Princess Isabella has reunited with Queen Mary and King Frederik during a family visit to the Guard Hussar Regiment in Slagelse, where the 19-year-old is undertaking history-making military service.
Isabella joined the regiment, west of Copenhagen, in August. She is the first female member of the Danish royal family to take part in military service.
Photographs shared by the Danish royal family show the princess embracing her Australia-born mother and greeting her father during a special day when military personnel were able to invite relatives to see where they live and train.
Her siblings, Crown Prince Christian, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, also attended the visit.
A caption accompanying the images said: “Princess Isabella is among the first to earn 11 months of military duty and is now well underway with her life as a military officer at the Guards Regiment in Slagelse.”
Following her brother’s military service
Isabella is following the example of her older brother, Crown Prince Christian, who served with the Guard Hussar Regiment from February last year and completed his service in 2025.
Images from Isabella’s training have also revealed that she has been given the military name “Fredensborg”. The name reflects a longstanding tradition of soldiers being named after the town they come from.
Isabella has spent much of her time at Fredensborg Castle, making the name a fitting choice. Christian was given the name “Trekroner” during his service, after Trekroner Fort near the family’s Amalienborg residence.
Denmark introduced conscription for women last year through a lottery system, amid rising tensions and heightened security concerns in Europe. Women had previously been allowed to serve from the age of 18, but only on a voluntary basis.
Volunteers are now recruited first, with remaining places filled through the lottery system, while the period of conscription for teenagers has increased from four months to 11.
