Prince Christian and his grandpa visit elephants in their new home

June 10, 2008Jun 10, 2008, 11:00 PM GMT+1

Holding on tight to the hand of his grandfather Prince Henrik and with an elephant soft toy clutched in the other, little Christian of Denmark headed off to Copenhagen Zoo on Tuesday to help inaugurate its new elephant house.

Once there, the two-year-old son of Crown Prince Frederik and his Australia-born wife Mary stuck close to his animal-loving grandpa - Henrik is honorary president of the Danish Dachshund Club -as they made their way to two glass-domed enclosures which house the pachyderms.

Inspired by the Great Glasshouse at the National Botanical Garden of Wales, the new accommodation opens up into an extensive paddock where the animals can meet the public and take a swim.

And Prince Christian will have plenty of opportunities to visit his new friends as they're now neighbours. The zoo is located in Frederiksberg Park, which is overlooked by the family's summer residence.

Holding on tight to his grandpa's hand and his little face a picture of determined anticipation, Mary and Frederik's two-year-old son sets out on a trip to the zoo with Prince Henrik Photo: © Rex

The pair were off to help open the new elephant accommodation at Copenhagen Zoo, which is just round the corner from the royal family's summer residence Photo: © Rex

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