The King of Denmark has come under early scrutiny in the new year after missing a major televised sports awards ceremony, prompting calls for his son and heir, Prince Christian, 20, to step in at future events.
Danish media reported on January 2 that King Frederik X had declined to attend the Sport 2025 televised awards ceremony in Herning, scheduled for the following day.
Frederik had presented awards at the event in 2025, with the ceremony regarded locally as Denmark's "greatest sporting event".
When questioned, a Royal House spokesman directed journalists to the monarch's calendar, which showed no engagements for January 3.
King of Denmark skips awards ceremony as calls grow for royal heir to step up
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BT's sports editor Lasse Vøge expressed disappointment at the decision. "For the show and the sport, it is sad and disappointing that the tradition is not being maintained," he wrote.
Mr Vøge proposed an alternative: "Let's hope the King is back next year. Or maybe he passes the task on to Crown Prince Christian, who is also crazy about sports."
Despite the scrutiny, King Frederik X received widespread acclaim for his New Year's Eve address to the nation.
The 57-year-old monarch, now approaching his third year on the throne following Queen Margrethe II's abdication, delivered what Danish commentators described as a "powerful" speech reflecting on themes of joy and sorrow, unity and resilience.
King Frederik X became King of Denmark on January 14, 2024 | GETTYOnline publication The Danish Dream observed "a calm, steady tone focused on humility and responsibility rather than grandeur" in the address.
Yet this positive reception has proven short-lived, with fresh criticism emerging within the opening week of the year.
Separate criticism has emerged regarding the guest list for the royal couple's annual New Year celebrations at Christiansborg Palace.
Christoph Ellersgaard, an associate professor and sociologist who specialises in studying elites, examined the published attendee list and found a significant imbalance.
King Frederik X of Denmark took over from Queen Margrethe of Denmark | GETTY
According to Ekstra Bladet, Mr Ellersgaard identified representatives from at least 19 businesses compared with just two trade unions among the invitees.
"It gives a distorted picture of Denmark," Mr Ellersgaard stated. "Because in reality, there are far more employees than employers. But still, there are nine times as many employer representatives as employee representatives."
The Royal House's communications team responded by stating they had consulted stakeholders, including all Government ministries, when compiling the guest list, though the final selections were made by Frederik and Queen Mary themselves.
Prince Christian frequently acts as the 'deputy regency' in Denmark
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This composition appears at odds with announcements made by the Royal House in September, when officials indicated the traditional New Year celebrations would be revamped to move away from established hierarchies.
At that time, the Palace suggested expanding invitations to include more organisations and educational institutions that better reflected contemporary Danish society.
Mr Ellersgaard’s analysis suggested the final guest list skewed towards elite circles, despite earlier indications that the celebrations would reflect a broader cross-section of society.