12 hours.

The main events of the day are:
12.00 the balcony scene at Amalienborg. - The weather will be cool and windy with the occasional shower all day.
Early royal guests may also make an appearance in windows in the other mansions. That has happened before.

Four hours later at 16.00 the guests will begin to arrive at Christiansborg.
That will follow the usual procedure, the guests will walk past the cameras and journalists towards to honor guard, where they will wait in an adjacent room, before personally greeting the DRF members.
I think Christian will accompany QMII on the occasion.
When the guests have finished greeting the DRF, the DRF will in ascending order of rank enter the gala-room to fanfares.

The gala will start at 17.00 and last five hours. It's normal to be seated for five hours or more at Danish parties.

There will be speeches. QMII and Frederik are almost a certainty.
Christian will probably say a few words as well.
But... will Mary speak? Will Christian's siblings? In particular Isabella.
Will Christian wear the Order of the Elephant?

The majority of the guests will be under 25 years of age - that should reflect on the entertainment.

Okay. bt.dk will probably have a live blog all day with photos and videos.

BB will cover Amalienborg and the guests arriving live on their site.

DR1 will as mentioned before cover the whole show non-stop with lots of recaps in between.
Now in order to watch DR1 live you will need to sign up.

Go here: https://www.dr.dk/drtv/kanal/dr1_20875
click Login in the upper right corner. - you can't because you have to create an account.
A window appears asking for an e-mail. (I use an anonymous G-mail.)
The next window ask for a password, big and lower cases, numbers and at least eight characters.
Then a name. - Whatever you want to call yourself.
Cookies? - Nej, tak - No, thank you.
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"Bekræft" Confirm.
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- Write if you have problems, I or other members may be able to help.

Also, try the box called "kategorier".
Look up the looking glass in the upper right corner and use this word: royalt - or kongehuset - or dronning Margrethe - or Kronprins Frederik - or Kronprinsesse Mary - or prins Christian - for viewing archive material.

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Additional trivia based on countless articles in Billed Bladet #41, 2023.

On Saturday at 19.00 the docu with Christian and Frederik touring the realm will be aired on DR1 at 19.00.
But you can stream it from early Saturday morning on DR1 here: https://www.dr.dk/drtv/ - using your new login.
As a particular surprise it is Christian who will be the narrator in the docu.

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Christian play soccer and tennis he also likes to sail and to ski, but a recent interest is now E-sport.
He shares his dad's fondness and interest in music.

Every royal expert worth mentioning agree that Christian will join the military.

Christian will not take part in the State Councils from his B-day. - That's for the Monarch, the Heir (aka Regent) or a Rigsforstander. Until Frederik becomes king, Christian can step in as Rigsforstander.
Nor will there be a carriage ride through Copenhagen nor an official lunch aboard Dannebrog, the reason being that Christian is still "only" a Prince.

 

[Izzie]

Thank you Muhler.

Well I should Mary gets to speak..I mean she is the mother after all. She should have the opportunity to say words to her son upon turning 18. I enjoyed the Norwegian gala because we got to hear from the King and Queen and both her parents and also her maternal grandmother. It was lovely. So let's hope Mary is acknowledged with a couple if soapre minutes to speak. And yes it would be lovely as well to hear from Christian's siblings too.

 

[kalnel]

Four hours later at 16.00 the guests will begin to arrive at Christiansborg.
That will follow the usual procedure, the guests will walk past the cameras and journalists towards to honor guard, where they will wait in an adjacent room, before personally greeting the DRF members.
I think Christian will accompany QMII on the occasion.
When the guests have finished greeting the DRF, the DRF will in ascending order of rank enter the gala-room to fanfares.

Great info, Muhler, tak!

Where do they rank Queen Anne-Marie and her family? In terms of title, she would outrank all her Danish relatives, except Queen Margrethe, but she seems to accompany Princess Benedikte most times. Do they revert to her standing as a Danish princess?

