Category Archives: Danish Royals

Gråsten Palace

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

source: Wikipedia

Gråsten Palace

Gråsten Palace is one of the summer residences of the Danish Royal Family, located in southern Denmark.  It was originally just a small hunting lodge in the 1500s, with several palaces built in its place after successive fires destroyed the previous buildings. Count Frederik Ahlefeldt and his son built a large baroque palace in the late 1600s, which was destroyed by yet another fire in 1757. All that remained was the palace chapel and a few pavilions.

By this time, the palace was owned by the Augustenborg family (from 1725-1852). In 1759, a new south wing was added to the remaining structures, but it wasn’t until 1842 that the main central block of the palace was built.

source: Wikipedia

The property was acquired by King Frederik VII in 1852, but would later return to the Augustenborg family in 1864. It would be nearly 20 years, however, before they would be allowed to live there. Due to its location in the Schleswig region, and the Prussian’s negative opinions of the Augustenborg family, they were not permitted to use either Gråsten Palace or the nearby Augustenborg Palace until 1884.

In 1920, following World War I, the Danish State purchased the palace from the Augustenborg family for 5 million DKK. It was then used as housing for court officials, and for a period of time served as a library.

In 1935, the State put the palace at the disposal of the newly married (future) King Frederik IX and Princess Ingrid of Sweden, as a wedding gift. Following an extensive renovation, the couple took up residence in August 1936. Other than several years during World War II, the couple continued to use Gråsten as their summer residence until their deaths in 1972 and 2000.

Danish Royal Family, July 2014. source: Danish Monarchy (Henning Bagger, Scanpix)

Danish Royal Family, July 2014. source: Danish Monarchy (Henning Bagger, Scanpix)

Following Queen Ingrid’s death, use of the palace passed to Queen Margrethe II, who typically stayed there for several weeks each summer. It has become the traditional site of the Danish Royal Family’s annual photoshoot with the media. The photo above shows the family in 2014, where they posed on a small bridge along the walkway to the ‘Little House’, a small playhouse on the grounds which was a gift from King Christian X to his granddaughters.

Learn more about the other Danish Royal Residences here!

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.

Fredensborg Palace

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

source: Wikipedia, Chin tin tin

Fredensborg Palace

Fredensborg Palace, located in North Zealand on the shore of Lake Esrum, is the spring and autumn residence of the Danish Royal Family. It was originally built as a hunting lodge for King Frederik IV between 1719-1722 on the site of a farm that he owned. The initial structure was a square palace block with an octagonal courtyard, formed by single-story wings which served as servants’ quarters. A riding arena was later created to the east of the courtyard, flanked on the north by a wing of the palace which included the Palace Chapel and the original orangery; a stable block to the east; and The Chancellery House to the south.

The palace was inaugurated in 1722, in honor of the King’s birthday, and was named Fredensborg – ‘Peace Castle’ – in recognition of the recent end of the Great Northern War. Over the next forty years, during the reigns of Kings Christian VI and Frederik V, the palace underwent several expansions and renovations. The roof was raised to allow for more floors, and four pavilions were built on the corners of the original palace block. In addition, the original Orangery was also converted into living quarters for the ladies-in-waiting.

King Christian IX with his extended family at Fredensborg Palace. painting by Laurits Tuxen, source: Wikipedia

Following Frederik V’s death, Fredensborg became the dower home of his widow, Queen Juliane Marie, until her own death in 1796. The palace was not used as a royal residence for nearly 60 years until King Christian IX came to the throne in 1863. The King, and his wife Queen Louise, were the parents of the future King Frederik VIII of Denmark, Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, King George I of Greece and the Crown Princess of Hanover, and often held large family gatherings at the palace, bringing together some of the most prominent royal families of Europe.

While his two successors, King Frederik VIII and King Christian X, did not use the palace as often, it again became a popular residence during the reign of King Frederik IX and remains so to this day. Queen Margrethe spends nearly half the year in residence – three months in the spring and three months in the fall – and continues the tradition of gathering their extended family at the palace every year. Many family events take place here, including the wedding banquets for Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik in 1967, and Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary in 2004.

