Category Archives: Danish Royals

Marie of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Marie of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel was the wife of King Frederik VI of Denmark and Norway. Born on October 28, 1767, in Hanau in the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel (now in Hesse, Germany), Marie Sophie Frederikke was the eldest child of Prince Carl of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Louise of Denmark and Norway. Her father was the second son of Friedrich II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Mary of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain. Her mother was the youngest child of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway and his first wife Princess Louisa of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain. King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Magdalena, wife of King Gustav III of Sweden were Marie’s maternal aunt and uncle.

Marie had five younger siblings:

Being the second son, Marie’s father Carl had to find his own way in life and so he did what many other younger royal sons did, took positions from foreign royal relatives. Carl’s opportunities in Denmark were far greater than what Hesse-Kassel could offer him. He became a Field Marshal in the Danish Army and was royal governor of the Danish duchies of Schleswig-Holstein from 1769 to 1836. Marie and her siblings were raised at Gottorp Castle in Slesvig, then part of Denmark now Schleswig in Germany, and at her mother’s country estate Louisenlund.

Louiselund; Credit – By PodracerHH – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6889446

In 1772, due to the mental illness of King Christian VII, his half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik became Regent but it was Hereditary Prince Frederik’s mother Dowager Queen Juliana Maria who really held the power. In 1784, Crown Prince Frederik, the only son of King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway, reached the age of legal majority. He had no intention of allowing Hereditary Prince Frederik and his mother Juliana to continue their rule. Crown Prince Frederik somehow managed to get his insane father to sign an order dismissing Hereditary Prince Frederik’s supporters from the council and declaring that no royal order was legal unless co-signed by the Crown Prince, thereby deposing his stepmother and half-brother. Crown Prince Frederik then ruled permanently as Crown Prince Regent until the death of his father.

Marie holding a portrait of her fiancé by Cornelius Høyer; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel was on the list of possible brides for Crown Prince Frederik. She had some advantages: her mother was the daughter of a King of Denmark and she had been raised in Denmark. However, factions of the Danish court did not support the marriage because a more dynastic marriage was preferred but Crown Prince Frederik wanted to show his independence and insisted upon the marriage.

Crown Prince Frederik, the future King Frederik VI; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 31, 1790, in the Gottorp Castle chapel, Frederik and Marie were married. The couple made a triumphant official entrance into Copenhagen on September 14, 1790. The Danish people were enthusiastic about the marriage because Marie was considered completely Danish and not a foreign princess although she had received a German education and German was her first language.

Crown Princess Marie was under immense pressure to produce a male heir to the throne because the main line of the Danish royal family was in danger of becoming extinct. Frederik and Marie had eight children but unfortunately, six of them, including two boys, died in infancy. Only two daughters survived and both daughters had childless marriages. For the rest of her life, Marie would lament her lack of sons and grandchildren. Injuries from her last childbirth prevented Marie from having any further marital relations and she was forced to accept her husband’s adultery.

King Frederik VI and Queen Marie with their daughters Caroline and Vilhelmine by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, 1821; Credit – Wikipedia

When King Christian VII died on March 13, 1808, his son succeeded him as King Frederik VI of Denmark and Marie became Queen of Denmark. She became more acquainted with Danes, finally learned the Danish language more fluently, took an interest in Danish literature and history, and became interested in politics. When Frederick VI was participating in the Congress of Vienna after the Napoleonic Wars from September 5, 1814 – June 1, 1815, Marie served as Regent.

Queen Marie of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

King Frederick VI died on December 3, 1839, at the age of 71 at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. He had reigned Denmark for a total of 55 years: 24 years as Crown Prince Regent and 31 years as King. As he had no sons, he was succeeded by King Christian VIII, the son of King Frederik’ VI’s half-uncle Frederik, Hereditary Prince of Denmark.

After her husband’s death, Marie retired from public life but remained a respected figure, living at Frederiksborg Castle and Amalienborg Palace. The conflicts between the branches of the Danish royal family during the succession crisis caused by a lack of male dynasts and the First Schleswig War (1848–51) caused her much distress.

Marie of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark died on March 21, 1852, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen at the age of 84. She was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel near her husband.

