King Frederik has come full circle more than four decades after undertaking his first official royal engagement at just 16 years old.
The Danish Royal House shared rare photographs of the then-Crown Prince from 1984, when he was tasked with receiving an award from the Club des Chefs des Chefs on behalf of his father, the late Prince Henrik.
© Kongehuset og Club des Chefs des Chefs ©️The special occasion marked Frederik’s first official assignment as a member of the royal family.
Frederik did not face the milestone alone. His younger brother, Prince Joachim, joined him for the engagement, with the siblings appearing side by side in tuxedos as they met members of the prestigious culinary organization.
© Kongehuset og Club des Chefs des Chefs ©️Now, 42 years later, the King has welcomed the same organization back to Denmark. On Monday, Frederik received its members at Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg, which the club also visited during its trip in 1984.
The palace commemorated the full-circle encounter by sharing the archival images alongside new photographs of the monarch with the visiting chefs.
© Kongehuset og Club des Chefs des Chefs ©️“In 1984, His Majesty The King’s first official assignment, at the age of 16, was to receive Prince Henrik’s award as an honorary member of the Club des Chefs des Chefs,” the Danish Royal House explained.
“As seen in the photograph from 1984, the King carried out the assignment together with his brother, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim, when the club visited Denmark at the time,” the palace added.
© Kongehuset og Club des Chefs des Chefs ©️Inside the exclusive culinary club:
Established in 1977, the Club des Chefs des Chefs brings together chefs who cook for monarchs, presidents and other heads of state.
Its members meet annually in a different country, with this year’s tour taking them to the Nordic region and Denmark serving as their first stop.
© Kongehuset og Club des Chefs des Chefs ©️In addition to meeting King Frederik at Amalienborg, the chefs toured the kitchen garden at Fredensborg Palace. There, they were given an opportunity to see and taste some of the ingredients used by the Danish Royal House.
The visit connected Frederik’s earliest experience of royal service with his present role as Denmark’s monarch, while also offering a rare glimpse of the King and Prince Joachim navigating royal responsibilities together as teenagers.