View image | gettyimages.com

The palace is also the site of many State visits and official functions. During her reign, Queen Margrethe II often received foreign ambassadors here, and Fredensborg was frequently the site of State visits. There is a tradition associated with State visits at Fredensborg. All visiting heads of state are asked to etch their names into a windowpane using a diamond.

Another tradition was the greeting of the Sovereign on her birthday each year. The grounds close to the palace are open to the public, who came to cheer Queen Margrethe early in the morning of her birthday. She would then appear at her bedroom window to wave to the crowds gathered below.

In the wing which branches off the eastern side of the palace is the Palace Church (‘B’ in the photo below), connected to the main palace by the original Orangery. The palace church has been the site of weddings, christenings, and confirmations for members of the Danish Royal Family, beginning with the 1761 confirmation of Princess Sophia Magdalena (daughter of King Frederik V, later Queen Consort of Sweden). Most recently christenings and confirmations of Queen Margrethe’s grandchildren have been held there. The church faces out onto the riding arena, which is flanked on the east by a long building originally housing the stables.

Fredensborg Castle. ‘A’-The Chancellery House; ‘B’-The Palace Church

At the southern end of the riding arena is The Chancellery House (‘A’ in the photo above). Built in 1731, it was originally built as accommodations for ministers and government officials who had to travel to Fredensborg to attend the sovereign. It was later used as a summer residence for some court officials, and then as grace-and-favor residences for retired staff. After the death of King Frederik IX, his widow, Queen Ingrid had the building renovated and it became her summer residence until her death in 2000. In 2004, it became the summer residence of Crown Prince Frederik and his family.

Learn more about the other Danish Royal Residences here!

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.

Amalienborg

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2015

Amalienborg, as seen from the Marble Church. photo: © Susan Flantzer

Amalienborg, as seen from the Marble Church. photo: © Susan Flantzer

Amalienborg

Amalienborg (often mistakenly referred to as Amalienborg Palace) is one of the primary residences of the Danish Royal Family. It is comprised of four individual palaces built around a square in the Frederiksstaden district of Copenhagen.

Sophie Amalienborg, c1740. source: Wikipedia

The site originally held another palace, called Sophie Amalienborg, built by Queen Sophie Amalie (consort of King Frederik III), who lived there until her death in 1685. Several years later, the palace was destroyed by fire but was rebuilt. The second palace was later torn down during the development of the Frederiksstaden district in 1748.

On the place where the old palace had stood, an octagonal square was designed with four identical mansions which housed some of the most distinguished members of the Danish nobility. Construction of the mansions began in 1750 and the first two were completed in 1754 – Moltke’s Palace and Levetzau’s Palace (the two palaces on the western side of the square). The remaining two – Brockdorff’s Palace and Schack’s Palace – were completed in 1760.

Equestrian statue of King Frederik V. source: Wikipedia

In the center of the square is an equestrian statue of King Frederik V, who was the one who developed Frederiksstaden and Amalienborg. It was commissioned by A.G. Moltke, the Lord High Steward, and was unveiled in 1771.

In 1794, Christiansborg Palace (which was the primary residence of the King) was destroyed by fire, and the royal family was forced to find a new home in Copenhagen. Within days of the fire, the King had purchased Moltke’s Palace and Schack’s Palace, and the two became the new residences of the royal family. King Christian VII lived in Moltke’s Palace, while his son and heir, the future King Frederik VI, lived in Schack’s Palace. A colonnade was later added connecting the two palaces. Soon, the King acquired the other two mansions, and eventually, all four were renamed for Danish sovereigns who had lived in them.

Christian VII’s Palace. source: Wikipedia, Wolfgang Sauber

Christian VII’s Palace

Christian VII’s Palace (formerly Moltke’s Palace) is on the southwest corner of the square. It was the first mansion completed, built for Adam Gottlob Moltke, the Lord High Steward, and lifelong friend of King Frederik V. In 1794 it became the residence of King Christian VII until his death in 1808. It was used for many years by the Royal Household, and then by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1852-1885. In more recent years, it housed the kindergarten for Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim, as well as several apartments for other members of the royal family. Crown Prince Frederik lived here for several years after his marriage in 2004. Today, Christian XI’s Palace is used for official functions and entertaining, as well as accommodations for official guests.

