Category Archives: Danish Royals

Margrethe I, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Effigy of Margrethe I, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

I first came across Margrethe I, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden in 2011, when I visited Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark, the burial site of most Danish monarchs and their spouses. Her tomb there with its beautiful effigy and wonderful carvings is my favorite royal tomb. The founder of the Kalmar Union which united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden under a single monarch from 1397 – 1523, Margrethe I, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden was called “the first great ruling queen in European history” by Norwegian-American author, historian, and college professor Knut Gjerset.

Margrethe held various titles at certain points during her life:

  • Queen Consort of Sweden: 1363 – 1364
  • Queen Consort of Norway: 1363 – 1380
  • Regent of Denmark (for her son): 1376 – 1387
  • Regent of Norway (for her son): 1380 – 1387
  • Sovereign Queen of Denmark: 1387 – 1412
  • Sovereign Queen of Norway: 1388 – 1412
  • Sovereign Queen of Sweden: 1389 – 1412

Margrethe’s father Valdemar IV, King of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

The youngest of the six children and the youngest of the four daughters of Valdemar IV, King of Denmark and Helvig of Schleswig, Margrethe was born in March 1353 in Søborg Castle in Denmark.

Margrethe had five elder siblings but at the time of her birth, three siblings had died.

Margrethe’s mother Queen Helvig; Credit – Wikipedia

Margrethe grew up at her father’s court at his many castles including Copenhagen Castle, Søborg Castle, Vordingborg Castle, Kalundborg Castle, Roskilde Castle, and his hunting seat Gurre Castle. In 1355, Margrethe’s mother Queen Helvig entered Esrum Abbey as a lay sister after being replaced by her husband’s mistress Tove. Queen Helvig died circa 1374 and was buried at Esrum Abbey.

Seal of King Haakon VI of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1359, King Valdemar IV of Denmark betrothed his six-year-old daughter Margrethe to eighteen-year-old King Haakon VI of Norway (Unofficial Royalty article coming), a younger son of Magnus Eriksson, King of Norway and Sweden, as part of an alliance treaty. Margrethe and King Haakon VI were married at Copenhagen Cathedral in Denmark on April 9, 1363.

When Margrethe’s husband Haakon was born, his father Magnus Eriksson, King of Norway and Sweden decided to divide his kingdoms between his sons. The elder son Eric was designated to succeed his father as King of Sweden, while Haakon would become King of Norway. By 1343, three-year-old Haakon had become King of Norway. Opposition to Magnus’ rule in Norway led to an agreement between Magnus and the Norwegian nobles. In violation of the Norwegian laws on royal inheritance, Haakon would become King of Norway, with Magnus as regent during his minority. In 1344, five-year-old Eric was formally elected King of Sweden and co-reigned with his father. Three years after Eric died in 1359, Haakon became co-ruler of Sweden with his father. The two reigned over Sweden together until 1364, when they were deposed in favor of Magnus’ nephew, Albert III, Duke of Mecklenburg by a group of exiled Swedish noblemen. Magnus and Haakon tried to retake the Swedish throne but were unsuccessful.

Akershus Fortress in Oslo, Norway where Margrethe spent the early years of her marriage; Credit – By Ghirlandajo – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42021733

Ten-year-old Margrethe remained in Denmark for some time after the wedding. Eventually, she moved to Norway and lived primarily at Akershus Fortress in Oslo. Margrethe was too young for the marriage to be consummated. Her governess was Swedish noblewoman Merete Ulvsdatter, a daughter of Saint Birgitta of Sweden. Margrethe was raised with Merte Ulvsdatter’s daughters Ingegerd and Katrine, who became her closest friends. She spent her time getting acclimated to Norway and preparing for her duties as Queen Consort.

Margrethe and Haakon VI had one son who was born at Akershus Fortress in Oslo, Norway:

Margrethe’s son Olaf who was King of Denmark and King of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Margrethe’s father Valdemar IV, King of Denmark died on October 24, 1375, and Margrethe was the only survivor of his six children. It was expected that Duke Albert IV of Mecklenburg, the son of Ingeborg of Denmark, Valdemar IV’s eldest child who survived childhood and had children,  would claim the Danish throne. However, Margrethe managed to win over the Danish royal council by offering them lucrative grants and agreements. She also won the support of the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in central and northern Europe, which did not want the House of Mecklenburg to gain power in Denmark. On May 3, 1376, Margrethe’s five-year-old son Olaf was proclaimed King of Denmark with his mother Margrethe acting as Regent of Denmark because of her son’s young age. A little more than four years later, on September 11, 1380, Margrethe’s husband King Haakon VI of Norway died. Their ten-year-old son Olaf was now also King of Norway, and his mother Margrethe was also Regent of Norway. With Olaf’s accession to the throne of Norway, 434 years of a Danish-Norwegian union began.

On August 3, 1387, Margrethe’s sixteen-year-old son Olaf II, King of Denmark/Olaf IV, King of Norway died. He was buried at Sorø Abbey, a Benedictine Abbey on the island of Zealand in Denmark, where Margrethe’s father King Valdemar IV of Denmark was buried. There were unproven rumors that Olaf was poisoned. In 2015, Jørgen Lange Thomsen, a forensic scientist, proposed a theory Olaf died from Brugada Syndrome, a genetic disorder. See Copenhagen Post: Mystery of Danish king deaths fosters new theory.

During her son’s reign, Margrethe had been a very capable Regent of Denmark and Norway. After her son’s death, she used all her diplomatic skills and was named Queen of Denmark on August 10, 1387, and Queen of Norway on February 2, 1388. Margrethe joined forces with the Swedish nobles who rose against the unpopular King Albert of Sweden, Haakon’s cousin who had taken the Swedish throne in 1364, when he attempted to reduce the land holdings of the Swedish nobility. At a meeting at Dalaborg Castle in Sweden in March 1388, the Swedish nobles proclaimed Margrethe to be Sweden’s “sovereign lady and rightful ruler”. Margrethe sent troops to Sweden and on February 24, 1389, they defeated King Albert of Sweden at the Battle of Åsle.

Statue of Queen Margrethe I and her great-nephew Eric of Pomerania in Viborg, Denmark; Credit – By Oleryhlolsson – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86745447

Because Queen Margrethe I had no living children, she adopted her great-nephew Eric of Pomerania (Unofficial Royalty article coming). When Eric came of age, he was declared co-ruler in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, however, Margarethe remained the effective ruler of all three kingdoms for the remainder of her life.

