Category Archives: Danish Royals

King Frederik VIII of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

King Frederik VIII of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

His Serene Highness Prince Frederik of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the future King Frederik VIII of Denmark, was born at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen Denmark on June 3, 1843. Frederik’s given names were Christian Frederik Vilhelm Carl and he was the eldest of the six children of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (the future King Christian IX of Denmark) and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel. When Frederik was ten years old, his father was chosen as the heir presumptive to the Danish throne due to a succession crisis and Frederik became a Prince of Denmark. Frederik had three sisters and two brothers:

Frederik with his parents and siblings; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik grew up in his birthplace, the Yellow Palace, adjacent to the Amalienborg Palace where the Danish Royal Family lived. When Frederik’s father became the Danish heir presumptive, the family gained an additional home, Bernstorff Palace in Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark. After his confirmation in 1860, Frederik started his military training. He then began studying political science at Oxford University in England but returned to Denmark in November 1863, when his father succeeded to the Danish throne as King Christian IX. As Crown Prince of Denmark, Frederik served as a lieutenant in North Jutland during the Second Schleswig War against Austria and Prussia. Frederik later became Inspector General of the Danish Army and was a leading member of the Danish Masonic Order. He was given a seat on the State Council and assisted his father in government duties.

Frederik as Crown Prince; Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Louise had a goal for her children: to marry well. She wanted Frederik to marry either Princess Helena or Princess Louise, two daughters of Queen Victoria. However, Queen Victoria did not want her younger daughters to marry foreign heirs as this would necessitate them leaving England. In July 1868, Frederick became engaged to Princess Louise of Sweden, the 17-year-old, the only surviving child of King Charles XV of Sweden and his wife Louise of the Netherlands. The relations between Denmark and Sweden were tense because Sweden had not helped Denmark during the Second Schleswig War. The marriage was suggested to improve the relations between the two countries.

Frederik and Louise; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik and Louise were married at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden on July 28, 1869. The couple resided at Amalienborg Palace during the winter and Charlottenlund Palace during the summer. Louise was popular with the Danish people but experienced ostracism within the royal family, dominated by her mother-in-law.

Frederik and Louise had eight children:

by Elfelt, vintage postcard print, (circa 1877)

Frederick VIII, King of Denmark with his family by Elfelt, bromide postcard print, (circa 1877), NPG x74398 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Four generations of Danish kings: Frederik IX in front; in back left to right: Christian IX, Christian X, Frederik VIII; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

After being Crown Prince for 43 years, Frederik became King of Denmark upon his father’s death in 1906. Unlike his father, Frederik VIII was a liberal ruler who supported the parliamentary system introduced in 1901.

Returning to Copenhagen after a trip to Nice, France, Frederik made a stop in Hamburg, Kingdom of Prussia, now in Germany on May 13, 1912. He registered at the Hamburger Hof Hotel using the pseudonym Count Kronborg. On May 14, 1912, Frederik left the hotel alone for an evening stroll. When he was not found in his hotel room the next morning, a discreet search revealed that the body of a well-dressed unknown gentleman had been found on a park bench. The body, which had been moved to the city morgue a little before midnight, was that of the 68-year-old King Frederik VIII who had died of a heart attack.

On May 16, 1912, Frederik’s body was placed on a special train to Travemünde, Kingdom of Prussia on the Baltic Sea. The coffin was loaded on the royal yacht and brought back to Denmark. He was buried in the Glücksburger Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral.  Queen Louise died at age 74 on March 20, 1926, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, and was buried with her husband.

Tomb of King Frederik VIII and Queen Louise; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

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Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Louise of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

by Unknown photographer, postcard print, 1890s?

Louise, Queen of Denmark by unknown photographer, bromide postcard print, 1890s, NPG x74394 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel (Luise Wilhelmine Friederike Caroline Auguste Julie), the wife of King Christian IX of Denmark, was born on September 7, 1817, in Kassel, Electorate of Hesse-Kassel, now in Hesse, Germany, where her father was stationed with the Danish army. Her father was Prince Wilhelm of Hesse-Kassel. Wilhelm’s father, Prince Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel, a grandson of King George II of Great Britain through his daughter Mary, was the founder of a cadet branch of the House of Hesse, Hesse-Kassel-Rumpenheim. In 1781, Friedrich bought Rumpenheim Castle in Offenbach, now in Hesse, Germany, from his brother Karl, and it became the family’s seat. It became a tradition to hold family reunions at Rumpenheim Castle. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many European monarchs were descendants of the Hesse-Kassel-Rumpenheim branch of the House of Hesse, and they continued the family reunion tradition.

Louise’s mother was a Danish princess, Princess Charlotte, the daughter of Frederik, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, the heir presumptive to the thrones of Denmark and Norway. He was the surviving son of King Frederick V of Denmark and his second wife, Juliana Maria of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel.