Christian IX’s Palace. source: Wikipedia

Christian IX’s Palace

Christian IX’s Palace (formerly Schack’s Palace) is on the southeast corner of the square. It was originally to be the home of Severin Løvenskjold, a Privy Councillor, but financial difficulties forced him to give up the home. It was taken over by Countess Anne Sophie Schack, from whom it got its name. In 1794, it became the home of the future King Frederick VI until his death in 1839. His wife remained at the palace until her death in 1852, after which it was used by the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It later became the home of King Christian IX until his death in 1906. The palace remained unused for many years, and after extensive restoration became the home of Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik upon their marriage in 1967. Queen Margrethe II remains at Christian IX’s Palace to this day.

Frederik VIII's Palace. photo: © Susan Flantzer

Frederik VIII’s Palace. photo: © Susan Flantzer

Frederik VIII’s Palace

Frederik VIII’s Palace (formerly Brockdroff’s Palace) is in the northeast corner of the square and stands out from the others as the only one with a clock on the front of the building. Built for Count Joachim Brockdorff, it was later acquired by A.G. Moltke after Brockdorff’s death in 1763. In 1765, Moltke sold it to the Crown, and from 1767 until 1827 it housed the Military Academy. In 1828, it became the home of the future King Frederik VII who lived there until 1837. It then houses various members of the royal family until becoming the home of the future King Frederik VIII from 1869 until his death in 1906. Some years after his widow’s death in 1926, the palace was once again renovated and became the home of the future King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, until the Queen’s death in 2000. A five-year restoration project began in 2004 and in 2010, the palace became the residence of the then Crown Prince Frederik and his family. Following the renovation, the palace was opened to the public for several months before the family took up residence. In addition to structural repairs and restoration, the couple chose various artists to create murals and art installations in many of the official rooms.

Christian VIII’s Palace. source: Wikipedia

Christian VIII’s Palace

Christian VIII’s Palace (formerly Levetzau’s Palace) is on the northeast corner of the square. It was built for Count Christian Levetzau, a Privy Councillor, and was completed in 1760. Levetzau died in 1756 but it remained within his family. In 1794, with the condition that Levetzau’s arms would remain on the outside of the building, the palace was sold to Hereditary Prince Frederik, the half-brother of King Christian VII. Frederik’s son, the future King Christian VIII, took over the palace upon his father’s death. After Christian VIII’s death, the palace remained the home of his widow, Queen Caroline Amalie, until 1881. After being used by the Foreign Ministry from 1885 to 1898, it again became a royal residence as the home of the future King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine. Following their deaths, it was the home of Hereditary Prince Knud and Hereditary Princess Caroline-Mathilde. In the 1980s, the palace housed the apartment of Crown Prince Frederik until his marriage in 2004 (at which time, he took on a larger apartment in Christian VII’s Palace). Today, Christian VIII’s Palace contains storage for the Sovereign’s Reference Library and the apartments of Prince Joachim, Princess Benedikte, and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. It is also the site of the Amalienborg Museum, which gives a glimpse into royal life as it would have been many years ago.

Learn more about the other Danish Royal Residences here!

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.

Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, Princess of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, Princess of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Born at Charlottenlund Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark on August 2, 1878, Ingeborg Charlotta Carolina Frederikke Louise was the second daughter and fifth child of the future King Frederik VIII of Denmark and his wife Lovisa of Sweden.  Unusually for the time, Ingeborg and her siblings were raised mostly by their mother rather than servants. Lovisa took considerable interest in her children, who imposed a loving if not strict upbringing on her children. Nonetheless, Ingeborg grew into an amiable, easygoing, and quick-witted woman.

Back row, left to right: Crown Prince Frederik (later King Frederik VIII of Denmark), Prince Christian (later King Christian X of Denmark), and Prince Carl (in 1905 elected king of Norway, under the name of Haakon VII). Front row, left to right: Princess Ingeborg, Princess Louise, Princess Thyra, Crown Princess Lovisa (later Queen of Sweden), Prince Harald; Credit – Wikipedia

Ingeborg had seven siblings:

Princess Ingeborg of Denmark and Prince Carl of Sweden in 1897; Credit – Wikipedia

In May 1897, an engagement was announced between Ingeborg and another Scandinavian royal, Prince Carl of Sweden.  Oscar Carl Wilhelm, called Prince Carl, was born at Arvfurstens Palace in Stockholm, Sweden on February 27, 1861. He was the third of four sons of King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway and Sophia of Nassau. Although neither was the heir to a throne, the prospect of another Danish-Swedish royal union was exciting to the families of the couple and citizens of their respective countries.  On their 50th wedding anniversary, Carl admitted that their marriage had been completely arranged by the couple’s fathers. Ingeborg added, “I married a complete stranger!”