I would guess the family would arrive:
-- Benedikte's kids/grandkids
-- Anne-Marie's kids/grandkids
-- Benedikte and Anne-Marie
-- Joachim and his family
-- Frederick and his family
-- Margrethe (I bet you're right that Christian will accompany her.)

 

[Muhler]

Protocol wise Queen Anne Marie is just that, a Majesty. (In the eyes of the DRF, once a Majesty, always a Majesty.) But also a guest.
So she will arrive before the DRF, who are the host family.

But she is also a much loved sister and so is Benedikte who is also a widow, so I think it's a kind gesture to let them accompany each other.

 

[doro]

If I remember correctly it was told that Mary Donaldson got Queen Ingrids order of the elephant. I would guess maybe Frederik has King Frederiks order, maybe Christian will get the one Prince Henrik used to have.

We will see if King Harald sends an order of St Olav for Christian with Haakon like Margrethe did for Ingrid Alexandra. Both monarchs have given orders to each others family members for special events that is not State visits.

And if Carl XVI Gustaf send the Order of Seraphim to Christian via Victoria?

 

[Stefan]

And if Carl XVI Gustaf send the Order of Seraphim to Christian via Victoria?

But he hasn't send it to Ingrid Alexandra.

 

[doro]

But he hasn't send it to Ingrid Alexandra.

I wish he sent to her too

I'm beginning to think that Amalia and Alexia won't attend

 

[Adda]

But he hasn't send it to Ingrid Alexandra.

Seems about right he hasn't send it to Ingrid and Christian, they aren't Crown Princess/Prince.

I wonder if actual Crown Princesses Elisabeth, Amalia and Leonor* have/will receive(d) it.

*Turning 18 by the end of this month.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

And if Carl XVI Gustaf send the Order of Seraphim to Christian via Victoria?

That appears to not have been done for Princess Ingrid Alexandra so i don’t think it will be done for Prince Christian either.

Though Crown Princess Victoria did recive the Order of the Elephant on her 18:th birthday in 1995 (and i belive the Order of St Olav as well)

 

[Prinsara]

That appears to not have been done for Princess Ingrid Alexandra so i don’t think it will be done for Prince Christian either.

Though Crown Princess Victoria did recive the Order of the Elephant on her 18:th birthday in 1995 (and i belive the Order of St Olav as well)

Then I wonder when Christian (and Ingrid) will receive it.

Why is Sweden seemingly pickier about giving this out versus Denmark or Norway?

 

[Mbruno]

Then I wonder when Christian (and Ingrid) will receive it.

Why is Sweden seemingly pickier about giving this out versus Denmark or Norway?

The 1974 Swedish order regulations (amended in 1995) mandated that the Order of Seraphim be awarded only to members of the Swedish RF and heads of state or people of comparable rank. The Swedes already pushed the latter by awarding it also to queens consort and crown princes.

The 2023 order reform reactivated the Order of the Sword and the Order of Vasa and allowed them to be awarded again to Swedish citizens, along with the Order of the Polar Star, but the new regulations still say that the Order of the Seraphim should be awarded to members of the Swedish Royal Family and "preferably" to heads of state or people of comparable rank. I don't think Christian is quite there yet as second in line.

 

[Adda]

Then Elisabeth and Amalia should have received it then, and Leonor should by the end of the moth.

 

[Mbruno]

Then Elisabeth and Amalia should have received it then, and Leonor should by the end of the moth.

It is not like that. An heir normally receives it only during an outgoing Swedish state visit to that heir's country and there hasn't been any Swedish state visit to Belgium or the Netherlands since Elisabeth and Amalia turned 18. The Scandinavian heirs may be an exception because of the close ties between their respective royal families, so the order may be awarded on a birthday for example.

 

[duke of poliganc]

I think that king Harold is most likely to send the order of st Olav with crown prince Haakon to replicate the same gesture offered by QMII when she sent the order of the Elephant to his granddaughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra.

 

[Stefan]

It is not like that. An heir normally receives it only during an outgoing Swedish state visit to that heir's country and there hasn't been any Swedish state visit to Belgium or the Netherlands since Elisabeth and Amalia turned 18. The Scandinavian heirs may be an exception because of the close ties between their respective royal families, so the order may be awarded on a birthday for example.