Louise lived in Denmark from the time she was three years old. The family first lived at the Prince Wilhelm Mansion in Copenhagen and later at the Brockdorff’s Palace, one of the four palaces of the Amalienborg in Copenhagen. Brockdorff’s Palace was later renamed Frederick VIII’s Palace and currently, it is the home of King Frederik X of Denmark and his family. Louise and her siblings received a typical royal upbringing. Louise was an accomplished painter and pianist. She received art lessons from two of the best Danish artists at the time, Martinus Rørbye and Wilhelm Marstrand, and was taught music by the composer Frederik Kuhlau.

Louise had five siblings:

The family had an important position in Denmark, and it became even more important when Princess Charlotte’s brother came to the Danish throne in 1839 as King Christian VIII. Not only was King Christian VIII Louise’s uncle, but he had only one legitimate child, the future King Frederik VII. Frederik had no children and Princess Charlotte was the only sibling of King Christian VIII to have children. This meant that it was likely that one of Princess Charlotte’s children would inherit the Danish throne.

On May 26, 1842, Louise married her second cousin Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg at Amalienborg Palace. Christian had visited Rumpenheim Castle in Hesse, where he took an interest in his future wife. After the wedding, the couple lived at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark.

by FranÁois Deron, albumen carte-de-visite, early 1860s

Louise, Queen of Denmark; Christian IX, King of Denmark by François Deron, albumen carte-de-visite, early 1860s, NPG x74387 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Christian and Louise had six children:

by Georg Emil Hansen, albumen carte-de-visite photomontage, 1862

Christian IX, King of Denmark and his family by Georg Emil Hansen, albumen carte-de-visite photomontage, 1862, NPG x74402 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Louise was as much the “Grandmother of Europe” as Queen Victoria was. Louise had 39 grandchildren and her grandsons included Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, King Constantine I of Greece, King George V of the United Kingdom, King Christian X of Denmark, and King Haakon VII of Norway. Louise is the ancestor of six of the ten current European monarchs (King Philippe of Belgium, King Frederik X of Denmark, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, King Harald V of Norway, King Felipe VI of Spain, King Charles III of the United Kingdom) and two former monarchs (the late King Michael of Romania and the late King Constantine II of Greece).

Painting (by Laurits Tuxex) of Christian and Louise with their large family of European royalty at Fredensborg Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

Like Louise, Christian spent much of his youth in Denmark and also had a claim on the Danish succession. Through his father, he was a direct male-line descendant of King Christian III of Denmark.  Through his mother, Christian was a great-grandson of King Frederik V of Denmark. King Frederik VI of Denmark was the first cousin of Christian’s mother and was married to Christian’s maternal aunt Marie. King Christian VIII died in 1848 and was succeeded by his son King Frederik VII, who had married three times but had no children, resulting in a succession crisis. Women could inherit the Danish throne only if there were no male heirs (Semi-Salic Law), and Louise and her mother both rescinded their succession rights to Christian, Louise’s husband, in 1851.  The Act of Succession of 1853 officially made Christian the heir of King Frederik VII, and he became king in 1863 when King Frederik VII died.

Louise preferred not to take a public role as Queen of Denmark. She focused on her children and grandchildren, and her charities. Louise relished her role as matriarch of an extensive European family and enjoyed the annual family reunions. She was the patron of 26 charities including: Kronprinsesse Louises praktiske Tjenestepigeskole (The Servant Girl’s School of Crown Princess Louise), Dronning Louises Børnehospital (Queen Louise’s Children’s Hospital), Louisestiftelsen (Louise Foundation), an orphanage for girls that trained them to be domestic servants, Diakonissestiftelsen (The Deaconess Foundation) which introduced the Deaconess profession in Denmark, Foreningen til Oprettelse af Friskolebørneasyler i Kbh.s Arbejderkvarter (Foundation for the Establishment of Charter School Asylums in the Labor Quarters of Copenhagen), and Belønnings- og Forsørgelsesforeningen (The Reward- and Self-Supporting Foundation) which supported domestic servants by providing financial aid to the ill, unemployed and retired.

Like her daughter Alexandra, Louise suffered from hereditary otosclerosis, abnormal growth of bone near the middle ear that can result in hearing loss. Louise’s deafness worsened during her last years and she was cared for by two deaconesses from the Deaconess Foundation she had started. Queen Louise, aged 81, died on September 29, 1898, at Bernstorff Palace near Copenhagen, Denmark, surrounded by a large part of her family, who had come to Denmark to be at her side. King Christian IX died at age 87 on January 29, 1906, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. Both were buried in the Glücksburger Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

Tomb_Christian IX_Louise

Tomb of King Christian IX and Queen Louise; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

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Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Christian IX of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

by Unknown photographer, postcard print

Christian IX, King of Denmark by Unknown photographer, postcard print, NPG x28085 © National Portrait Gallery, London

The ancestor of six of the ten current European monarchs (Philippe, King of the Belgians, King Frederik X of Denmark, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, King Harald V of Norway, King Felipe VI of Spain, King Charles III of the United Kingdom, and two former monarchs (the late King Michael of Romania and the late King Constantine II of Greece), King Christian IX of Denmark was not born destined to be a king.