The wedding was held at Christiansborg Palace Chapel in Copenhagen, Denmark, on August 27, 1897. Among the guests were Alexandra, Princess of Wales, and Russian Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark), the bride’s aunts. Copenhagen was decorated with flowers and flags of both countries to celebrate the occasion. Following a brief stay in Denmark, the new couple set off for a honeymoon in Germany.

Carl and Ingeborg had a comfortable family life, dividing their time between Arvfurstens Palace in Stockholm and summers in Fridhem, Sweden. Despite the difference in their ages (Carl was 17 years older than Ingeborg), the two were happy and well-suited to one another.

The couple had four children born between 1899 and 1911:

During their young adulthood, the four children of Ingeborg and Carl were repeatedly sought after as spouses by several European monarchs. Astrid and Märtha were both linked to the future King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom before their respective marriages. Queen Wilhelmina strongly desired a union between Carl and Juliana of the Netherlands, but the two vehemently disliked each other upon meeting in the late 1920s. The current royal families of Belgium, Luxembourg, and Norway descend from Carl and Ingeborg. Belgian Kings Baudouin and Albert II, Norwegian King Harald V, and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, the wife of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg are all grandchildren of Carl and Ingeborg.

Prince Carl and Princess Ingeborg in 1926; Credit – Wikipedia

Carl and Ingeborg continued to play important roles in European history throughout their marriage. Ingeborg served as the de facto first lady of Sweden for several years during the absence of Sophia of Nassau and Viktoria of Baden. Due to her close familial connections, she also worked to bring peace to the three Scandinavian royal families following Norwegian independence in 1905. Carl distinguished himself as the President of the Swedish Red Cross, earning several Nobel Peace Prize nominations for his work with prisoners of war.

Both Carl and Ingeborg lived long lives. Carl died in 1951 at the age of 90. Ingeborg survived him by seven years, dying on March 12, 1958, at age 79 in Stockholm, Sweden. The two are buried in the Royal Cemetery in Haga Park, Solna, Sweden.

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.

Count Christian of Rosenborg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Christian of Rosenborg

Count Christian of Rosenborg and his wife Countess Anne Dorte; Credit – http://danishroyalmediawatch.blogspot.com

Count Christian of Rosenborg (Christian Frederik Franz Knud Harald Carl Oluf Gustav Georg Erik) was born a Prince of Denmark on October 22, 1942, at Sorgenfri Palace in Lyngby, Denmark, north of Copenhagen. He was the younger son and the youngest of the three children of Prince Knud of Denmark (son of King Christian X) and Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark (daughter of Prince Harald of Denmark who was a son of King Frederik VIII). Christian had an elder sister and an elder brother:

  • Princess Elisabeth (1935 – 2018), unmarried
  • Prince Ingolf (born 1940), married (1) Inge Terney without consent, lost his royal title, became His Excellency Count Ingolf of Rosenborg, married (2) Sussie Hjorhøy Pedersen

Christian served as an officer in the Royal Danish Navy. Upon his retirement in 2006, after 40 years of service, he was officially adopted as the commander of the Danish Greenland Patrol with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

The Danish Act of Succession of 1953 allowed a woman to inherit the Danish throne if she had no brothers. Before this Christian was third in the line of succession to the Danish throne after his father Prince Knud and his elder brother Prince Ingolf. Now they were all bumped down three places as the three daughters of King Frederik IX were numbers one through three. In 1972, King Frederik IX’s eldest daughter succeeded him as Queen Margrethe II, and in 2009 the succession law was changed to allow for the succession of the firstborn child regardless of gender.