Margrethe devised the Kalmar Union, a personal union from 1397 to 1523, in which a single monarch ruled the three kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden (then including much of present-day Finland), and Norway, together with Norway’s overseas colonies (then including Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland).

Margrethe was in constant conflict with the neighboring Duchy of Schleswig. In 1412, Margrethe successfully took the border city of Flensburg, then in the Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. In October 1412, Margrethe and her co-ruler and great-nephew Eric set sail to Flensburg to have the local citizens swear an oath of loyalty to them. After attending several meetings, Margrethe boarded her ship docked in the Flensburg harbor intending to set sail back to Denmark. However, she suddenly became violently ill. Suspecting that she was dying, Margrethe ordered thirty-seven marks to be paid to a nearby monastery for perpetual Masses for her soul. On October 28, 1412, 59-year-old Margrethe died aboard her ship docked in Flensburg harbor. Several possible causes of Margrethe’s death have been discussed over the years including the bubonic plague and poisoning by her co-ruler and great-nephew Eric, who became sole King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden when Margrethe died.

Roskilde Cathedral where Queen Margrethe I is buried; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Queen Margrethe I wished to be buried at Sorø Abbey, a Benedictine abbey on the island of Zealand in Denmark where her father King Valdemar IV of Denmark and her son Olaf II, King of Denmark/Olaf IV, King of Norway were buried. In 1413, the year after she died, Peder Jensen Lodehat, Bishop of Roskilde ordered her remains to be transferred to Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark, probably to give Roskilde Cathedral greater importance. There were several earlier royal burials at Roskilde Cathedral. Harald Bluetooth, King of Denmark and Norway (died circa 985 – 986), who introduced Christianity to Denmark, was buried at the Holy Trinity Church, the wooden, first church on the site where Roskilde Cathedral now stands. His son Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark, Norway, and England (963 – 1014) was first buried in England and his remains were later moved to Denmark where they were interred near his father at the Holy Trinity Church. However, their tombs have never been found. Sweyn II Ertridsen, King of Denmark (1019 – 1076) was interred in the southeastern pier of Roskilde Cathedral. A pier is similar to a column and is designed to support arches.

Tomb of Margrethe I; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Queen Margrethe I was interred in a sarcophagus behind the high altar. Her beautiful sarcophagus was made by German sculptor Johannes Junge (link in German) in 1423. The sarcophagus is made of black marble. On the sarcophagus is a life-sized effigy of Queen Margrethe I made of white alabaster. The reliefs on the sides of the sarcophagus are also made of white alabaster. Margrethe left property to Roskilde Cathedral on the condition that Masses for her soul would be said regularly in the future. This was discontinued in 1536 during the Protestant Reformation although a special bell is still rung twice daily in memory of Queen Margrethe I.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2006). Margarethe I. (1353-1412). Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margarethe_I.
  • Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Margarete I Regent af Danmark 1375-1412. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margrete_1.
  • Flantzer, Susan. Danish Royal Burial Sites. (2012). Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/danish-royal-burial-sites/
  • ‌Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Olaf II, King of Denmark/Olaf IV, King of Norway. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/olaf-ii-king-of-denmark-olav-iv-king-of-norway/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2021). Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/roskilde-cathedral-in-roskilde-denmark/
  • Margaret I of Denmark. (2023). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_I_of_Denmark
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Haakon VI. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Olaf II, King of Denmark/Olav IV, King of Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2025

Olaf II, King of Denmark/Olaf IV, King of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Olaf II, King of Denmark from 1376 to 1387, and also Olaf IV, King of Norway from 1380 to 1387, was the only child of two sovereigns, King Haakon VI of Norway and the future Queen Margrethe I of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. He was born in 1370 at the Akershus Fortress in Oslo, Norway. Olaf’s paternal grandparents were Magnus Eriksson, King of Norway and Sweden and Blanche of Namur. His maternal grandparents were Valdemar IV, King of Denmark and Helvig of Schleswig.

Olaf’s very capable mother Margrethe of Denmark, later Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Olaf’s maternal grandfather Valdemar IV, King of Denmark died on October 24, 1375. Valdemar IV had two sons and four daughters but all had predeceased him except his youngest daughter Margrethe, Olaf’s mother. It was expected that Duke Albert IV of Mecklenburg, the son of Valdemar IV’s eldest child (who survived childhood and had children) Ingeborg of Denmark would claim the Danish throne. However, Margrethe managed to win over the Danish royal council by offering them lucrative grants and agreements. She also won the support of the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in central and northern Europe, which did not want the House of Mecklenburg to gain power in Denmark. On May 3, 1376, five-year-old Olaf was proclaimed King of Denmark with his mother Margrethe acting as Regent of Denmark because of her son’s young age from May 3, 1376, until his early death on August 3, 1387.

A little more than four years later, on September 11, 1380, Olaf’s father King Haakon VI of Norway died. Ten-year-old Olaf was now also King of Norway, and his mother Margrethe was also Regent of Norway. With Olaf’s accession to the throne of Norway, 434 years of a Danish-Norwegian union began. After Olaf, no King of Norway would be born on Norwegian soil for 567 years, until King Harald V, born in 1937, became King of Norway in 1991.

Remains of the tombstone of King Olaf II at Sorø Abbey; Credit – Von Orf3us – Eigenes Werk, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16134679

On August 3, 1387, at Falsterbohus in Falsterbo, Sweden, Olaf II, King of Denmark/Olaf IV, King of Norway died, aged sixteen years old. He was buried at Sorø Abbey, a Benedictine Abbey on the island of Zealand in Denmark. There were unproven rumors that Olaf was poisoned. In 2015, Jørgen Lange Thomsen, a forensic scientist, proposed a theory Olaf II died from Brugada Syndrome, a genetic disorder. See Copenhagen Post: Mystery of Danish king deaths fosters new theory.

After her son’s death, Margrethe, who had been a very capable Regent of Denmark and Norway, reigned as Queen Margrethe I of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden for twenty-five years. She was the founder of the Kalmar Union in which Denmark, Sweden, and Norway were ruled together under one monarch from 1397 until 1523 when Sweden seceded and became its own kingdom.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Bidragsytere til Wikimedia-prosjektene. (2005). Konge av Danmark og Norge. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olav_H%C3%A5konsson
  • Margaret I of Denmark. (2023). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_I_of_Denmark
  • Wikipedia Contributors. (2024). Olaf II of Denmark. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaf_II_of_Denmark

New Year’s Events – Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

New Year’s Speech – December 31 – Denmark

Queen Margrethe II gave the traditional New Year’s Speech on December 31, 2023. During the speech, she announced she would be abdicating on January 14, 2024 after 52 years on the throne.