King Christian IX was born a German prince, the sixth child and fourth son of Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck and Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel, on April 8, 1818, at Gottorp Castle near the town of Schleswig in the Duchy of Schleswig (now Germany). Through his father, Christian was a direct male-line descendant of King Christian III of Denmark.  Through his mother, Christian was a great-grandson of King Frederik V of Denmark, and also a great-great-grandson of King George II of Great Britain.  In 1825, Christian’s father became Duke of Glücksburg and changed his title to Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

Christian had nine siblings:

Glücksburg Castle; Credit – by Wolfgang Pehlemann – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Until he was seven years old, Christian lived at his birthplace, Gottorp Castle. In 1825, when Christian’s father became Duke of Glücksburg, the family moved to Glücksburg Castle, now in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Christian’s father died in 1831 at the age of 46, and King Frederik VI of Denmark along with Prince William of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld became the guardians of Prince Christian and his nine siblings. King Frederik VI was the first cousin of Christian’s mother and was married to Christian’s maternal aunt Marie.

At the age of 14, Christian was sent to Copenhagen, Denmark for officer training at the Military Academy of Copenhagen. He lived with Colonel Linde, head of the military academy, received private lessons, and was rarely with the other cadets. King Frederik VI and Queen Marie were also involved in the upbringing of Christian and he frequently stayed with them. In 1836, he was appointed a captain of the Royal Horse Guards and lived in the barracks at Frederiksholms Channel in Copenhagen. In 1839, King Frederik VI gave Christian the Yellow Palace next to Amalienborg Palace, the home of the Danish monarchs, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Christian lived at the Yellow Palace until 1863 when he became King of Denmark.

Yellow Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

From 1839 to 1841, Christian studied constitutional law and history at the University of Bonn (now in Germany). While studying at the university, Christian received the news of the death of King Frederik VI of Denmark on December 3, 1839. Because Frederik VI only had surviving daughters, he was succeeded by his cousin King Christian VIII of Denmark.  During the holidays from his university studies, Christian traveled through various German monarchies. On one of these trips, he visited Castle Rumpenheim in Hesse, where he took an interest in his future wife, Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel.

by FranÁois Deron, albumen carte-de-visite, early 1860s

Louise, Queen of Denmark; Christian IX, King of Denmark by François Deron, albumen carte-de-visite, early 1860s, NPG x74387 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel was born in Kassel, Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, now in the German state of Hesse on September 7, 1817. Her parents were Prince William of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Charlotte of Denmark, a granddaughter of King Frederik V of Denmark.  On May 26, 1842, Louise married her second cousin Christian at Amalienborg Palace. After the wedding, the couple lived at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Christian and Louise had six children:

by Georg Emil Hansen, albumen carte-de-visite photomontage, 1862

Christian IX, King of Denmark and his family by Georg Emil Hansen, albumen carte-de-visite photomontage, 1862, NPG x74402 © National Portrait Gallery, London

The couple had 39 grandchildren and their grandsons included Nicholas II, Emperor of All  Russia, King Constantine I of Greece, King George V of the United Kingdom, King Christian X of Denmark and King Haakon VII of Norway. Over the years, numerous large family reunions were held at Fredensborg Palace with children, in-laws, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

A story has been told about King Christian IX. Whether it is true or not, it illustrates his relationship with other European monarchies:

Christian and his court lived simply, largely because of economics. One day, Christian and his son William (George I of Greece) and the husbands of two of his daughters went for a walk. They encountered a country gentleman who wondered who they were, thinking they were guests of some local squire. “I am your king,” explained Christian. “This is my son, the King of Greece, and this is my son-in-law, the Tsar of Russia (Alexander III of Russia), and my other son-in-law, the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII of the United Kingdom).” The man was not impressed and said, “All right, I’ll tell you who I am. I am Jesus Christ!”

King Christian IX with his family gathered in the Garden Hall of Fredensborg Palace in 1883 by Laurits Tuxen; Credit – Wikipedia

So how did King Christian IX become King of Denmark?  When King Christian VIII died in 1848, he was succeeded by his son King Frederik VII, who had married three times but had no children, and this resulted in a succession crisis. Louise, Christian IX’s wife, had lived in Denmark from the time she was three years old. She was a niece of King Christian VIII of Denmark and a closer heir than her husband.  Women could inherit the Danish throne only if there were no male heirs (Semi-Salic Law), and Louise and her mother both rescinded their succession rights to Christian, Louise’s husband, in 1851.  The Act of Succession of 1853 officially made Christian the heir of King Frederik VII, and he became king in 1863 when King Frederik VII died.