On February 27, 1971, Christian married Anne Dorte Maltoft-Nielsen (1947 –  2014). Just like his brother Ingolf did three years previously, Christian did not seek the permission of King Frederik IX to marry. Therefore he forfeited his succession rights and lost his royal title. After his wedding, he was styled His Excellency Count Christian of Rosenborg. For a history of the title Count of Rosenborg, see Unofficial Royalty: The Danish Counts of Rosenborg.  Count Christian and Countess Anne Dorte lived in a wing of the Sorgenfri Palace in Lyngby near Copenhagen.

The couple had three daughters who are not in the Danish line of succession:

  • Josephine Caroline Elisabeth af Rosenborg (born October 29, 1972), married Thomas Christian Schmidt, had issue
  • Camilla Alexandrine Cristine af Rosenborg (born October 29, 1972), married Mikael Rosanes, had issue
  • Feodora Mathilde Helena af Rosenborg (born February 27, 1975), (1) married and divorced Eric Patte, no issue, (2) married Morten Rønnow, had issue

Count Christian of Rosenborg died at Gentofte Hospital in Gentofte, Denmark on May 21, 2013, at the age of 70. He had been suffering from throat cancer since 2009. His funeral was attended by his first cousin Queen Margrethe II and other members of the Danish Royal Family. Christian was buried at Lyngby Church in Lyngby, Denmark. His wife Countess Anne Dorte survived him for only seven months also dying from throat cancer on January 2, 2014, at the age of 66, and was buried with her husband.

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.

Count Ingolf of Rosenborg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Count Ingolf of Rosenborg with his wife Countess Sussie; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Count Ingolf of Rosenborg (Ingolf Christian Frederik Knud Harald Gorm Gustav Viggo Valdemar Aage) was born a Prince of Denmark on February 17, 1940, at Sorgenfri Palace in Lyngby-Taarbæk, Denmark, north of Copenhagen. He was the elder son and the second of the three children of Prince Knud of Denmark (son of King Christian X) and Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark (daughter of Prince Harald of Denmark who was a son of King Frederik VIII). Ingolf had an elder sister and a younger brother:

  • Princess Elisabeth (1935 – 2018), unmarried
  • Prince Christian (1942 – 2013), married Anne Dorte Maltoft-Nielsen without consent, lost his royal title, became His Excellency Count Christian of Rosenborg

In 1947, Ingolf’s grandfather King Christian X died and his uncle King Frederik IX acceded to the throne. At that point in time, only males were allowed to be in the line of succession. King Frederik had three daughters, and so Ingolf’s father and the King’s only brother, Prince Knud, was the heir presumptive and Ingolf was second in the line of succession. As the early years of King Frederik’s reign passed and no baby prince was born to King Frederik, it seemed likely that Knud would succeed his brother as King and that subsequently, Ingolf would be King.

Because of the unpopularity of Prince Knud and the belief that the 1853 succession law was outdated, the Danish Act of Succession was adopted on March 27, 1953. The new law allowed for female succession in the event that the monarch had no sons. This enabled the daughters of King Frederik IX to supplant their uncle Knud and their cousin Ingolf in the line of succession. Instead of being first and second in the line of succession, Knud and Ingolf were now fourth and fifth behind Margrethe, Benedikte, and Anne-Marie, the daughters of King Frederik IX. To compensate for the change in the succession, Knud was given the title Hereditary Prince of Denmark, and both Knud and his elder son Ingolf were granted fixed annuities and additional flexible annuities for life. In 1972, Frederik’s eldest daughter succeeded him as Queen Margrethe II and in 2009 the succession law was changed to allow for the succession of the firstborn child regardless of gender.

In 1968, Ingolf decided to marry Inge Terney (1938 – 1996), an untitled commoner. He decided to marry without seeking the permission of King Frederik IX because he had little chance of succeeding to the throne and it was expected that the King would not give his permission. This would mean that Ingolf’s succession rights would be forfeited. The title Count of Rosenborg had been granted to other Danish princes who had relinquished their position within the Royal Family upon marrying without official consent from the monarch. Prior to his son’s wedding, Prince Knud tried to convince his brother that Ingolf should be allowed to retain his royal title after marriage, but King Frederik IX refused and after his wedding on January 13, 1968, Ingolf was styled His Excellency Count Ingolf of Rosenborg. For a history of the title Count of Rosenborg, see Unofficial Royalty: The Danish Counts of Rosenborg.

