Princess Isabella of Denmark Enlists! 19-Year-Old to Serve 11 Months, Forgoes Nearly $135,000 Allowance as Royal Example

Princess Isabella of Denmark, the 19-year-old second in line to the throne, has officially reported to the Guard Hussar Regiment camp, beginning her 11-month military service. As the eldest daughter of King Frederik X and Queen Mary, she is among the first young women to enter military service under Denmark’s newly implemented 'female conscription system'.

Media reports noted that on her enlistment day, Princess Isabella arrived casually dressed in a light brown suede jacket, white T-shirt, loose jeans, and casual shoes, carrying a large sports bag. Her relaxed and approachable appearance drew comparisons to her older brother, Crown Prince Christian, who enlisted at the same camp a year and a half earlier.

Having just graduated from high school in June, the royal household emphasized in prior statements that despite being second in the line of succession, Princess Isabella will undergo identical basic military training as all other recruits.

According to Danish media, all new conscripts receive a monthly salary of 9,000 Danish kroner (approximately NT$45,000) plus a tax-free daily meal allowance of 277 kroner (about NT$1,383). Over 11 months, this totals around 190,000 kroner (roughly NT$949,000).

Princess Isabella has confirmed she will decline this payment, following the same choice made by her elder brother.

Amid growing geopolitical threats from Russia and shifts in U.S. foreign policy, the Danish government passed legal reforms in 2024 to include adult female citizens in mandatory conscription for the first time and extended the service period from four to eleven months.

On September 17, 2025, Danish troops joined hundreds of soldiers from several European NATO member states in military exercises held in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. (AP)

This national defense expansion plan aims to increase annual military training intake to 7,500 personnel by 2033. Princess Isabella’s enlistment follows Spain’s Crown Princess as another instance of a European royal woman participating directly in conscription, setting a strong royal precedent for national defense and gender equality in Denmark.