Tomb of Marie Sophie of Hesse-Kassel, Queen of Denmark; Photo by Susan Flantzer

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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2018). Frederik 6.. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_6. [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2018). Marie von Hessen-Kassel (1767–1852). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_von_Hessen-Kassel_(1767%E2%80%931852) [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Landgrave Charles of Hesse-Kassel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landgrave_Charles_of_Hesse-Kassel [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Frederick VI of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_VI_of_Denmark [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Marie of Hesse-Kassel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_of_Hesse-Kassel [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2016). King Christian VII of Denmark. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-christian-vii-of-denmark/ [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2018). King Frederik VI of Denmark. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-frederik-vi-of-denmark/

King Frederik VI of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

King Frederik VI of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

King Frederik VI of Denmark and Norway was the only son and the eldest of the two children of King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway and his and Caroline Matilda of Wales. Frederik’s paternal grandparents were King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway and his first wife Princess Louisa of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain. His maternal grandparents were Frederick, Prince of Wales, who predeceased his father King George II of Great Britain, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. Frederik’s parents were first cousins and King George III was his maternal uncle.

Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales; Credit – Wikipedia

King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik was born on January 28, 1768, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was christened two days later at Christiansburg Palace by Ludvig Harboe, Bishop of Zealand.

His godparents were:

Engraving of the newborn Crown Prince Frederik with his mother Queen Caroline Matilda; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik had one sister:

Princess Louise Auguste, Frederik’s sister; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik’s father King Christian VII suffered from mental illness. It is unknown if Christian VII’s mental illness was caused by the brutal treatment of his governor Christian Reventlow, possible porphyria inherited from his Hanover mother, or schizophrenia. Christian’s behavior wandered into excesses, especially sexual promiscuity. His symptoms included paranoia, self-mutilation, and hallucinations. It was becoming clearer and clearer that Christian could not fulfill his role as king.

On a trip arranged because it was believed that new environments could change Christian’s behavior, Christian became acquainted with the physician Johann Friedrich Struensee. Struensee was the first person who understood that Christian was seriously ill. When Christian came home from the trip, Struensee accompanied him and was employed as Christian’s personal physician. Because of Christian’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power. He also became the lover of the ill-treated Caroline Matilda, whose marriage was less than satisfactory. When Caroline Matilda gave birth to her daughter Louise, no one doubted that Struensee was the princess’ father.

Eventually, Dowager Queen Juliana Maria, King Christian VII’s stepmother, maneuvered a coup that would bring about the fall of Struensee and discredit Caroline Matilda. Juliana Maria arranged for King Christian VII to sign the arrest warrant of Struensee after she had already made the arrest in the king’s name. In 1772, Struensee was executed and Caroline Matilda was exiled to Celle Castle where she died in 1775 at the age of 23 from scarlet fever, without seeing her children again. At the time of their mother’s exile, Crown Prince Frederik was four years old and his sister Princess Louise had not yet reached her first birthday.

After the fall of Struensee, King Christian VII’s 18-year-old half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik became Regent and held that position until 1784 but Frederik’s mother Juliana Maria had the real power. As Crown Prince Frederik became older, he had no intention of allowing Hereditary Prince Frederik and his mother Juliana to continue their rule. In 1784, Crown Prince Frederik reached the age of legal majority. He somehow managed to get his insane father to sign an order dismissing Hereditary Prince Frederik’s supporters from the council and declaring that no royal order was legal unless co-signed by the Crown Prince, thereby deposing his stepmother and half-brother. Crown Prince Frederik then ruled permanently as Crown Prince Regent until his father died

After Frederik became Regent, the Danish court began to search for a bride for him. A marriage to Frederik’s first cousin Princess Augusta, the daughter of King George III of the United Kingdom, was contemplated. However, King George III explained that after the terrible treatment of his sister Caroline Matilda, the mother of Crown Prince Frederik, he would never send one of his daughters to the Danish court. There was also speculation that he would marry a Prussian princess, a choice supported by his step-grandmother Dowager Queen Juliana Maria and her brother-in-law King Friedrich II of Prussia (Frederick the Great).

Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel; Credit – Wikipedia

Also high on the list was his cousin Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel, daughter of Prince Carl of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Louise of Denmark and Norway. Frederik was a great-grandchild of King George II of Great Britain and Marie was a double great-grandchild of George II. Both Marie’s parents were children of a daughter of King George II of Great Britain: her father was the son of Princess Mary of Great Britain and her mother was the daughter of Princess Louisa of Great Britain who was also the mother of Frederik’s father. Factions of the Danish court did not support the marriage because a more dynastic marriage was preferred but Crown Prince Frederik wanted to show his independence and insisted upon the marriage.

On July 31, 1790, in the Gottorp Castle chapel, Frederik and Marie were married. The couple made a triumphant official entrance into Copenhagen on September 14, 1790. Crown Princess Marie was under immense pressure to produce a male heir to the throne because the main line of the Danish royal family was in danger of becoming extinct. Frederik and Marie had eight children but unfortunately, six of them, including two boys, died in infancy. Only two daughters survived and both daughters had childless marriages. For the rest of her life, Marie would lament her lack of sons and grandchildren.

King Frederik VI and Queen Marie with their daughters Caroline and Vilhelmine by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, 1821; Credit – Wikipedia

On March 13, 1808, King Christian VII died and his son succeeded him as King Frederik VI of Denmark and Norway. Due to the Napoleonic Wars, King Frederik VI’s anointing was not held until July 31, 1815, at Frederiksborg Palace Church.

Anointing of King Frederik VI; Credit – Wikipedia

At that point in time, the King of Denmark was also the King of Norway. During the Napoleonic Wars, Frederik tried to remain neutral but when the British attacked Copenhagen, he was forced to ally with Napoleon. In 1814, Frederik was forced by the United Kingdom and Sweden to sign the Treaty of Kiel which ceded Norway to Sweden. After the French defeat in the Napoleonic Wars in 1814 and the loss of Norway, Frederik became more authoritarian and reactionary, giving up his former liberal ideas. There were also economic problems but they eased a bit when Frederik agreed to creating the Assemblies of the Estate, consultative regional assemblies.

King Frederik VI lying in state; Credit – Wikipedia

King Frederick VI died on December 3, 1839, at the age of 71 at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. He had reigned Denmark for a total of 55 years: 24 years as Crown Prince Regent and 31 years as King. As he had no sons, he was succeeded by King Christian VIII, the son of King Frederik’s half-uncle Frederik, Hereditary Prince of Denmark.  King Frederik VI was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel in Roskilde, Denmark.

Tomb of King Frederik VI – Photo © Susan Flantzer

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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2018). Frederik 6.. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_6. [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2018). Marie von Hessen-Kassel (1767–1852). [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_von_Hessen-Kassel_(1767%E2%80%931852) [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Frederick VI of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_VI_of_Denmark [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Marie of Hesse-Kassel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_of_Hesse-Kassel [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2016). King Christian VII of Denmark. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-christian-vii-of-denmark/ [Accessed 15 Sep. 2018].

Frederik, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Frederik, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway;  Credit – Wikipedia

Born on October 11, 1753, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, Frederik, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway was the only child of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway and his second wife Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

Frederik had five half-siblings from his father’s first marriage to Princess Louisa of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain:

Frederik received an excellent education as he was the second in the line of succession after his elder half-brother Christian. Among Frederik’s teachers were Jens Schielderup Sneedorff, author and professor of political science, and Ove Høegh-Guldberg, statesman and historian. In 1766, when Frederik was 13-years-old, his father King Frederik V died at the age of 42, and was succeeded by his 17-year-old son from his first marriage as King Christian VII. From 1766 – 1768, Frederik was the heir to the Danish throne until the birth of King Christian VII’s son, the future King Frederik VI.

Frederik’s wife Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 21, 1774, 21-year-old Hereditary Prince Frederik married 16-year-old Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, daughter of Ludwig of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.  Although the couple was fond of each other, they both had lovers and the father of Sophia Frederica’s children was rumored to be her husband’s adjutant Frederik von Blücher (in Danish).

