The King has been trained within the Defence, where His Majesty has completed several basic and active training courses. Most recently in April 2015, His Majesty was promoted to rear admiral in the Navy and major general in the Army and the Air Force, and, five years previous to that, The King became a commander in the Navy as well as colonel in the Army and the Air Force.

The King’s military career commenced in 1986 with The Royal Life Guard. There, His Majesty was appointed as lieutenant of the reserve in 1988. The King then functioned as a platoon commander with the Guard Hussar Regiment and became a first lieutenant of the reserve in 1989.

After completing frogman training in 1995, His Majesty also became a first lieutenant of the reserve in the Navy and lieutenant-commander of the reserve in the Navy as well as captain of the reserve in the Army in 1997.

In 2000, The King became captain of the reserve in the Air Force and thereafter pursued further training level II for leaders at the Royal Danish Defence College in 2001-2002. In 2002, The King achieved the rank of major in the Army and the Air Force as well as commander in the Navy. His Majesty was assigned as case officer at the Defence Command from 2002 to 2003 and afterwards was a teacher at the Institute for Strategy at the Royal Danish Defence College. In April 2004, The King was appointed as a captain in the Navy, lieutenant colonel in the Army and wing commander in the Air Force.

After 38 years of connection with the Defence, His Majesty has today achieved the highest military rank in the three services.