Princess Isabella creates history as first female Danish Royal to begin military service, says no to pay

Denmark Princess Isabella has just started an 11-month military service, and becomes the first woman member of the Danish royal family to undergo full military conscription. The 19-year-old Princess reported for duty at the Antvorskov Barracks in Slagelse on August 3, marking a historic moment for the Danish monarchy, as reported by Nine.com.au.

Princess Isabella starts 11-month military service, first woman from the Danish royal family to do so

King Frederik X and Queen Mary's eldest daughter arrived at the Guard Hussar Regiment just weeks after she graduated from high school. Fresh from her summer break, Isabella kept a low profile on her first day, driving herself to the barracks in a black SUV.

Dressed casually in baggy jeans and an ochre suede jacket, Isabella carried a large backpack and a small purse as she walked to the entrance, where she showed her identification to the guard on duty. A handful of local journalists were present, and the princess briefly greeted photographers before heading inside.

The Princess follows the footsteps of her elder brother, Crown Prince Christian, who completed his military service at the same barracks and is now training as a second lieutenant. Members of Denmark's royal family have traditionally served in the armed forces, but Isabella is the first woman from the royal family to complete active military conscription under the country's expanded programme.

Princess Isabella chooses to serve without pay

Unlike the other recruits, Princess Isabella will not receive the salary or daily allowances usually paid to conscripts. The Danish royal family also confirmed the fact that she chose to decline the payments and will instead rely on financial support from her parents during her military service.

Conscripts in Denmark typically receive a monthly salary along with a tax-free daily allowance during their 11 months of service.

Denmark expands military service

Isabella's enlistment comes as Denmark strengthens its armed forces in response to the growing security concerns in Europe, including the war in Ukraine and the rising tensions in the Arctic. Two years back, in 2024, the country introduced mandatory military service for women and extended their service period to 11 months from four months.

Notably, around 1,600 young people began the new extended military service this week. Later this month, some recruits will also be deployed to Greenland for the first time to support operational duties.

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