The heir to the throne of Denmark has announced he’s going to extend his military training and he’s got plenty of royal examples to follow.
Crown Prince Christian, who is 19, is the latest first in line to confirm he’s making the armed forces his first priority as he begins a new chapter in his life. The future king is following in the footsteps of several young, future queens who have already begun military training.
Princess Leonor, the 19 year old heir to the throne of Spain, is now in the middle of a year of training with the country’s naval forces after a successful twelve months with the army. Princess Elisabeth, who will be the first queen regnant of Belgium, completed two years of military training. Meanwhile, Norway’s future queen, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, has just completed an extended spell with her country’s armed forces. Crown Princess Victoria, first in line to the throne of Sweden, is currently on further military training.
Denmark’s royals shared photos and videos of the future king on exercises during a REX tour – a gruelling mission that formed part of his early training.
The REX tour is a four day trip and changes depending on which group of recruits is going on the trip. It consists of two, two-day sessions; the first two days focuses on contingency and guarding, while the second two-days is based on solving a task under difficult and changing circumstances. There is little sleep, little food available, and difficult terrain.
The recruits are typically expected to cover 50 kilometres in the first three days, Crown Prince Christian covered 65 kilometres. He served as second-in-command, and as a leader took part in several extra tasks and patrols.
Two photographers were able to follow parts of the trip without any interaction with Christian and his colleagues, aside from one conversation with him at the beginning, one conversation on the third day, and a final conversation after completion.
Now that he has completed his REX tour and training, the Danish Crown Prince is now a Guards Hussar.
Christian’s training is not over, though: he will be starting the one-year Lieutenant’s Training Course in August this year. After the year of training is completed, he will then carry out his service as platoon leader.
