Who is Crown Prince Frederik, Denmark's soon-to-be king?
The Hindu
Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik, once uncomfortable with the idea of becoming king, is set to take over the crown from his mother, Queen Margrethe II, after her 52-year reign, known for his informal style and popularity among the Danish people.
As a teenager, Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik felt uncomfortable being in the spotlight and wondered whether there was any way he could avoid becoming king.
Such doubts have been swept aside as the 55-year-old takes over the crown on Sunday, January 14, 2024 from his mother, Queen Margrethe II, who is breaking with centuries of Danish royal tradition and retiring after a 52-year reign. The crown prince will become King Frederik X.
An athlete, decorated military officer and rock music fan, Frederik has a more informal style than his mother but is equally popular in the Scandinavian country.
Margrethe stunned the nation when she announced during her traditional New Year’s Eve speech that she would step down, citing health reasons. A royal palace spokeswoman told the Berlingske newspaper that the queen informed her sons about her decision only three days before the announcement.
The crown prince, whose full name is Frederik André Henrik Christian, was born on May 26, 1968, as the first child of Margrethe and her husband, Prince Henrik, who died in 2018. His younger brother, Prince Joachim, was born in 1969.
Shy and reserved as a child, Frederik felt uneasy about the idea of ascending the throne, and the intense attention and scrutiny that come with it. In a 1996 interview with Berlingske Tidende, the crown prince said that in his teens he sometimes wondered whether he could escape his fate.
“I thought it was too uncomfortable,” Frederik said. “You knew you were going to be so public, so known, so accessible to everyone and so depicted. I didn’t like that.”
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan granted bail in graft case, but remains in prison with multiple charges pending.
Australia’s communications minister introduced a world-first law into Parliament to ban children younger than 16 from social media.
Florida man arrested for plotting to bomb New York Stock Exchange to "reboot" U.S. government, detained for trial.
Apple asked a federal judge to dismiss the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust case against the iPhone maker.
The Sri Lankan parliamentary elections have, more or less, cleansed the 225-member Parliament, purging the country’s arrogant old guard
Trump appoints Whitaker as NATO ambassador despite lack of foreign policy experience, raising concerns about U.S. representation within alliance.
Trump appoints Whitaker as NATO ambassador despite lack of foreign policy experience, raising concerns about U.S. representation within alliance.
U.N. Security Council votes 14-1 for ceasefire resolution, U.S. veto prevents adoption due to hostage release demand.
Bangladesh interim government cancels passports of 22 security officials under investigation for abductions during previous presidency.
U.S. policy shift allowing Kyiv to use ATACMS missiles sparks furious response from Moscow, risking major war.
Taliban authorities are removing "un-Islamic" and anti-government literature from circulation by checking imported books and distributing lists of banned titles.