Background

Every year at 6:00 PM, on December 31, the Danish monarch delivers the New Year’s Speech from Amalienborg, a complex of four palaces in Copenhagen, Denmark. Queen Margrethe II (reigned 1972 – 2024), who abdicated in 2024, gave the speech from Christian IX’s Palace, her home since 1967. Her son and successor King Frederik X will probably give the speech from Frederik VIII’s Palace, his home at Amalienborg since he married Queen Mary (born Mary Donaldson in Australia) in 2004. The speech is broadcast live on television and radio.

The origins of the New Year’s speech go back to King Christian IX (reigned 1863 – 1906) who gave a “toast to the fatherland” at the New Year’s Banquet on January 1 beginning in the 1880s. During the reign of King Frederik VIII (reigned 1906 – 1912), the nationwide daily newspapers began to publish the New Year’s Speech. In 1909, King Frederik VIII closed his speech with Gud Bevare Danmark! (God preserve Denmark!) Every Danish monarch since has closed their New Year’s Speech in the same manner.

King Christian X riding through Copenhagen on his 70th birthday, September 26, 1940, during the German occupation of Denmark: Credit – Wikipedia

In 1940, during World War II, Germany occupied Denmark. Unlike King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, both of whom went into exile during the German occupation of their countries, King Christian X (reigned 1912 – 1947) remained in Denmark. He is remembered for his daily horse ride without a guard through the streets of Copenhagen during the German occupation of Denmark, a symbol of Danish sovereignty. His New Year’s Speeches during World War II rallied the Danish people and offered hope and encouragement to a country in the grip of a German occupation.

In 1941, King Christian X gave the first New Year’s speech to be broadcast live over the radio, and seventeen years later, his son King Frederik IX gave the first televised New Year’s Speech in 1958. King Frederik IX was skeptical about television and avoided eye contact with the camera.

However, when King Frederik IX’s daughter Queen Margrethe II came to the throne in 1972, she was well aware of television’s impact. Queen Margrethe II was not averse to reprimanding the Danish people, which she did in 1984, criticizing their behavior toward immigrants: “Then we come along with our Danish humor and little stupid, clever remarks. Then we respond to them with cold-heartedness, and then it’s not far to harassment and rougher methods – that’s not nice of us.” On December 31, 2023, in what would be her last New Year’s Speech, Queen Margrethe II unexpectedly announced that she would abdicate in favor of her son Crown Prince Frederik, just two weeks later, on January 14, 2024, the anniversary of her accession to the throne in 1972, upon the death of her father King Frederik IX.

The Text of the New Year’s Speech

In the early years, the Prime Minister’s office wrote the New Year’s speech which the Danish monarch read without making any changes. This changed during the reign of Queen Margrethe II who wanted to write the speech herself. The Prime Minister’s Office sent her a list of suggested topics in mid-October, and then she wrote the speech with the advisement of close colleagues. Shortly before New Year’s Eve, the Prime Minister’s office received the final draft for review.

King Frederik X will probably follow the guidelines of his mother Queen Margrethe II. Her New Year’s Speech began with a general discussion of the past year and then went on to a personal review, and the most important events of the past year. Upcoming events or anniversaries, especially of the royal family, were mentioned. The Danish monarch cannot interfere in politics and stays out of party political issues. However, Queen Margrethe II’s moral values influenced by her Christian faith were often evident. In her first New Year’s Speech in 1972, Queen Margrethe II expressed her hope for peace in the Vietnam War and addressed Denmark’s entry into the European Economic Community. Special greetings and thanks are given to selected groups at the end of the speech, and thanks are also given to Danes serving abroad or at sea or working in the police and military. The speech ends with the now traditional “Gud Bevare Danmark!” (God preserve Denmark!)

New Year’s Banquet and Levees – Early January – Denmark

Background

Copenhagen Castle circa 1698; Credit – Wikipedia

At least from the time of King Frederik III (reigned 1648 – 1670), the Danish public was allowed to come to Copenhagen Castle on New Year’s Eve, stand in rows along the wall, and watch the Danish royal family and the court eat. On New Year’s Day, anyone could go to the royal apartments to congratulate the King and Queen and deliver gifts and New Year’s poems. This custom ended during the reign of King Christian VI (reigned 1730 – 1746) when Copenhagen Castle was demolished and Christiansborg Palace was built on its site. The Danish royal family moved to Christiansborg Palace where the public did not have access.

Christiansborg Palace, now the home of the Danish Parliament; Credit – Af Julian Herzog (Website) – Eget arbejde, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36694087

Instead, at midnight, trumpets sounded the New Year from in the Christiansborg Palace courtyard. The Danish royal family and the court wished each other a Happy New Year and exchanged New Year’s gifts. New Year’s music was played indoors at midnight, performed by the Royal Life Guards Music Band, which also performs at today’s New Year’s banquets and levees. In-person New Year’s Day greetings were limited to certain people and groups.

After King Christian V established the Order of Dannebrog in 1671 and the Order of the Elephant in 1693, the knights of the orders and the Danish royal family had a banquet on New Year’s Eve. The first knights of the orders were the king’s court knights and closest advisers who were the government officials of the time. When the Folketing, the People’s Assembly or the Danish Parliament, was established in 1849, the government ministers and leaders of Folketing took their places at the New Year’s banquet tables.

When the New Year’s banquet was no longer exclusively for knights, invitations were extended to the royal ladies, those who managed the royal court, the Royal Life Guards who protected the king, the military who protected the country, and the police who protected the citizens. Leaders of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark, the Danish Supreme Court, and the University of Copenhagen also received invitations. Today, leaders of these institutions are also on the guest list for the modern New Year’s Banquet.

Today’s Banquet and Levees

Today, the banquet and levees are held over three days in early January. The banquet is a sit-down dinner and the levees are receptions.

Queen Margrethe II rides in the Golden Carriage from Christian VII’s Palace, Amalienborg to a New Year’s levee at Christiansborg Palace on January 4, 2019.