The couple had two stillborn daughters before the birth of five children:

Frederik’s half-brother, King Christian VII of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Soon after the succession of Frederik’s half-brother King Christian VII, it became clear that he was not quite normal. Christian had been personable and intelligent as a child but he had been poorly educated and terrorized by a brutal governor, Christian Ditlev Reventlow, Count of Reventlow. It is unknown if Christian’s mental illness was caused by the brutal treatment of Reventlow, possible porphyria inherited from his Hanover mother, or schizophrenia. Christian’s behavior wandered into excesses, especially sexual promiscuity. His symptoms included paranoia, self-mutilation, and hallucinations. It was becoming clearer and clearer that Christian could not fulfill his role as king.

During a trip arranged because it was believed that new environments could change Christian’s behavior, Christian became acquainted with the physician Johann Friedrich Struensee. Struensee was the first person who understood that Christian was seriously ill. When Christian came home from the trip, Struensee accompanied him and was employed as Christian’s personal physician. Because of Christian’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power. He also became the lover of the ill-treated Caroline Matilda, whose marriage was less than satisfactory. When Caroline Matilda gave birth to her daughter Louise, no one doubted that Struensee was her father. Eventually, Frederik’s mother Queen Dowager Juliana Maria maneuvered a coup that would bring about the fall of Struensee and discredit Caroline Matilda. She arranged for King Christian VII to sign Struensee’s arrest warrant after he had already been arrested. In 1772, Struensee was executed and Caroline Matilda was exiled.

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel with a portrait of her son Hereditary Prince Frederick; Credit – Wikipedia

After the fall of Struensee, Frederik and his mother Juliana Maria took charge of the Council of State. Christian VII was only nominally king from 1772 onward. Between 1772 and 1784, Denmark was ruled by Hereditary Prince Frederik as Regent and his mother. Crown Prince Frederik, King Christian VII’s son, had no intention of allowing Frederik and his mother Juliana to continue their rule. In 1784, the Crown Prince reached the age of legal majority and then ruled permanently as Prince Regent. He somehow managed to get his insane father to sign an order dismissing Frederik and Juliana Maria’s supporters from the council and declaring that no royal order was legal unless co-signed by the Crown Prince, thereby deposing his stepgrandmother and uncle.

After losing power, Hereditary Prince Frederik was left without much influence at the court. In 1794, Christiansborg Palace was destroyed by fire, and Frederik and his family moved to Amalienborg. That same year, on November 29, Frederik’s wife Sophia Frederica died at the age of 36, at Sorgenfri Palace in Kongens Lyngby north of Copenhagen, Denmark. She was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark, the traditional burial site of the Danish royal family. Hereditary Prince Frederik survived his wife by eleven years, dying at Amalienborg in Copenhagen on December 7, 1805, at the age of 52. He also was buried at Roskilde Cathedral.

Roskilde Cathedral; Photo © Susan Flantzer

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

  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2018). Arveprins Frederik. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arveprins_Frederik [Accessed 14 Sep. 2018].
  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2018). Sophie Frederikke af Mecklenburg-Schwerin. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Frederikke_af_Mecklenburg-Schwerin [Accessed 14 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Duchess Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchess_Sophia_Frederica_of_Mecklenburg-Schwerin [Accessed 14 Sep. 2018].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick,_Hereditary_Prince_of_Denmark [Accessed 14 Sep. 2018].
  • Flantzer, S. (2017). Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/juliana-maria-of-brunswick-wolfenbuttel-bevern-queen-of-denmark/ [Accessed 14 Sep. 2018].

Danish Royal Christenings

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

The Danish Royal Family are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark sometimes called The Church of Denmark, the established, state-supported church in Denmark. The sovereign is the supreme secular authority in the church. Most recent Danish royal christenings have been held at the Holmens Kirke or the Fredensborg Palace Chapel.

Holmens Kirke; Credit – Wikipedia

The building that is now occupied by the Holmens Kirke in Copenhagen, Denmark was first used as a forge for anchors. In 1619, King Christian IV had it converted into a church for the naval personnel who were housed in the area. King Frederik IX had a career in the Royal Danish Navy and had a great love for the sea. Perhaps that was the reason his three children were christened at Holmens Kirke. His elder daughter and successor Queen Margrethe was also married there.