After his first wife died in 1996, Ingolf married lawyer Sussie Hjorhøy Pedersen (born 1950) on March 7, 1998, at the City Hall in Egtved, Denmark. Ingolf had no children from either marriage and lives at his estate Egeland in Egtved, Denmark. Ingolf and his wife attend major events of the Danish Royal Family.

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.

Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark, Hereditary Princess of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer    © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Caroline-mathilde

Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark, Hereditary Princess of Denmark; Credit – http://realeza.foros.ws

On April 27, 1912, Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark was born at Jægersborghus, a country house in Gentofte north of Copenhagen, Denmark. She was the second child of the five children of Prince Harald of Denmark and his wife Princess Helena of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.  At the time of her birth, her grandfather Frederik VIII, was King of Denmark, although he died three weeks after her birth. Caroline-Mathilde was named after her maternal grandmother and was known as Calma in the family. Her full name was Caroline-Mathilde Louise Dagmar Christine Maud Augusta Ingeborg Thyra Adelheid.

Caroline-Mathilde had two sisters and two brothers:

  • Princess Feodora (1910 – 1975), married her first cousin, Prince Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe, had issue
  • Princess Alexandrine-Louise (1914 – 1962), married Count Luitpold of Castell-Castell, had issue
  • Prince Gorm (1919 – 1991), unmarried, no issue
  • Prince Oluf (1923 – 1990), lost his title, became His Excellency Count Oluf of Rosenborg after marrying without consent (1) Annie Helene Dorrit Puggard-Müller (2) Lis Wulff-Juergensen, had issue with both wives

On September 8, 1933, Princess Caroline-Mathilde married her first cousin Prince Knud of Denmark at Fredensborg Palace in Zealand, Denmark. Knud was the younger son of King Christian X of Denmark who was the brother of Caroline-Mathilde’s father Prince Harald. The couple lived at Sorgenfri Palace in Kongens Lyngby, north of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Caroline-Mathilde and Knud had one daughter and two sons:

  • Princess Elisabeth (1935 – 2018), unmarried
  • Count Ingolf of Rosenborg, born Prince Ingolf of Denmark (born 1940), married (1) Inge Terney, no children; Ingolf married without consent and therefore lost his royal style and title and his succession rights  (2) Sussie Hjorhøy, no children
  • Count Christian of Rosenborg, born Prince Christian of Denmark (1942 – 2013), married Anne Dorte Maltoft-Nielsen, had three daughters who are not in the line of succession; Christian married without consent and therefore lost his royal style and title and his succession rights
Knud of Denmark Family

Caroline-Mathilde and her family; Credit – danishroyalmediawatch.blogspot.com

From 1947 to 1953, Prince Knud was the heir presumptive of his older brother King Frederick IX. Knud would have become king and Caroline Mathilde queen, but a 1953 change in the succession law caused Knud to lose his place in the succession to his niece, who became Queen Margrethe II upon the death of her father in 1972. After the change, Prince Knud was given the title of Hereditary Prince and Caroline Mathilde became Hereditary Princess.

Prince Knud died in 1976, and Caroline-Mathilde survived him by 19 years. She died in her home, Sorgenfri Palace in Kongens Lyngby, Denmark on December 12, 1995, at the age of 83, and was buried with her husband at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

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.

Hereditary Prince Knud of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Hereditary Prince Knud of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Knud Christian Frederik Michael was born on July 27, 1900, at Sorgenfri Palace in Lyngby-Taarbæk, Denmark,  the younger of the two sons of King Christian X of Denmark and his wife Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

Knud had one older brother:

Knud on the right with his brother Frederik in 1919; Photo Credit – Wikipedia, German Federal Archive

Prince Knud had a military education and attended the Royal Danish Naval Academy. While serving as a naval officer, Prince Knud held several commands, including serving as the commander of Kongelunds Fort in Copenhagen.