For levees at Christiansborg Palace, now the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Danish monarch is driven from Amalienborg to Christiansborg Palace, and then back from Christiansborg Palace to Amalienborg in a coach from the Royal Stables, escorted by the Guard Hussar Regiment Mounted Squadron.

Day 1 – January 1

On January 1, a New Year’s Levee and Banquet is held in the Hall of Knights at Christian VII’s Palace, Amalienborg, for the government, the Speaker of the Danish Parliament, other official Danish representatives, and officials of the Royal Court.

Insignia of the Order of the Elephant on the gold chain; Credit – By Sodacan – Own work; Based on: File: Royal Coat of Arms of Denmark. CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9711449

The Order of the Elephant is a Danish order of chivalry and Denmark’s highest-ranked honor. In earlier times, the order was granted primarily to foreign royalty and Danish noblemen.  Now it is granted primarily to members of the Danish royal family and foreign heads of state. On rare occasions, it has been granted to a commoner.

Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik (now King and Queen of Denmark) arrive at the New Year’s Levee and Banquet in Christian VII’s Palace on January 1, 2012, wearing the Order of the Elephant on the gold chain

On January 1, at the banquet and levee, the Knights of the Order of the Elephant wear the insignia of the order on a gold chain (above illustration and photo) instead of the usual blue sash. In addition to January 1, the Order of the Elephant is also worn on a gold chain on May 26, the birthday of Frederik X, the current King of Denmark, and on June 28, the birthday of King Valdemar II of Denmark, reigned 1202 – 1241.

Ambassadors to Denmark lined up to be welcomed by Queen Margrethe II at the Traditional New Year’s Levee for the diplomatic corps at Christiansborg Palace on January 3, 2018

Day 2 (date fluctuates)

A New Year’s Levee is held at Christian VII’s Palace, Amalienborg, for Justices of the Supreme Court of Denmark and the Officer Corps of The Royal Life Guard and The Guard Hussar Regiment. Later in the day, a New Year’s Levee is held at Christiansborg Palace for the diplomatic corps.

Queen Margrethe II welcomes Eusebe Agbangla, Niger’s ambassador to Denmark during the New Year’s Levee for the diplomatic corps on January 3, 2019

Day 3 (date fluctuates)

A New Year’s Levee is held at Christiansborg Palace for officers from the Ministry of Defense and the Danish Emergency Management Agency, representatives of major national organizations, and, representatives of the royal patronages.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2012). Rede der dänischen Königin zum Jahreswechsel. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neujahrsansprache_der_d%C3%A4nischen_K%C3%B6nigin
  • HISTORY OF THE NEW YEAR’S SPEECH. (n.d.). Www.kongehuset.dk. Retrieved July 20, 2024, from https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/menu/news/history-of-the-new-years-speech
  • New Year’s Banquet and Levees 2024. (n.d.). Www.kongehuset.dk. Retrieved July 20, 2024, from https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/news/new-years-banquet-and-levees-2024
  • Nytårstafler og -kure. (n.d.). Www.kongehuset.dk. Retrieved July 20, 2024, from https://www.kongehuset.dk/monarkiet-i-danmark/begivenheder-i-kongehuset/nytarstafler-og-kure#riddernes-ordensdag
  • Order of the Elephant. (2024). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Elephant

Accession To The Throne – Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

King Frederik X is proclaimed King of Denmark from the balcony of Christiansborg Castle; Credit – Af Kefr4000 – Eget arbejde, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143973885

The last Danish accession took place when Queen Margrethe II abdicated the throne on January 14, 2024, the 52nd anniversary of her accession and death of her father King Frederik IX, in favor of the elder of her two sons King Frederik X. Denmark formerly had a coronation but in 1660, the coronation was replaced with a ceremony of anointing. The new monarch would arrive at the coronation site already wearing the crown and was then anointed. The ceremony of anointing was abolished with the introduction of the Danish Constitution in 1849, and a simple proclamation has been used since then. Denmark has regalia but the regalia plays no role in the ceremonies for a new monarch.

Queen Margrethe II and her husband Prince Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark wave from the balcony at Christiansborg Palace on January 15, 1972, after the proclamation of her succession to the Danish throne. The couple’s two young sons Frederik and Joachim can be seen.

In the event of the death of the Danish sovereign, the accession is automatic and the new sovereign is simply proclaimed by the Prime Minister from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish Parliament, in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, as happened when Queen Margrethe II acceded to the Danish throne in 1972 when her father King Frederik IX died. However, because Queen Margrethe II was abdicating, a meeting of the Council of State was necessary.

Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik, and Prince Christian meeting with the Council of State on January 14, 2024 – Photo: Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset © File type: jpg

The accession of King Frederik X took place during a meeting of the Council of State in the State Council Hall at Christiansborg Palace, at the moment Queen Margrethe II signed the declaration of her abdication. Queen Margrethe gave up her seat and offered it to the new King. At the same time, the new heir to the throne, Crown Prince Christian, took the seat to the right of his father, the King. After this, the visibly moved Queen Margrethe said “Gud bevare kongen” (God save the King) and left the State Council Hall.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaimed King Frederik X’s accession to the throne

Shortly afterward, King Frederik X stepped out on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaimed King Frederik X’s accession to the throne. According to Danish state custom, the Prime Minister proclaimed three times: “Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II has abdicated. Long live His Majesty King Frederik X!” This was followed by the traditional ninefold cheer from the crowd of tens of thousands who turned out to witness the proclamation.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Flantzer, Susan. (2024). The Abdication of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and The Accession of King Frederik X of Denmark. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/the-abdication-of-queen-margrethe-ii-of-denmark-and-the-accession-of-king-frederik-x-of-denmark/
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2023). Which Monarchies Have Coronations? What Succession Ceremonies Do Other Monarchies Have? Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/which-monarchies-have-coronations-what-succession-ceremonies-do-the-other-monarchies-have/
  • Programme for the Succession of the Throne. Kongehuset (Danish Royal House). (2024). https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/news/programme-for-the-succession-of-the-throne
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Abdication of Margrethe II. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdication_of_Margrethe_II

The Abdication of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and The Accession of King Frederik X of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark; Photo: Per Morten Abrahamsen ©

In her New Year’s Speech on December 31, 2023, 83-year-old Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced that she would abdicate the throne on January 14, 2024, the 52nd anniversary of her accession and the death of her father King Frederik IX. Since the death of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom on September 8, 2022, Queen Margrethe II had been Europe’s longest-reigning monarch, the world’s only Queen Regnant, and the longest-serving incumbent female head of state. After her abdication, Margrethe held the style and title Her Majesty Queen Margrethe.