Fredensborg Palace; Credit – By Glån – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12668133

Fredensborg Palace is located in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand in Denmark.  Queen Margrethe II uses the palace for three months in the spring and three months in the autumn. It has always been considered a “family home” for the Danish royal family. During the reign of King Christian IX, his extended family gathered at Fredensborg each summer. Christian’s children included Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, King George I of Greece and his successor King Frederik VIII of Denmark.  He had 39 grandchildren and his 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.  The current Danish royal family continues the practice and it is a logical site for family christenings.

Embed from Getty Images 
Danish royal christening gown

It is interesting to note that among the godparents of Queen Margrethe II, who was born in 1940, is Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, her maternal great-grandfather, the son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. The Duke of Connaught died in 1942 at the age of 91. His sister Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll also died at the age of 91, making both Arthur and Louise the longest-lived of Queen Victoria’s children.

********************

King Frederik IX of Denmark

Four generations of Danish Kings: Prince Frederik (IX) standing on the chair surrounded by (left to right) his great-grandfather King Christian IX, his father Prince Christian (X), his grandfather Crown Prince Frederik (VIII); Credit – Wikipedia

********************

Queen Ingrid of Denmark, born Princess Ingrid of Sweden, wife of King Frederik IX

Ingrid on the right with her family at the christening of her brother Bertil; Credit – Wikipedia

********************

Queen Margrethe of Denmark

(see below)

********************

Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Princess Benedikte on the left with her sisters Margrethe and Anne-Marie; Credit – Wikipedia

********************

Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark, Queen of Greece

Embed from Getty Images
King Christian X of Denmark and Queen Alexandrine who is holding Princess Anne-Marie and their grandchildren. From left, Prince Christian to the left of the queen, Princess Benedikte between the king and queen; in the back Princess Elisabeth, Prince Ingolf and Princess Margrethe

********************

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

Embed from Getty Images
Margrethe and her parents

********************

King Frederik X of Denmark

Embed from Getty Images

********************

Crown Prince Christian of Denmark

Embed from Getty Images
Crown Princess Mary holding her son as his father and godparents, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Crown Princess Mett-Marit of Norway and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, look on

********************

Princess Isabella of Denmark

Embed from Getty Images
Crown Princess Mary holds her daughter Princess Isabella while Crown Prince Frederik holds their son Prince Christian, with Isabella’s godparents from left: Major Peter Heering, Nadine Johnston, Maria Louise Skeel, Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark and Christian Buchwald

********************

Prince Vincent of Denmark

Embed from Getty Images

********************

Prince Josephine of Denmark

Embed from Getty Images

********************

Prince Joachim of Denmark

Embed from Getty Images

********************

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.

Wedding of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Princess Alexandra of Denmark

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2018

Alexandra and Bertie on their wedding day; Credit – Wikipedia

On March 10, 1863, the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom married Princess Alexandra of Denmark, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. It would be the first royal wedding held at St. George’s Chapel.

Edward’s Early Life

The future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Albert Edward was born at Buckingham Palace on November 9, 1841, the second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. As the eldest son and heir, he was titled Duke of Cornwall from birth and created Prince of Wales just a month later. Known within the family as Bertie, his education began with a strict program created by his father, but he was not a very good student. He later studied at the University of Edinburgh, Christ Church, Oxford, and Trinity College, Cambridge. Queen Victoria denied his hopes for a military career, however, he held several honorary commissions.

For more about Edward see:
Unofficial Royalty: King Edward VII of the United Kingdom

 

Alexandra’s Early Life

Alexandra (far right) with her parents and siblings, 1862; Credit – Wikipedia

Alexandra was born December 1, 1844, at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen, the second child and eldest daughter of the future King Christian IX of Denmark and Princess Luise of Hesse-Kassel. Her siblings were the future King Frederik VIII of Denmark, King George I of the Hellenes, The Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, The Crown Princess of Hanover, and Prince Valdemar of Denmark. At the time of her birth, she was a Princess of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. However, in 1853, her father was named heir to the Danish throne and Alexandra became a Princess of Denmark. At that time, the family moved to Bernstorff Palace where, despite their royal status, Alexandra and her siblings received a very simple upbringing. Educated privately at home, Alexandra became fluent in English at a young age.