On September 8, 1933, Prince Knud married his first cousin Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark (known as Calma) at Fredensborg Palace in Zealand, Denmark. Caroline-Matilda was the daughter of Prince Harald of Denmark who was a brother of Prince Knud’s father King Christian X. The couple lived at Sorgenfri Palace in Kongens Lyngby north of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Knud and Caroline-Mathilde had one daughter and two sons:

  • Princess Elisabeth (1935 – 2018), unmarried
  • Count Ingolf of Rosenborg, born Prince Ingolf of Denmark (born 1940), married (1) Inge Terney, no children; Ingolf married without consent and therefore lost his royal style and title and his succession rights  (2) Sussie Hjorhøy, no children
  • Count Christian of Rosenborg, born Prince Christian of Denmark (1942 – 2013), married Anne Dorte Maltoft-Nielsen, had three daughters who are not in the line of succession; Christian married without consent and therefore lost his royal style and title and his succession rights
Knud of Denmark Family

Prince Knud and his family; Photo Credit – danishroyalmediawatch.blogspot.com

In 1947 when King Christian X died and his elder son became King Frederik IX, Knud was the heir presumptive. Danish succession law did not allow female succession, so King Frederik IX’s three daughters were not in the line of succession. It was expected that Knud and then his elder son Ingolf would become king. However, the 1953 Danish Act of Succession allowed for a female to become queen if she did not have any brothers. With the passage of that act, Knud and Ingolf went from being first and second in the line of succession to being fourth and fifth after the three daughters of King Frederik. The 2009 Act of Succession now allows for the eldest child to become the monarch regardless of gender. To compensate for the change in the succession, Knud was given the title Hereditary Prince of Denmark, and both Knud and his elder son Ingolf were granted fixed annuities and additional flexible annuities for life.

Prince Knud was the inspiration for the idiom, “One more time for Prince Knud,” which has become common in Danish. The meaning of the idiom is that the speaker will repeat what was just said because the listener was slow to grasp it. In 1958, Knud and his wife were attending a ballet at Falconer Centre in Frederiksberg, Denmark. Knud was asked if he had liked a certain scene of the ballet and responded that he had not been able to see it clearly from his vantage point. The whole scene was repeated again, the incident made the newspapers, and the newspaper articles made it seem like, to use another idiom, Prince Knud was not the sharpest tool in the shed.

Hereditary Prince Knud died on June 14, 1976, in Gentofte, Denmark at the age of 75. Hereditary Princess Caroline-Mathilde survived her husband for 19 years and died on December 12, 1995, at the age of 83. Both were interred at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

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.

Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Alexandra Christina Manley was born in Hong Kong on June 30, 1964. Her father Richard Manley (1924 – 2010), an insurance company executive, was born in Shanghai, China to a British father and a Chinese mother. Her mother Christa Nowotny, born in 1933 in Austria, is of Austrian and Czech descent and worked as a manager for a communications company. Alexandra has two sisters Nicola Baird and Martina Bent.

Alexandra received her primary and secondary education in Hong Kong at Quarry Bay School, Glenealy School and Island School.  She studied business at universities in Austria, Japan, and the United Kingdom. From 1990 – 1995, Alexandra was employed by GT Management (Asia) Ltd. in Hong Kong.

Alexandra met Prince Joachim of Denmark, the younger son of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, while he was working in Hong Kong. Their engagement, which surprised both families, was announced in May 1995. To marry Joachim, Alexandra had to give up her career, renounce her British citizenship, and change her religion from Anglican to Evangelical Lutheran. On November 18, 1995, the couple was married at the Frederiksborg Palace Chapel in Hillerød, Denmark. Upon her marriage, Alexandra was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Denmark.

 

Alexandra and Prince Joachim had two sons:

Queen Margrethe II decided that as of January 1, 2023, the children of Prince Joachim would no longer hold the style and title of His/Her Prince/Princess. Instead, 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. 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.

 

Alexandra adjusted well to living in Denmark. Her fluency in German helped her to learn Danish quickly. She became involved in a number of worthwhile organizations including the Children’s Red Cross, the Danish Society for the Blind, UNICEF, and Mother Help, single mothers’ advocacy group. She also served as a UNICEF ambassador when she traveled to Thailand to visit HIV/AIDS patients.