Queen Margrethe II had previously said she would never abdicate the throne. In 2012, as she celebrated forty years on the Danish throne, Queen Margrethe II said, “I will remain on the throne until I fall off.” It is thought that no one was aware of Queen Margrethe II’s plan to abdicate with the exception of a few unnamed people, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (the second woman to be Prime Minister of Denmark and the youngest prime minister in Danish history), and Queen Margrethe’s first cousin King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (Margrethe’s mother Princess Ingrid of Sweden and Carl Gustaf’s father Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden were siblings, the children of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and Princess Margaret of Connaught (who died before her husband became king).

Queen Mary and King Frederik X; Photo: Hasse Nielsen ©

Upon her abdication, Queen Margrethe II’s elder son fifty-five year old Crown Prince Frederik became His Majesty King Frederik X of Denmark and his Australian-born wife Crown Princess Mary became Her Majesty Queen Mary of Denmark.

Crown Prince Christian; Photo: Dennis Stenild ©

Already styled as His Royal Highness, Frederik and Mary’s elder son eighteen year old Prince Christian (born 2005) became His Royal Highness Crown Prince Christian of Denmark, the heir to the Danish throne.

Queen Margrethe II announces that she will abdicate during her New Year’s Speech

In her New Year’s Speech, Queen Margrethe II stated:

In two weeks time I have been Queen of Denmark for 52 years. Such an amount will leave its mark on anybody – also on me! The time takes its toll, and the number of “ailments” increases. One cannot undertake as much as one managed in the past.

In February this year I underwent extensive back surgery. Everything went well, thanks to the competent health personnel, who took care of me. Inevitably, the operation gave cause to thoughts about the future – whether now would be an appropriate time to pass on the responsibility to the next generation.

I have decided that now is the right time. On 14th January 2024 – 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father – I will step down as Queen of Denmark. I will hand over the throne to my son Crown Prince Frederik.

The last Danish monarch to abdicate was King Erik III in 1146. The reasons for Erik III’s abdication are unclear. His abdication has been explained as his realization of his inability to govern or an illness that ultimately killed him. After abdicating, Erik III entered St. Canute’s Abbey in Odense, Denmark, where he died on August 27, 1146, soon after his abdication, and was buried at St. Canute’s Abbey.

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Abdications in the 21st Century

King Juan Carlos of Spain signing his abdication law, witnessed by Prime Minister Mariano Rajo; Credit – By Ministry of the Presidency. Government of Spain, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33464373

Before the abdication of Queen Margrethe II, in the 21st century, there were nine voluntary abdications. Except for one abdication due to illness, the abdications occurred to pass the throne to the heir sooner. In Luxembourg and the Netherlands, there is a history of such abdications. In Luxembourg, although Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde abdicated in 1919 in favor of her sister Charlotte due to political reasons, Grand Duchess Charlotte abdicated in favor of her son Jean and Grand Duke Jean abdicated in favor of his son Henri. In the Netherlands, the last three monarchs, all Queens – Wilhelmina, Juliana, and Beatrix – abdicated in favor of their heirs. With people living longer, it may be likely that we will see more monarchs abdicating to pass their thrones to their heirs sooner.

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Events on Sunday, January 14, 2024

Christiansborg Palace; Credit – By Johannes Jansson/norden.org, CC BY 2.5 dk, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24985586

The succession of King Frederik X took place during a meeting of the Council of State in the State Council Hall at Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish Parliament, in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, at the moment Queen Margrethe II signed the declaration of her abdication. Denmark does not have a coronation. Denmark formerly had a coronation but in 1660, the coronation was replaced with a ceremony of anointing. The new monarch would arrive at the coronation site already wearing the crown and was then anointed.

Queen Margrethe II and her husband Prince Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark  wave from the balcony at Christiansborg Palace on January 15, 1972 after the proclamation of her succession to the Danish throne. The couple’s two young sons Frederik and Joachim can be seen.

The ceremony of anointing was abolished with the introduction of the Danish Constitution in 1849, and a simple proclamation has been used since then. Denmark does have regalia but it plays no role in the ceremonies for a new monarch. Now, a public announcement of a new monarch’s accession is made from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace. The new king or queen is presented and proclaimed by the Prime Minister, followed by a ninefold “hurrah” by the crowds below.

Amalienborg; Credit – By Rob Deutscher from Melbourne, Australia – Amalienbor Plads and Opera House_Copenhagen, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25648566

Amalienborg in Copenhagen, Denmark is the official residence of the Danish royal family. It consists of four identical classical palaces around an octagonal square. Frederik VIII’s Palace is the northeastern palace and has been the home of King Frederik X and Queen Mary since their marriage in 2004. Christian IX’s Palace is the southeastern palace and has been the home of Queen Margrethe II since 1967. Both King Frederik X and his family and Queen Margrethe II will remain at their respective homes.

Below is the program for the abdication of Queen Margrethe II and the accession of King Frederik X. The times listed are Danish times.

Crown Prince Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary & Prince Christian traveled to Christiansborg Palace

13:35 – Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary, and their elder son Prince Christian left their home Frederik VIII’s Palace, Amalienborg in Copenhagen, and traveled by car to Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish Parliament in Copenhagen.

Queen Margrethe traveled to Christiansborg Palace to abdicate

13:37 – Queen Margrethe II left her home Christian IX’s Palace, Amalienborg in Copenhagen, and traveled by carriage to Christiansborg Palace escorted by the Guard Hussar Regiment.

Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik, and Prince Christian meeting with the Council of State Photo: Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset © File type: jpg

14:00 – Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik, and Prince Christian met with the Council of State in the State Council Hall at Christiansborg Palace. The succession of the Danish throne took place during the Council of State meeting at the moment when Queen Margrethe II signed a declaration of her abdication. Queen Margrethe then gave up her seat and offered it to the new King. At the same time, the new heir to the throne, Crown Prince Christian, took the seat to the right of the King. After this, the visibly-moved Queen Margrethe said “Gud bevare kongen” (God save the king) and left the State Council Hall.

Queen Margrethe, after her abdication, on her way to her home Christian IX’s Palace

14:15 – Queen Margrethe left Christiansborg Palace and traveled by car to her home Christian IX’s Palace, Amalienborg.

