Prince Christian, guest star at Frederik X and Mary’s first New Year’s dinner

What photo is this?

The photo we selected was taken this Wednesday 1^is January 2005 in the evening in front of the palace of Christian VII in the Amalienborg royal complex in Copenhagen. We see Prince Christian of Denmark preparing to enter the building, guarded by a soldier in uniform.

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Very elegant in a black tailcoat jacket, the color of his pants, matched with a shirt, a vest with silver buttons and a white bow tie, the 19-year-old young man waves with one hand to the photographers and the public present at the place.

On this very formal outfit, the eldest son of King Frederik grandmother Queen Margrethe II on October 15, 2023, on the occasion of her 18th birthday.

Why did we choose this photo?

Certainly the elegance of the big brother of Princesses Isabella and Josephine and Prince Vincent is worth noting. But that’s not – only – why we kept this shot. The main reason for this choice is that it was the first official dinner attended by the man who became almost a year ago, following the abdication of his grandmother and the rise to the throne of his father. , the heir to the Danish crown. Enough to somewhat eclipse his parents who were offering their first New Year’s banquet that evening.

Like the 84 other guests – members of the royal family, Court and government staff, to whom were added the President of Parliament and other political, religious, military authorities, etc. – Prince Christian was able to taste a menu in four courses.

Chicken, celery with smoked cheese, veal and a mousse Champagne

The royal couple’s guests were presented with a “Danish” chicken soup with fresh vegetables and chicken meatballs as a starter. Followed by baked celery accompanied by spinach puree, lemon jelly, Jerusalem artichoke chips and sprouts picked from the Fredensborg Palace garden, to which was added Vesterhavsost (read “North Sea cheese”). ») smoked.

The meat consisted of Trend forest veal Wellington style with herbs, Danish truffles, baked onions, potatoes with death trumpets and port wine sauce with prunes. Finally, for dessert, guests were able to enjoy a Champagne mousse with a base of pistachio, vanilla fromage blanc and marinated berries from Gråsten Castle, with a chocolate caramel sauce.

All washed down with Rosenborg wine, a wine from the German region of Bacharach, in the Rhine valley, which is traditionally served at this New Year’s banquet. But also Cigaralle 2022 and Château de Cayx 2018, two wines from Cahors from the royal family’s estate in the Lot, and a semi-dry Piper-Heidsieck champagne.