Sometimes it is also given out on other occasion when they are visting Sweden. for example King Felipe got it before the spanish State Visit to Sweden a few years ago

But neither Elisabeth or Amalia have visited Sweden since becoming 18

 

[Hans-Rickard]

Every country have different statutes in place for when and how orders should be conferred… There is nothing that says that just because Denmark and Norway confer the highest order upon each heir on the 18:th birthday, that Sweden must do the same…

The Order of the Seraphim is (for non-swedish citizens) with a few exceptions, only conferred upon Royal and Presidential heads of state, Royal Spouses, and Heirs to the throne… Presidential spouses and Royal Spouses of Heirs to the throne has been conferred the Order of the Polar Star instead.

Wether Christian will be ”an exception” i don’t know - but since Ingrid Alexandra seems to not have been, i don’t expect it…

I guess they want to mark some form of difference between being the 1:st in line to the throne and the 2:nd… And personally i see nothing wrong with that

 

[Stefan]

According to dutch Journalist Rick Evers Amalia should be there

https://twitter.com/x/status/1712834872006357407

 

[Blog Real]

According to dutch Journalist Rick Evers Amalia should be there

https://twitter.com/x/status/1712834872006357407

It's a good new.

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

Brilliant news! I was beginning to worry – I wonder why the Dutch court hasn't announced anything yet.

Hopefully we get a picture of the heirs together – Christian surrounded by his lady counterparts

 

[Saragli]

Brilliant news! I was beginning to worry – I wonder why the Dutch court hasn't announced anything yet

My guess is with the security issues surrounding the Princess of Orange that they may not want to announce her movements in advance. I am very pleased that she will be there.

 

[W.Y.CII]

I'm greedy, how about Christian's counterpart from Luxembourg? He already had the experience of attending 18th birthday party

 

[polyesco]

a video of the upcoming documentary
"In two days His Royal Highness Prince Christian turns 18. But already tomorrow it is possible to experience the upcoming birthday on the TV show "Prince Christian - A Royal Journey".
The program will be broadcast on Saturday evening at 19.00 on DR1 - but already from the early morning Prince Christian's formation journey can be streamed from DR's digital platforms"
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyWHXu4olMq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Christian comes across as a very decent and humble young man.
And as a second thought (and no offence to the Danes !!) kudos to Mary to learn this languange in her mid thirties. Sounds impossible to me, equally impossible to learning portuguese !!

Looking forward to the festivities!!

 

[Mbruno]

My guess is with the security issues surrounding the Princess of Orange that they may not want to announce her movements in advance. I am very pleased that she will be there.

It still seems strange to me, however, that Elisabeth and Amalia will attend the gala on their own. Will they be accompanied at least by a lady in waiting, or perhaps an equerry or adjutant?

 

[Muhler]

Week 42, that's next week, is the autumn holiday for schools and high schools here in DK, which means Christian and his siblings are off next week.
It also means that quite a few, probably most, of the 200 invited eighteen year olds will also be off next week.
So when the gala is over around 22 Sunday, it will be party-time! I should be extremely surprised if that wasn't the case.

I hope some of the foreign royal young will also be able to attend that party.

I imagine the party will be held in either the backyard at Amalienborg or at Fredensborg or just as likely will take place in a rented venue somewhere in Copenhagen.
I also imagine many of Christian's friends will join at that point.

I guess they will be shuttled by buses to where ever it takes place.

 

[polyesco]

"HRH Prince Christian visited the Armed Forces
As part of the preparations for His Royal Highness Prince Christian's 18th birthday, DR has accompanied the prince on an educational tour around Denmark with visits to the leading social institutions. Part of the trip was a visit to the Armed Forces, where the Prince was accompanied by his father, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
During the day in Karup, Prince Christian had a good opportunity to gather an insight into the tasks the Armed Forces solve for Danish society.
The day started with a visit to the National Maritime Operations Center where they monitor the waters and coordinate rescue operations.
The prince was then transported in the Army's armored personnel carrier, Piranha 5, to the next destination. Along the way, he had the opportunity to talk to the crew about their experiences with deployments to, among other things, the Baltics with the Army.
The trip went to Helicopter Wing Karup, where all the Norwegian Armed Forces' helicopters belong. Here, one of the pilots at Eskadrille 723 showed off the machines and told, among other things, about the work of being a helicopter pilot at sea.

