Crown Prince Frederik made a trip to Camp Valdemar military base in Latvia, where he met with Danish troops stationed in the area.
On 19th April, the heir to the Danish throne arrived in the Baltic nation to meet some of the 800 soldiers stationed there as part of the NATO border defense force.
His Royal Highness was firstly given a tour of Camp Valdemar, during which he had an opportunity to chat with some of the soldiers stationed there, and gain an insight into their work and everyday life.
The next stop were the Camp’s training grounds, where the Crown Prince watched a group of soldiers perform a training routine.
The final moment of the visit was a speech that the royal delivered to the soldiers currently deployed at Camp Valdemar, which received its name as a tribute to past Danish rulers. One of Crown Prince Frederik’s names is Valdemar.
Since April 2022, Denmark has had a force of about 800 soldiers deployed to Latvia, where they have joined ranks with other NATO members’ militaries to strengthen the border of the Alliance following the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine and subsequent escalation in threats against NATO.
Furthermore, Denmark is the leader at NATO headquarters for the Multinational Division North, located at the Adazi Military Base, also in Latvia. Its duties include, but are not limited to, supporting the planning of national defence of the Baltic state, training soldiers in the Baltic states’ military, and coordinating military activities in the region.
This base is crucial in NATO’s strategic plan, as it is one of the points from which the Alliance can deploy its rapid response forces quickly, should the need for them arise. In addition, the Adazi military base would be in charge of carrying out combat operations in the area.
This visit fits into the increase in military preparedness and international cooperation displayed all around the world since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine.
Since then, many heads of State, and members of Royal Families, have increased the spotlight they shine on their respective countries’ military apparatus, with many Royals having trained in the Armed Forces themselves.