14:30 – King Frederik X and Queen Mary held a reception for invited people at Christiansborg Palace.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaimed King Frederik X’s accession to the throne

15:00 – King Frederik X stepped out on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaimed King Frederik X’s accession to the throne. According to Danish state custom, the Prime Minister proclaimed three times: “Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II has abdicated. Long live His Majesty King Frederik X!” This was followed by the traditional ninefold cheer from the crowd of tens of thousands who turned out to witness the proclamation.

King Frederik X spoke after his proclamation as Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stood next to him

15:00 –  King Frederik X gave a short speech,”My mother, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, has ruled Denmark for 52 years. For half a century, she has followed the times with our common heritage as a starting point. She will always be remembered as a Monarch beyond the ordinary. Like few, my mother has managed to be at one with her kingdom. Today, the throne passes on. My hope is to become an unifying king of tomorrow. It’s a task I’ve been waiting for all my life. It is a responsibility I take on with respect, pride and great joy. It is a deed I will take pains to carry out and carry through the position I have been entrusted with. I need all the support I can get. From my beloved wife, from my family, from you and from that which is greater than us. I face the future knowing that I am not alone.”

King Frederik X announced his motto, “Bound, committed, for the Kingdom of Denmark.”

Left to right: Princess Isabella, Crown Prince Christian, King Frederik X, Queen Mary, Princess Josephine, and Prince Vincent

After his speech, King Frederik X was joined on the balcony by his family: Queen Mary, Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.

15:10 – After the proclamation, an honorary cannon salute was fired from the Sixtus Battery at Holmen Naval Base in Copenhagen.

The royal standard was raised over King Frederik X’s home Frederik VIII’s Palace, Amalienborg

15:10 – After the proclamation, the royal standard was lowered at Queen Margrethe’s home Christian IX’s Palace and then raised at King Frederik X’s home Frederik VIII’s Palace, Amalienborg.

King Frederik X and Queen Mary rode in a carriage to their home Frederik VIII’s Palace

15:30 – After the proclamation, King Frederik X and Queen Mary rode in a carriage, escorted by the Guard Hussar Regiment’s mounted squadron, from Christiansborg Palace to their home Frederik VIII’s Palace, Amalienborg.

17:00 – The royal colors were transferred from Queen Margrethe’s home Christian IX’s Palace to Frederik VIII’s Palace, King Frederik X’s home.

Read news articles from January 14, 2024 regarding the abdication and accession at the link below.

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Event on Monday, January 15, 2024

The Danish Parliament acknowledges the Danish Royal Family, seated above the clock

10:00 – King Frederik, Queen Mary, Crown Prince Christian, Queen Margrethe, Prince Joachim (Queen Margrethe’s younger son) and Princess Benedikte (Queen Margrethe’s sister) participated in the Danish Parliament’s celebration of the succession of the throne. During a meeting at Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish Parliament, Speaker of the Parliament Søren Gade and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen delivered speeches and the Prime Minister read an announcement from King Frederik X to the Danish Parliament. Afterward, the Royal Family and members of Parliament took part in a reception.

1st row: Crown Prince Christian, Queen Mary, King Frederik X. 2nd row: Princess Benedikte, Prince Joachim, Queen Margrethe

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Event on Sunday, January 21, 2024

Aarhus Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

14:00 – The Royal Family participated in a celebratory church service at Aarhus Cathedral in Aarhus, Denmark, an Evangelical Lutheran church, sometimes called the Church of Denmark, the established, state-supported church in Denmark. The service was led by Henrik Wigh-Poulsen, Royal Chaplain-in-Ordinary and Bishop of the Diocese of Aarhus  and attended by various Danish officials and representatives from the City of Aarhus.

Read more about the Danish monarchy at

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Flantzer, Susan. (2023). Which monarchies have coronations? What succession ceremonies do other monarchies have?. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/which-monarchies-have-coronations-what-succession-ceremonies-do-the-other-monarchies-have/
  • Mehl, Scott. (2014). Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/queen-margrethe-ii-of-denmark/
  • Programme for the Succession of the Throne. Kongehuset (Danish Royal House). (2024). https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/news/programme-for-the-succession-of-the-throne
  • Read HM The Queen’s New Year Address 2023. Kongehuset (Danish Royal House). https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/news/read-hm-the-queens-new-year-address-2023
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2024). Abdication of Margrethe II. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdication_of_Margrethe_II

BREAKING NEWS: Queen Margrethe II of Denmark to abdicate, January 14, 2024


Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, in her New Year’s Speech, has announced that she will abdicate the throne on January 14, 2024.  That day is the 52nd anniversary of her accession, following the death of her father.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark will become the new King and Queen.

Danish Royal House: Succession of the throne
Danish Royal House: Read HM The Queen’s New Year Address 2023

Ancestors of King Frederik X of Denmark

compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

King Frederik X of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

The royal pedigree of King Frederik X of Denmark includes monarchs of Denmark, the German Empire, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom along with rulers of German grand duchies and duchies. He is a descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. His maternal great-grandmother Princess Margaret of Connaught was the daughter of Queen Victoria’s son Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught. Frederik’s father, born Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat, came from the House of Monpezat, an old French bourgeois family,

Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great-Grandparents, and Great-Great-Great-Grandparents of King Frederik X of Denmark (born May 26, 1968)

The links below are from Unofficial Royalty,  Wikipedia, Leo’s Genealogics Website, The Peerage, or Geni.

Parents

Frederik’s parents; Credit – By Holger Motzkau 2010, Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10951400

Grandparents

Frederik’s maternal grandparents King Frederik IX of Denmark and Princess Ingrid of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Grandparents

King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and Princess Margaret of Connaught, great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Grandparents

Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, great-great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Sources:

Change of Titles within the Danish Royal Family as of January 1, 2023

Photo: Steen Brogaard, Kongehuset ©

On September 28, 2022, the Danish Royal House announced that there would be some changes coming for royal titles within the Danish Royal Family.

Queen Margrethe II has decided that, as of January 1, 2023, the children of HRH Prince Joachim would no longer hold the style and title of HH Prince/Princess.  However, they will hold the title Count/Countess of Monpezat, with the style of His/Her Excellency.  This slimming down is in keeping with recent changes in other royal families and will allow Prince Joachim’s children to pursue more independent lives and careers. Prince Joachim had two sons with his first wife Alexandra Manley (divorced 2005), now styled Her Excellency Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg. He had one son and one daughter with his second wife Marie Cavallier, now styled Her Royal Highness Princess Marie.

