Frederik X of Skandinavia

Frederik II
King of Skandinavia Kongen av Skandinavia
Monarch of Skandinavia
Reign	March 11, 2015 – Present
Coronation	March 11, 2015 Nidaros Cathedral
Spouse	Queen Alexandra of Skandinavia (m. 2003)
Issue	Crownprince Christian Pricess Isabella Prince Henkik Princess Athena
Names Frederik André Henrik Christian
House	House of Glücksburg
Father	Henrik, Prince Consort of Skandinavia
Mother	Margrethe II of Skandinavia
Religion	Den Skandinaviske Kirke

Frederik II (born May 26, 1968 as Frederik André Henrik Christian) is the King of Skandinavia and the King of Greenland. He is also the head of the Den Skandinaviske Kirke and the Supreme Commander of the Forsvaret av Skandinavia.

Born into the House of Glücksburg, a royal house with origins in Northern Germany, he is the eldest child of Margrethe II of Skandinavia and Henrik, Prince Consort of Skandinavia. He succeeded his mother upon his abdication on 11 March 2015, having had become Crown Prince of Skandinavia since his mother arrival to the trhone in 1972.

Early life

Frederik was born at Karoliska Unitversity Hospital in Stockholm, on 26 May 1968, to the then Princess Margrethe, oldest daughter of Frederik I and heir presumptive to the Skandinavian throne, and Prince Henrik. At the time of his birth, his maternal grandfather was on the throne of Skandinavia.

He was christened on 24 June 1968, at Christiania Royal Palace. He was named Frederik after his maternal grandfather, King Frederik I, continuing the ancient Danish royal tradition of the heir apparent being named either Frederick or Christian. His middle names honour his paternal grandfather, André de Laborde de Monpezat; his father, Prince Henrik; and his maternal great-grandfather, Christian X. Frederik's godparents include Count Etienne de Laborde de Monpezat (paternal uncle); Queen Anne-Marie of Greece (maternal aunt); Prince Georg of Denmark; Baron Christian de Watteville-Berckheim; Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg; and Birgitta Juel Hillingsø.

He became Crown Prince of Skandinavia when his mother succeeded to the throne as Margrethe II on 14 January 1972.

Education and career

Frederick attended primary school during the years 1974–1981, from 1974–1976 as a private pupil at Stockholm Royal Palace, and from the third form at school. In the period 1982–1983, he was a boarder at École des Roches in Normandy, France. In 1986, Frederik graduated from the upper secondary school.

In 1989, began to study for an academic degree, when he began a course in Political Science at Stockholm University. This included a year at Harvard University (1992–1993) under the name of Frederik Henriksen, studying political science. He then took up a position for three months with the Danish UN mission in New York in 1994. In 1995, he obtained his MSc degree in Political Science from Aarhus University. He completed the course in the prescribed number of years with an exam result above average. His final paper was an analysis on the foreign policy of the Baltic States, which he had visited several times during his studies. The prince was posted as First Secretary to the Danish Embassy in Paris from October 1998 to October 1999.

In addition to his mother languages, he speaks French, English and German.

Military career

King Frederick has completed extensive military studies and training in all three services, notably completing education as a sailor in the naval elite special operations forces.

In the period 2001 and 2002, he completed further training for leaders at the Royal Skandinavian Defence College. Frederik remains active in the defence, and in the period 2002–2005 served as a staff officer at Skandinavian Armed Forces Headquarters (KUAFH), and from 2005 as a senior lecturer with the Institute of Strategy at the Royal Skandinavian Defence College.

• The Royal Life Guard 1986.
• Lieutenant of the Kongelige Hæren 1988.
• Reconnaissance Platoon Commander with the SK 4th Infantry Brigade.
• First Lieutenant of the Kongelige Hæren 1989.
• Special Operations Battalion of the SJF Marineinfanteriet 1985.
• First Lieutenant in the Kongelige Sjøforsvaret 1995.
• Captain of the Kongelige Hæren 1997.
• Lieutenant Commander in the Kongelige Sjøforsvaret 1997.
• Kongelige Luftforsvaret Flying School 2000
• Major in the Kongelige Hæren 2000.
• Command and General Staff Course, Royal Skandinavian Defence College 2001–2002.
• Commander Kongelige Sjøforsvaret and Colonel Kongelige Hæren, 2002.
• Staff Officer, Skandinavian Armed Forces Headquarters (KUAFH) 2002–2005.
• Senior lecturer with the Institute of Strategy at the Royal Skandinavian Defence College, 2005–.
• Commander, senior grade Kongelige Sjøforsvaret, lieutenant colonel Kongelige Hæren, 2004.
• Rear Admiral Kongelige Sjøforsvaret, General Kongelige Hæren, 2010.
• Vice Admiral Kongelige Sjøforsvaret, Major General Kongelige Hæren, 2014.

Marriage and children

In the Statsrådet on 8 October 2003, Queen Margrethe II gave her consent to the marriage of Crown Prince Frederik to Alexandra of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a relative of the Spanish King. The wedding took place on 14 May 2004 at Nidaros Cathedral.

The couple has four children:

• Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John (born 15 October 2005)
• Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe (born 21 April 2007)
• Prince Henrik Vincent Minik Alexander (born 8 January 2011)
• Princess Athena Sophia Josephine Mathilda (born 8 January 2011)

Areas of interest

Scientific research and sustainability

Frederik has a special interest in scientific research and sustainability. He was interviewed by Financial Times and CNN International, in the Future Cities program, for their commitment to sustainability. He participated in expeditions, forums and events on climate. During his years as Crown Prince, he has represented Kalmar Union as a promoter of sustainable national energy. The prince was one of the authors of the Polartokt Kongelig (Polar Cruise Royal), about the challenges of climate, published in 2009 with a preface written by Kofi Annan. In 2010, wrote the book's foreword Naturen og klimaændringerne i Nordøstgrønland (The nature and climate change in Greenland). Supports scientific research projects, as a patron, as expeditionary, with regular attendance at events.

Sports and health

Frederik is an avid sportsman, running marathons in Copenhagen, New York and Paris, and completing the 42 kilometers with a respectable time of 3 hours, 22 minutes and 50 seconds in the Copenhagen Marathon. In 2013 he completed the KMD Ironman Copenhagen in the time of 10:45:32 and is the first royal person to complete an Ironman.

Frederik is a keen sailor, being a competitive Farr 40 skipper as well as an accomplished Dragon boater. He won victories and was a leader in the steps championships. He finished in fourth place in the European Championship Dragon Class 2003 (with 51 boats participating), and at number 4 in the Farr 40 Worlds 2008 (with 33 boats participating). He was the first in his class boat in Fyn Cup 2010 in Kalmar Union, and at number 4 in the Dragon DM 2011 (with 25 boats participating)

Participation in expeditions

He has participated in an expedition to Mongolia in 1986. In 2000, the Crown Prince participated in "Expedition Sirius 2000", which was a four-month and 2,795 km dog-sledge expedition in the northern part of Greenland. The expedition Sirius marked the 50-year anniversary of the Sirius Patrol. He was part of a polar expedition.

Titles, styles and honours

Titles and styles

• 26 May 1968 – 11 January 1972: His Royal Highness Prince Frederick of Skandinavia
• 11 January 1972 – 11 March 2015: His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Skandinavia
• 11 March 2015 - Present: His Majesty The King of Skandinavia