Christening and confirmation
The King was christened in Holmens Kirke (the naval church) in Copenhagen on 24 June 1968 and was confirmed in Fredensborg Palace Chapel on 28 May 1981.

Wedding
On 14 May 2004, The King married Miss Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, who in connection with the marriage became HRH Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth of Denmark. The wedding ceremony took place in Copenhagen Cathedral, and the wedding festivities were held at Fredensborg Palace.

Children
HRH Crown Prince Christian Valdemar Henri Jean, born on 15 October 2005, HRH Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe, born on 21 April 2007, HRH Prince Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander and HRH Princess Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda, twins born on 8 January 2011.

Residence
The Royal Family resides both in Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg and in the Chancellery House at Fredensborg Palace.

Education
The King attended Krebs' Skole during the years 1974-1981, from 1974-1976 as a private pupil at Amalienborg and at Krebs' Skole from the third grade. In the period 1982-1983, The King was a boarder at École des Roches in Normandy, France.

In 1986, The King graduated from the upper secondary school of Øregaard Gymnasium, and in 1995, His Majesty graduated from the University of Aarhus with a MSc (political science). In connection with these studies, The King studied political science at Harvard University, USA from 1992 to 1993.

Business background
The King served at the Danish UN Mission in New York in 1994 and was posted to the Royal Danish Embassy in Paris as First Secretary of Embassy from October 1998 to October 1999.

Military background
The King has been educated primarily within the defence, where His Majesty has completed several basic and active educational courses.

The King’s military education began in 1986 in the Queen’s Life Guard Regiment. In 1988, His Majesty was appointed as a lieutenant of the reserve. After obtaining that rank, The King became a platoon commander in the Royal Danish Hussar Guard Regiment in 1988. In 1989, The King was appointed as a first lieutenant of the reserve.

The King completed frogman training with the Royal Danish Navy Frogman Corps in 1995. The same year, The King was appointed as a first lieutenant of the reserve (navy), and in 1997 His Majesty was appointed as a lieutenant commander of the reserve (navy) and as a captain of the reserve (army).

In 2000 - after training at The Flight School - His Majesty was appointed as a captain of the reserve (air force).

Between 2001 and 2002, The King completed further training step II for leaders at the Royal Danish Defence College, and in 2002, The King was appointed as a major (army and air force) as well as a commander (navy). In 2002 and 2003, The King served as a staff officer at Defence Command Denmark, and His Majesty also became a senior lecturer with the Institute of Strategy at the Royal Danish Defence College in 2003.

In April 2004, The King was appointed as a commander, senior grade in the navy, lieutenant colonel in the army and lieutenant colonel in the air force.

In 2010, The King was appointed as a commander in the navy and colonel in the army and the air force.

On the occasion of the succession of the throne, The King has been appointed to the highest military rank in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force respectively. As admiral and general, His Majesty is now of the same rank as the Chief of Defence.

Participation in expeditions
In 1986, The King participated in an expedition to Mongolia with a focus on nomads, and in 2000, The King participated in "Expedition Sirius 2000", which was a four-month and 2,795 km dog-sled expedition in the northern part of Greenland.

Language
The King’s mother tongue is Danish. In addition, His Majesty speaks French, English and German.