As of January 1, 2023, Prince Joachim’s children are styled:

The Monpezat titles come from the Queen’s late husband, Prince Henrik, who was Count of Monpezat.  In 2008, Queen Margrethe granted the title to her sons and their descendants as well.

Here is the full statement issued by the Danish Royal House:

In April 2008, Her Majesty The Queen bestowed upon her sons, their spouses and their descendants the titles of count and countess of Monpezat. In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of The Queen’s grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult.

As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that, as of 1 January 2023, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim’s descendants can only use their titles as counts and countess of Monpezat, as the titles of prince and princess that they have held up until now will be discontinued. Prince Joachim’s descendants will thus have to be addressed as excellencies in the future. The Queen’s decision is in line with similar adjustments that other royal houses have made in various ways in recent years.

With her decision, Her Majesty The Queen wishes to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.

All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession.

Danish Royal House: Changes in titles and forms of address in the Royal Family

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark – Fifty Years on the Throne

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

On January 14, 2022, Queen Margrethe II marked fifty years on the Danish throne. She is the second longest-reigning Danish monarch after King Christian IV who reigned for 59 years, 330 days, from April 4, 1588 until February 28, 1648. As of January 14, 2022, the only current monarchs who reigned longer than Queen Margrethe II were Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (reigned since February 6, 1952) and Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei (reigned since October 5, 1967). Queen Margrethe II stated several times that she had no intention of abdicating as several other European monarchs had done. She viewed her position as a job for life and recognized Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom as a source of inspiration for her devotion to duty.

In January 1972, shortly after King Frederik IX of Denmark had given his New Year speech, he became ill with flu-like symptoms. On January 3, 1972, he had a cardiac arrest and was rushed to Copenhagen Municipal Hospital. The king improved for a time but then took a turn for the worse, and on January 14, 1972, King Frederik IX died at the age of 72. His eldest daughter succeeded him as Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. She became the first female monarch in Denmark since Margrethe I, Queen of Denmark (reigned 1387 – 1412), Norway (reigned 1388 – 1412), and Sweden (reigned 1389 – 1412).

Margrethe and her family in 1956: left to right Princess Benedikte, Princess Anne-Marie, Queen Ingrid, Princess Margrethe, and King Frederik IX 

In 1947, King Frederik IX succeeded to the Danish throne upon the death of his father King Christian X. At that time, women were excluded from the line of succession. Having only three daughters, and unlikely that there would be more children, King Frederik IX’s heir presumptive was his younger brother Prince Knud. Frederik soon began to work toward changing the succession laws in Denmark. Finally, in 1953, a new Act of Succession was passed, changing the succession to male-preference cognatic primogeniture – meaning that sons would come before daughters. (A 2009 succession law now allows for the succession of the firstborn child regardless of gender.) The 1953 Act of Succession meant that in the absence of a son, King Frederik IX’s daughters could succeed to the throne, and Frederik’s eldest daughter Margrethe became the heiress-presumptive. Her uncle Prince Knud, who had held the title of Hereditary Prince of Denmark, was not very happy with the new laws, as he and his two sons were now pushed further down the line. In somewhat of a consolation, Knud was given the title Hereditary Prince Knud even though he was no longer the direct heir to the throne. However, Margrethe, as heiress-presumptive, was never given the title of Crown Princess.

Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag proclaiming Margrethe Queen of Denmark on January 15, 1972; Credit – photo: Radical Royalist

On January 15, 1972, in keeping with tradition, Margrethe was formally proclaimed Queen of Denmark by Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag from the balcony at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. To the crowds gathered below, she gave a brief speech: “My beloved father, our King, is dead. The task that my father had carried for nearly 25 years is now resting on my shoulders. I pray to God to give me help and strength to carry the heavy heritage. May the trust that was given to my father also be granted to me.” After being joined briefly on the balcony by her husband Prince Henrik, the couple traveled back to Amalienborg where they again appeared on the balcony, this time with their two young sons, three-and-a-half-year-old Crown Prince Frederik and two-and-a-half-year-old Prince Joachim.

Queen Margrethe II with her husband Prince Henrik and their sons Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim on the balcony at Amalienborg on January 15, 1972

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The first official photograph of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, 1972

Due to COVID-19, a number of the events that had been scheduled in mid-January 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary were rescheduled for September 2022. These include a celebration at the Copenhagen City Hall, a command performance at the Royal Danish Theatre’s Old Stage, a celebratory church service in Copenhagen Cathedral, and a gala banquet at Christiansborg Palace.

Queen Margrethe’s youngest sister Queen Anne-Marie of Greece was unable to participate in the limited number of events on January 14, 2022. Her husband former King Constantine II of Greece was ill with COVID-19 and because she had been exposed to COVID-19, Anne-Marie was not allowed to travel to Denmark.

The program for January 14, 2022 was as follows.

  • 9:30 AM – Queen Margrethe II began the day with a Council of State at Christiansborg Palace together with her son Crown Prince Frederik
  • 10:00 AM – Queen Margrethe II, her son Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary, her son Prince Joachim and his wife Princess Marie, and her sister Princess Benedikte attended the Danish Parliament’s official celebration of the anniversary of Her Majesty’s accession to the throne.
  • 12:00 PM – Queen Margrethe II, her son Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary, her son Prince Joachim and his wife Princess Marie, and her sister Princess Benedikte participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid’s grave outside Roskilde Cathedral.

For more information see:

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Flantzer, Susan, 2015. King Frederik IX of Denmark. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-frederik-ix-of-denmark/> [Accessed 14 January 2022].
  • Kongehuset.dk. 2022. The 50 years anniversary of HM The Queen’s accession to the throne. [online] Available at: <https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/news/the-50-years-anniversary-of-hm-the-queens-accession-to-the-throne> [Accessed 14 January 2022].
  • Kongehuset.dk. 2022. The 50th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen’s accession to the throne. [online] Available at: <https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/news/the-50th-jubilee-of-her-majesty-the-queens-accession-to-the-throne> [Accessed 14 January 2022].
  • Mehl, Scott, 2014. Accession of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/january-14-1972-accession-of-queen-margrethe-ii-of-denmark/> [Accessed 14 January 2022].
  • Mehl, Scott, 2014. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/queen-margrethe-ii-of-denmark/> [Accessed 14 January 2022].