Finally, the trip went to the exercise area around Karup Air Station, where the Air Force's conscripts from the Operations Support Wing were practicing. Here the prince had the opportunity to go shopping with the soldiers in the forest - and finally a cup of cocoa and a chat with the conscripts."

https://www.forsvaret.dk/da/nyheder...2sZ50qLBEC3F1zLLjsGEPlIrLPg6MkUZuCVYBG6xgwajE
https://www.forsvaret.dk/globalasse...lleder/master/-image006master-2023-master.jpg
https://www.forsvaret.dk/globalasse...il-nyheder/artikel/-image004-2023-artikel.jpg

more pictures

https://www.facebook.com/ForsvaretDanmark/posts/pfbid02EqGu24LeCubdWNex6EVWiquPvz98UKkw63Ycr28p1EMmzRrQG29BvbXNtnoktPnDl

 

[ofkingsandqueens]

a video of the upcoming documentary
"In two days His Royal Highness Prince Christian turns 18. But already tomorrow it is possible to experience the upcoming birthday on the TV show "Prince Christian - A Royal Journey".
The program will be broadcast on Saturday evening at 19.00 on DR1 - but already from the early morning Prince Christian's formation journey can be streamed from DR's digital platforms"
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyWHXu4olMq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again

will this documentary be streamed freely with English subtitles?

 

[Muhler]

Thanks, Polyesco.

A few extra details and a couple of minor corrections.

Air Station Karup is located in north-central Jutland. During the Cold War the base was a regional NATO HQ mainly tasked with blocking the Danish straits to the Baltic Sea.
The helicopters used by the navy today are US Sea Hawks, having replaced the venerable and much loved Sea Lynx that are now outdated and too small for the tasks of operating current sea-rescue missions in the North Atlantic as well as anti-pirate boarding missions along the coasts of Africa.

The Swiss Piranhas APCs/patrol vehicles are wheeled vehicles with a long mission history with the Danish military behind them, not least in places like Afghanistan. They are well suited to withstand and survive running on simple mines.

As you can deduce from Christian and Frederik posing with the conscripts, volunteer female conscripts now constitute some 24 % of the conscripts in DK. Mandatory female conscription is expected to be about ten years away now.
IMO it is very likely that one or both of Christian's sisters will opt for volunteer conscription.
The soldiers in that photo are base perimeter security.

Karup is also the home of army helicopter wings, using the very fast French Fennec helicopters that also have a long service record, not least in Iraq at Basra, supporting especially British forces there. (They requested them to remain, when the Danish forces pulled out.) Being extremely fast they on several occasions surprised insurgents in the process of setting up IEDs or even ambushes.

But Karup also house the EH-101 utility helicopter wings. Some are designed for rescue missions others are more specifically equipped for transport.

In contrast to English where the word squadron can cover navy, cavalry and air force units, Danish has specific word for each.
Eskadron = cavalry squadron.
Eskadre = navy squadron.
Eskadrille = air squadron.

The DRF members often hitch a ride on the one of the helicopters to or from Copenhagen and Jutland.

And no, Norway does not have helicopters stationed in DK.

 

[doro]

According to dutch Journalist Rick Evers Amalia should be there

https://twitter.com/x/status/1712834872006357407

FINALLY!!!!!! FINGERS CROSSED!!

 

[fandesacs2003]

I don't know if it has been discussed , I presume Leonor won't attend. If course she has her military school obligations, furthermore I realized that despite she is the future Queen and she is almost 18, up to now she has been kept out of any royal event.
What about the Duchess of Brabant? Will she attend?
Sorry if matter has been discussed before.