King Frederik X of Denmark landed in Greenland on Tuesday, beginning a visit to the semi-autonomous Arctic territory that has increasingly drawn international attention — including interest from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has previously floated the idea of acquiring the island due to its strategic importance.
The Danish monarch’s arrival in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, comes shortly after Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen traveled to Copenhagen earlier in the week. The prime minister joined Frederik on the visit, highlighting the ongoing relationship between the island and the Danish crown.
Wearing a jacket adorned with both Danish and Greenlandic flag emblems, King Frederik was warmly welcomed as he stepped off the plane. In an interview with Danish broadcaster TV2, he downplayed the notion of a formal mission, stating simply that he was pleased to be in Greenland.
Prime Minister Nielsen echoed the positive sentiment, emphasizing the royal family’s longstanding affection for Greenland and the king’s popularity among its residents.
The royal visit had been scheduled for Monday but was delayed due to adverse weather. During his time in Greenland, Frederik is expected to meet with members of the newly formed Greenlandic government and participate in a traditional “kaffemik” — a communal coffee gathering that offers an informal way for locals to engage with the monarch.
However, severe weather forced the cancellation of a planned visit to Station Nord, a key military and research outpost located at the northern edge of the island. Also scrapped was a meeting with a dogsled unit of Denmark’s special forces, known for patrolling Greenland’s remote northeastern frontiers.
Frederik previously traveled to Greenland last July, not long after ascending to the throne following Queen Margrethe II’s abdication.
This latest visit takes place in the shadow of renewed geopolitical interest in the Arctic. Earlier in the week, U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited an American military base on the island and criticized Denmark for what he described as insufficient investment in the facility. Trump, who has argued that Greenland is vital to U.S. national security due to its location and mineral resources, has controversially suggested that the U.S. might even pursue military options to take control of the island, despite Denmark being a NATO ally.
As King Frederik engages with Greenlandic citizens and officials, his visit underscores both the deep cultural ties and the rising international stakes surrounding the world’s largest island.
