Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark have responded to allegations of historical bullying at the elite boarding school their eldest son attends.
A new Danish TV documentary aired claims that students at Herlufsholm Boarding School, where Prince Christian is currently enrolled, have been subjected to abuse, violence and sexual assault.
It also included testimonies from former students who shared their own experiences of bullying and alleged that the school had covered up their stories.
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark have responded to bullying claims at their son’s school.
(Image: Getty)In a rare and powerful statement from the Crown Prince couple, Mary and Frederik called the allegations “completely unacceptable”.
“As parents of a child who goes to Herlufsholm, we are deeply shaken by the testimonies that have emerged in the current documentary about the school,” read the statement, which was shared to the Danish royal family’s Instagram account.
“It is heart-breaking to hear about systematic bullying and about the culture of abuse and violence that many have been a part of.
“That is completely unacceptable. As parents, we expect the school to effectively ensure a culture where everyone is safe and part of the community, and we will in the coming time follow the changes that are obviously necessary.”
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Christian, 16, has been attending the elite school since 2021 and Mary and Frederik’s eldest daughter Princess Isabella, 15, was due to start there in the coming months.
Though the royal children have not been connected to the allegations in any way, there are concerns about how the bullying allegations will reflect on the school and its students.
Former students who spoke in the documentary alleged that they had been abused by other students, physically punished by staff and assaulted on campus.
They also claimed that informing teachers of the bullying did nothing, as staff supposedly turned a blind eye to the toxic culture.
The couple pose with Prince Christian at Herlufsholm.
(Image: Instagram)An estimated 600 students are currently enrolled at Herlufsholm, with more than 250 currently living on campus – Christian included.
In response to the allegations made in the documentary, the school issued a statement asserting that bullying is “not part of the culture” and the incidents aired in the documentary were “very old”.
“Bullying, violence or sexual abuse is not acceptable at Herlufsholm School,” the school’s rector Mikkel Kjellberg said.
