The Royal Danish Collection

Frederik X: King of Tomorrow

Get close to key events and themes in HM King Frederik X’s life and see objects that are directly related to events and decisions that played a role in shaping The King as a person and as a monarch.

Hasse Nielsen/Stine Heilmann/Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau Scanpix
Location
Koldinghus
Date
10 October 2024 to 21 April 2025

The exhibition paints a portrait of The King of Denmark through photographs, objects and paintings related to significant moments in The King’s life.

The thoughts behind the exhibition

The Royal Danish Collection tells the story of the Danish monarchy through significant events in Danish history. One of these events was the proclamation, on 14 January 2024, of Denmark’s new king who will forever be a part of the nation’s history. The exhibition offers a closer introduction to the new monarch and sheds light on his background and his path to the throne.

The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on their own life decisions and significant moments. Like a large family photo album, it guides the viewer through The King’s life, illustrated with personal items and photographs.

Selected items, including the christening gown, a table bell and a chequered schoolbag, illustrate aspects of The King’s life story. The exhibition also includes special objects, such as an Olympic torch and a Greenlandic costume that reflects The King’s connectedness to the different parts of the realm. 

Each item represents an aspects of The King’s personal story and life events that shaped him. Visitors are invited to reflect on key moments in their own lives and to consider what objects they would choose for an exhibition about their life.

The role as king 

The exhibition highlights how our actions and choices shape us as human beings. As the eldest son of HM Queen Margrethe, the future king has been prepared for his role through royal obligations but has also insisted on keeping his feet on the ground.

This presentation not only tells the personal history of a king but also a story of courage, persistence and commitment. Even though there are still many blank pages in the photo album, the exhibition presents the early chapters in the life of a king and tells the story of his desire to set his own course, together with his queen.

Activities in connection with the exhibition

Pick up a free children’s booklet for your tour of the exhibition or dress up in spectacular costumes.

Children’s booklet

Pick up a free children’s booklet when you visit the special exhibition and enjoy your tour of the presentation as you fill out your own personal album with inspiration from the life of The King. The booklet is free and available in Danish, German and English.

Royal Dress-Up

Dress up as royals in the Royal Dress-Up Workshop where both children and adults can try on our beautiful costumes. You can be a king, a queen or someone else entirely from the Renaissance or the Middle Ages or other historical periods.

Reviews

An exhibition about a living monarch is a delicate undertaking, but the result is remarkably successful. (…) The exhibition serves as a Bildungsroman, demonstrating the stuff that King Frederik is made of and his potential to become a unifying national figure in relation to issues that concern engaged human beings.
If it sounds dry (…), you are mistaken. The exhibition is a true fairy tale with lots of added Danish reality and everyday life. (…) Very fittingly, the exhibition closes with Frederik’s most recent public event. His accession to the throne. Somehow, this also becomes the main attraction of the exhibition. A natural highlight, like Mona Lisa at the Louvre.
By showing lengthy TV clips, the exhibition brings us close to the king. You sense what he is like as a person, which is underscored by the photos of him doing the Royal Run or biking with two of his children in the crate of a cargo bike. The photos have an expression of joy, warmth and nurture that is striking. Especially in light of the initial exhibition texts that tell the story of a childhood with distant parents, loneliness, awkwardness and excessive discipline.
What is the purpose of a museum? What is the benefit of an exhibition – alongside all the other stories that are told about King Frederik on TV, in books, in the newspaper’s extensive coverage? You guessed it: the museum has the physical objects. Items carefully selected to tell the right story. As mere mortals and royal subjects, we do not have access to His Majesty himself: but we can get a little closer to Frederik, the person and the monarch, when we take in the symbolic power of the relics. This presence in absentia is beautifully and convincingly achieved by Frederik X: King of Tomorrow.

Gallery

In a collage of photographs, objects, video clips, paintings and audio, the presentation paints a portrait of Denmark’s new king.

Gallery

Among the items on display are The King’s naval dress uniform and HM Queen Mary’s wedding gown.

Gallery

On 14 January 2024, HM King Frederik X stepped onto the balcony at Christiansborg Palace for his proclamation as King. In his pocket was the manuscript for the proclamation speech he was about to give. You can see the manuscript in the exhibition.

Gallery

The heavy beam, nicknamed ‘Maren’, that The King had to dig out from under when he completed his Frogman training.