The Gold Coast lifeguard who plucked a member of the Danish royal family out of the surf has described it as a “standard rescue”.

Nick Malcolm was on patrol at Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast, when he unknowingly rescued Prince Christian, son of the crown prince and princess of Denmark.

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Princess Mary, originally from Tasmania, and Prince Frederik were on holiday in Australia with their four children this week, when Prince Christian got stuck in a dangerous rip.

Champion paddle boarder Nick Malcolm was back at work on Monday. Photo: nickmalcolmathlete.com

“He [Christian] was in between the flags in the deep part before the break and just got swept off his feet,” Mr Malcolm told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

“He was a really good swimmer, it helped that he didn’t panic.

“It was just a standard rescue — doesn’t matter that he’s a royal.”

“Someone on the beach told us afterwards [that it was the royal family].”

The champion paddle boarder reportedly pulled the 10-year-old out of the water about midday on Thursday and returned him to his distressed parents.

It was the first time the royal family had travelled to Australia together since 2011.

They visited Princess Mary’s brother, John Donaldson, in Perth and will be in her hometown of Hobart for Christmas.