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, the wife of Karl XI, King of Sweden, was noted for her extraordinary charitable activities and an eerie legend associated with her death. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark on September 11, 1656, she was the sixth of the eight children and fourth of the five daughters of Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Her paternal grandparents were Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway and Anna Katharina of Brandenburg. Her maternal grandparents were Georg, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Anna Eleonora of Hesse-Darmstadt. Ulrika Eleonora was the sister of Christian V, King of Denmark and Prince Jørgen of Denmark, better known as Prince George, Duke of Cumberland, the husband of Queen Anne of Great Britain.

Ulrika Eleonora had seven siblings:

Ulrika Eleonora’s husband Karl XI, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1675, Ulrika Eleonora became betrothed to Karl XI, King of Sweden. Ulrika Eleonora’s brother King Christian V was not in favor of the match but he left the final decision up to his mother who favored the match because her daughter would be a queen. However, the Scanian War between Denmark and Sweden from 1675 – 1679 postponed the wedding. King Christian V broke off the engagement but his sister still considered herself betrothed to Karl XI. In the peace negotiations between Sweden and Denmark in 1679, a marriage between Ulrika Eleonora and Karl XI, King of Sweden was on the agenda, and a marriage was agreed upon. Ulrika Eleonora and Karl XI were married on May 6, 1680, in Skottorp Castle in Skummeslöv, Halland, Sweden. The new Queen of Sweden was crowned on November 25, 1680, at Storkyrkan (Great Church) in Stockholm, Sweden.

Ulrika Eleonora with her four sons who died in infancy; Credit – Nationalmuseum

Ulrika Eleonora and Karl XI had seven children but only three survived childhood:

Ulrika Eleonora’s family left to right: her mother-in-law Hedwig Eleonora; her husband King Karl XI; her son the future Karl XII; Queen Ulrika Eleonora; her daughter Ulrika Eleonora; her son-in-law Friedrich IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp; the mother of Friedrich IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Fredrika Amalia of Denmark, Dowager Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp; and her daughter Hedwig Sophia; Credit – Wikipedia

Ulrika Eleonora’s husband had become King of Sweden when he was only four years old. His mother Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, who was Dowager Queen for 55 years and would survive both her son and her daughter-in-law, was the Regent of Sweden until Karl XI reached his majority. Ulrika Eleonora had no political influence as her husband preferred to discuss politics with his mother. Hedwig Eleonora remained the first lady of the court. Karl XI always referred to Ulrika Eleonora as “My Wife” and his mother as “The Queen”. Foreign ambassadors always paid their respects to Hedwig Eleonora first, and then to Ulrika Eleonora. The hostility between Hedwig Eleonora’s homeland Holstein-Gottorp and Ulrika Eleonora’s homeland Denmark made the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law even more tense.

Ulrika Eleonora was very active in charity. She founded a large number of charitable institutions that were administered by her chamberlain Sophia Amalia Marschalk and her principal lady-in-waiting and mistress of the robes Maria Elisabeth Stenbock. It is estimated that 7/8 of Ulrika Eleonora’s income went to her charities and she even sold her possessions to finance her charitable projects. Her best-known projects were a tapestry school at Karlberg Palace where orphan girls were educated in tapestry manufacturing, the Queen’s House, a home for poor widows in Stockholm, and a poor house at Kungsholmen. Ulrika Eleonora arranged for food to be distributed to areas suffering from failed crops and starvation and paid the medical bills for a large number of people in Stockholm. She commissioned doctors and midwives to develop scientific-based obstetrics and an orderly birth system in Sweden. Ulrika Eleonora supported a large number of needy people with regular allowances from her income. In 1693, the year of her death, 17,000 people were supported by her.

After the birth of her seventh and last child in 1688, Ulrika Eleonora’s health continually weakened, so much so that she seldom participated in court events. A trip to see her family in Denmark in 1688 had to be canceled. In 1690, Ulrika Eleonora developed a fatal non-diagnosed illness. Her doctors recommended a trip to the hot springs and funds were set aside for the trip but Ulrika Eleonora refused to go and instead used the funds for charity.

Ulrika Eleonora’s funeral; Credit – British Museum

Ulrika Eleonora died at Karlberg Palace in Solna Municipality, Sweden, outside Stockholm, on July 26, 1693, aged 36, after having spent 1692 -1693 in bed. Her husband Karl XI mourned her greatly and remarked upon her death, “Here I leave half of my heart.” She had requested a simple funeral and that her husband give most of the funds set aside for her funeral to charity. Karl XI did not respect her wish for a simple funeral but he did contribute the cost of her funeral to the poor. Ulrika Eleonora was buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden. Karl XI survived his wife by less than four years, dying on April 5, 1697, at Tre Kronor Castle in Stockholm, Sweden, aged 41. He had suffered from abdominal pains for three years. An autopsy revealed that he had developed cancer that had spread throughout the abdominal cavity. Karl was buried with his wife at Riddarholmen Church.

Ulrika Eleonora’s coffin )on the left) in Riddarholmen Church; Credit – Wikipedia

There is an eerie legend associated with the death of Ulrika Eleonora. After the death of Ulrika Eleonora, she was laid out at Karlberg Palace before her funeral. One night, a carriage arrived from Stockholm carrying Maria Elisabeth Stenbock, Ulrika Eleonora’s principal lady-in-waiting and mistress of the robes. Maria Elisabeth, who was carrying her little dog Camillo, was escorted to Ulrika Eleonora’s room by the officer in charge Captain Stormcrantz. When he thought she was taking too long, he looked through the keyhole and saw Maria Elisabeth and Ulrika Eleonora standing by the window talking to each other. Captain Stormcrantz was so shocked by the sight that he started coughing up blood. Maria Elisabeth, as well as her carriage, were gone the next moment. When the matter was investigated, it was discovered that Maria Elisabeth had been in bed, gravely ill, and had not left her home. King Karl XI gave orders that the incident was not to be mentioned again. Whatever the explanation, Captain Stormcrantz died soon after, reportedly from shock after what he thought he had witnessed, and Maria Elisabeth Stenbock died of her illness on October 9, 1693.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonora,_Queen_of_Sweden> [Accessed 6 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/frederik-iii-king-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 6 September 2021].
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