Prince Christian of Denmark serves as head of state while his father, King Frederick X, is abroad.
Frederick, 55, is currently in Poland on his first overseas trip as king, leaving his eldest son in charge of governance while he is away.
The 18-year-old will take over the role until his father returns to Denmark on Friday, where he is expected to sign legislation, make public appearances and appoint and dismiss ministers.
The king’s eldest son, Christian, is the “acting regent,” giving him the role of head of state over Frederick’s wife, Queen Mary.
If he is unable to perform his duties, his duties will fall to Mary, then to Prince Joachim and Princess Benedicte.
During King Frederick’s stay in Poland, Prince Christian was appointed head of state. This role is the first independent assignment he has undertaken since Queen Margrethe’s abdication.
Sebastian Olden-Jorgensen, a historian and royal expert at the University of Copenhagen, told Danish publication BT that the palace was being run “completely by the book”.
“At the end of the day, there is class and hierarchy in the royal family and that is respected,” he said.
When Queen Margrethe abdicated the throne on January 14, leaving Frederick as her successor, Christian rose to prominence.
The three-day mission will be the first that the prince has undertaken independently since the change of king.
Mr. Olden-Jorgensen said there was no need to question it if Christian had to sign the law in Mr. Frederick’s absence.
“In principle and on paper, presidents can refuse to sign legislation, but for over 100 years, that has never been an option,” he explained.
The king’s eldest son, Christian, is a “deputy regent,” and the role of head of state is given to him before Frederick’s wife, Queen Mary.
“We have a constitution and some laws, but we also have a political culture, which is equally strong, and above all it is said that the regent signs what the parliament adopts.”
When the prince turned 18 in October 2023, he broke royal protocol by not receiving a royal allowance and held a full-time position until he was 21 to focus on his education.
However, the break from studying did not last long.
The young heir’s title has been changed to Crown Prince Christian of Denmark and he is now reportedly being funded by the government.
“It is absolutely certain that once the law is submitted, he will get his property, because with duties and duties also come rewards,” Olden-Jorgensen said.
“The question is how big it will be and how it will become more tightly organized.”
Before Frederick’s declaration, BT’s head of entertainment Fee West-Madsen predicted that Christian would start receiving the very common royal allowance along with additional responsibilities.
The 18-year-old will take over the role until his father returns to Denmark on Friday, and could be responsible for signing laws, making public appearances and appointing and dismissing ministers.
Mr West-Madsen estimated he would be awarded about DKK 9 million, equivalent to just under A$2 million, for expenses.
“He will be taking on a completely different role than what was originally planned and we must expect the appanage to follow as well, but we are not sure how much more or how much less he will have to take on. It depends entirely on what the prince and his wife want,” she said.
Christian also became a member of the Council of State when he turned 18, a role that was “solidified” by Olden-Jorgensen when Frederick became king.
“It is common for the heir to the throne to be a member of the council, and it is mostly a formality. It is far more significant that he was brought to the fore as a public figure on his 18th birthday. ” he told BT before abdicating.
“Right now the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are in the driver’s seat and it’s up to them to decide how much work to give him. We’ll have to wait and see, but by all accounts it’s going to be tough. It will be.”