In 2004, rumors began to circulate that Joachim and Alexandra’s marriage had problems. Their separation and their intention to divorce was announced on September 16, 2004, and their divorce was final on April 8, 2005. The Danish parliament decided to provide Alexandra with an income from the civil list for life regardless of her marriage situation. Alexandra retained her title Princess of Denmark, with the lower style of Her Highness until her remarriage in 2007. In addition, Queen Margrethe II had granted her the personal title of Countess of Frederiksborg with the style of Excellency, and Alexandra is now known as Her Excellency Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg.

On March 3, 2007, Alexandra married Martin Jørgensen (born March 2, 1978), a photographer 14 years younger than her. The couple divorced in 2015. Alexandra had joint custody of her two sons with her former husband Prince Joachim who also remarried. Joachim and Alexandra have maintained close ties and are often seen together with their sons.  Alexandra attends events involving the Danish Royal Family such as the 40th Jubilee of Queen Margrethe II which she attended with her former husband Martin Jørgensen as seen in the photo below.

 

On June 23, 2017, Alexandra announced that she would renounce her yearly allowance of 2.1m kroner (US $330,000) in July 2020, coinciding with the 18th birthday of her younger son Felix.

In October 2017, it was announced that Alexandra had joined the Kelley School of Business, the business school of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, in the position of the Poling Chair of Business and Government for the 2017-2018 academic year.  The press release from Indiana University stated  that “Recipients of the Poling Chair are given the charge to stimulate discussion in the areas of leadership, the critical interactions between private business and government in matters of public policy, enterprise competitiveness, and economic growth.”

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Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (Richard Casimir Karl August Robert Konstantin) was born on October 29, 1934, in Giessen, Germany. He was the eldest of the five children of Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Margareta Fouché d’Otrante.  Richard’s father served in the German Army during World War II and in 1944 he went missing during a mission in the then Soviet Union, but he was not declared legally dead until 1969. Richard’s mother Margareta was born in Elghammar, Sweden and the family went back to her native country where they lived with Margareta’s father Charles Louis Fouché, 4th Duke of Otranto at Elghammar Castle.

Richard had four younger siblings:

  • Princess Madeleine of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 1936), married Otto, Count zu Solms-Laubach, had children
  • Prince Robin of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 1938), married  (1) Birgitta af Klercker, had one son and one daughter, divorced  (2)  Marie-Christine Heftler-Louiche, had one daughter
  • Princess Tatiana of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 1940) married Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse, had two daughters and two sons, divorced
  • Princess Pia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 1942)

Richard was educated at boarding schools in Viggbyholm, Sweden and Sigtuna, Sweden. He then studied forestry at Munich University and obtained a degree in forestry at the University of Göttingen.  Richard then joined the Wittgenstein Berleburgische Rentkammer, based at the family home Berleburg Castle, which manages the family’s 30,000 acres of forest and about 150 plots at home and abroad, as well as its corporate investments.

Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was originally a county (its ruler was a Count) located in the present district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, Germany in the present state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 1792, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was raised to a principality and its ruler was then a Prince (Fürst in German). In 1806, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was mediatized into the Grand Duchy of Hesse and then was annexed by Prussia in 1816. In 1919, Germany stopped recognizing the various titles of the nobility and royalty. In Germany today former hereditary titles are allowed only as part of the surname.

At the wedding of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1966, Richard met his future wife Princess Benedikte of Denmark, the daughter of King Frederik IX of Denmark. The couple married at the Fredensborg Palace Church in Fredensborg, Denmark on February 3, 1968.

Richard and Benedikte had one son and two daughters. Because their three children were not raised in Denmark, they are not in the line of succession to the Danish throne. However, they are styled as Highnesses in Denmark and Serene Highnesses elsewhere. Richard’s daughter Nathalie competed for Denmark in the Equestrian Team and Individual Dressage in the 2008/Bejing and 2012/London Summer Olympics. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Nathalie won a Bronze Medal in Team Dressage.

 

Richard was active in many conservation programs including a project to reintroduce European bison on his 30,000-acre estate. See NPR: German Prince Plans To Put Bison Back In The Wild.

Prince Richard died at his home, Berleburg Castle, in Bad Berleburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on March 13, 2017, at the age of 82. He was buried at the Forest Cemetery Sengelsberg in Berleburg, Germany.

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