As soon as he became king, Christian was thrust into a conflict with Prussia over the Schleswig and Holstein, two duchies just to the south of Denmark. This was known as the Schleswig-Holstein Question, a complex issue regarding the relationship of two duchies to the Danish crown and to the German Confederation. Lord Palmerston, former British Prime Minister said of it, “The Schleswig-Holstein question is so complicated, only three men in Europe have ever understood it. One was Prince Albert, who is dead. The second was a German professor who became mad. I am the third and I have forgotten all about it.” The Second Schleswig War between Denmark and a Prussian/Austrian alliance in 1864 resulted in the Danish loss of both Schleswig and Holstein to Prussia.  It was not publicly known until 2010 that King Christian IX secretly contacted the Prussians, offering that Denmark would join the German Confederation if Denmark could stay united with Schleswig and Holstein. This proposal was rejected by Otto von Bismarck, German Chancellor. The bitterness in Denmark over the loss of Schleswig and Holstein lasted a long time.

Queen Louise, aged 81, died on September 29, 1898, at Bernstorff Palace near Copenhagen and King Christian IX died at age 87 on January 29, 1906, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. Both were buried in the Glücksburger Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

Tomb_Christian IX_Louise

Tomb of King Christian IX and Queen Louise; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

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Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Marselisborg Palace

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

Marselisborg Palace, as seen from the Memorial Park. source: Wikipedia

Marselisborg Palace

Marselisborg Palace is located in Aarhus, Denmark, and is the summer residence of Queen Margrethe. Unlike the other Danish royal residences (Amalienborg, Fredensborg Palace, and Gråsten Palace) Marselisborg is privately owned by Queen Margrethe II.

The current palace was built between 1899-1902, but the land has royal roots which go back much further. In 1661, King Frederik III owned the estate, then called Havreballegaard, but was forced to turn it over to one of his many creditors, Gabriel Marselis. His son, Constantin, renamed the estate Marselisborg in 1680, and upon his death in 1699, left the estate to King Christian V. Christian, in turn, gave the property to his illegitimate son, Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve, who then left it to his nephew, Frederik Danneskjold-Samsoe. After his death in 1770, the property had many different owners, until it was purchased by the city of Aarhus in 1896.

In 1898, the people of Aarhus decided to build a palace as a wedding gift for the future King Christian X and Princess Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Ten acres of the old estate were allocated and construction began in 1899. The funding raised included the construction of the building, but not any of the furnishings. Instead, numerous people, organizations, and towns around Aarhus each took on a different room of the palace, providing furnishings that were fitting for the future sovereign and his family.

The entrance to the palace. source: Wikipedia

The palace was completed in June 1902 and presented to the couple, who soon took up residence. The Crown Prince also leased additional land and later purchased the entire area. This now encompasses over 32 acres of land around the palace, much of which is known as the Memorial Park, and extends from the palace to Aarhus Bay. King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine would spend nearly every summer at Marselisborg for the rest of their lives.

But after Queen Alexandrine’s death in 1952, the palace remained mostly unused. The new King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid already had their own summer residence, Gråsten Palace, and had no use for Marselisborg. By the mid-1960s, there were rumors in the media that Princess Benedikte would take up residence, and that the palace may become a temporary home-in-exile for King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. After receiving requests from several organizations to donate the property for their use, the King instead decided, in 1967, to give the property to then-Princess Margrethe and her new husband, Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, as a wedding gift. Princess Margrethe was not overly thrilled at being given the property, but Prince Henrik saw that the property had great potential and was instrumental in updating both the palace and its gardens. Using some of the funds received from the Danish people for their wedding, the couple undertook an extensive modernization of the palace before taking up residence in the summer of 1968. For much of her reign, Queen Margrethe and her family have used Marselisborg Palace during the summer, as well as often celebrating both Easter and Christmas.

Queen Margrethe decorating the Christmas tree in the Garden Room at Marselisborg Palace. source: Berlingske, photo: Alex Schütt

Queen Margrethe decorating the Christmas tree in the Garden Room at Marselisborg Palace. source: Berlingske, photo: Alex Schütt

Marselisborg Palace is perhaps the smallest and most intimate of the residences, and the one which allowed Queen Margrethe the most privacy. However, its small size occasionally brings about necessary changes to the traditional holiday events. In 2014, with the entire extended family of 44 people coming together for Christmas, it was necessary to move the celebrations to Fredensborg Palace instead. Queen Margrethe herself has stated that her one complaint with Marselisborg is that there is not much room for guests to stay.

Learn more about the other Danish Royal Residences here!

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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!

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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!

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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 Burial Ground in Haga Park in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden

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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.

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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.