For more about Alexandra see:
Unofficial Royalty: Princess Alexandra of Denmark

The Engagement

Credit – Wikipedia

By 1860, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were already searching for an appropriate bride for the future King. With the help of Bertie’s older sister Vicky – by then the Crown Princess of Prussia – Queen Victoria developed a list of prospective brides. Princess Alexandra of Denmark was fifth on the list, but Vicky found her to be the perfect match for Bertie. And his father agreed that Alexandra was “the only one to be chosen.” The couple first met at Speyer Cathedral in Germany, on September 24, 1861, in a meeting arranged by Vicky. The following year, on September 9, 1862, Bertie and Alexandra became engaged at the Royal Palace of Laeken in Belgium, the home of Bertie’s great-uncle, King Leopold I of the Belgians. Bertie presented Alexandra with a ring featuring six precious stones – purposely selected so that their names would spell out ‘Bertie’ — Beryl, Emerald, Ruby, Turquoise, Jacynth, and Emerald.

The marriage treaty was signed in January 1863 and ratified three months later. It established that the marriage would take place in the United Kingdom, in a Church of England ceremony, and also provided financial arrangements for the future Princess of Wales. Under the terms, she would receive £10,000 annually for her sole use. If she were to become widowed, she would receive £30,000 annually in lieu of any dower. Parliament agreed to the terms of the treaty, granting them a total of £50,000 per year, £10,000 of which was for the bride.

Pre-Wedding Festivities

Princess Alexandra’s arrival procession passing the Mansion House. painting by Robert Dudley; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Alexandra arrived in England on March 7, 1863, having sailed from Denmark aboard the British Royal yacht Victoria and Albert II. She was greeted upon her arrival in Gravesend, Kent, England by the Prince of Wales, and large crowds who welcomed their future Queen to her new homeland. The couple and the bride’s family traveled by Royal Train to London, where they processed by carriage through the streets of London. Making their way to Paddington Station, they boarded the train to Windsor. Disembarking at Slough, they began another carriage procession to Windsor Castle. Bad weather forced the use of closed carriages, much to the dismay of the vast crowds gathered along the route, hoping to catch a glimpse of Alexandra. Upon their arrival, at 6:30 in the evening, they were greeted by a very anxious Queen Victoria, who had been patiently waiting to welcome her new daughter-in-law and her family.

After a day to rest, the festivities continued on March 9, with numerous delegations being presented to the couple, and presenting wedding gifts, including a necklace and earrings of Golconda diamonds for Alexandra from the Lord Mayor of London, previously approved by the Prince Albert before his death. The couple then rode through Windsor Great Park and were greeted by Eton students including a young Randolph Churchill. That evening, a dinner party was held at Windsor Castle followed by a fireworks display in the Home Park.

Wedding Guests

Although this was the marriage of the future King of the United Kingdom, the guest list was kept rather small, with only a few foreign royals and members of the British aristocracy in attendance. The British Court was still in mourning for Prince Albert, so the ladies’ dresses were limited to grey, lilac, or mauve.

The Groom’s Immediate Family
Queen Victoria
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Prussia
Prince Wilhelm of Prussia
Prince and Princess Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine
Princess Louise
Princess Helena
Prince Arthur
Prince Leopold
Princess Beatrice

The Bride’s Immediate Family
Prince and Princess Christian of Denmark
Prince Frederik of Denmark
Prince Vilhelm of Denmark
Princess Dagmar of Denmark
Princess Thyra of Denmark

Other Royal Guests
The Duke of Cambridge
The Duchess of Cambridge
Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge
King Leopold I of the Belgians
The Count of Flanders
The Duchess of Brabant
Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Ernst Leopold, 4th Prince of Leiningen
Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
Maharajah Duleep Singh
The Duke of Holstein
Prince Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel
Count and Countess Gleichen

Some Other Notable Guests
The Prime Minister, Viscount Palmerston
William Gladstone (future Prime Minister)
Benjamin Disraeli (future Prime Minister)
Charles Dickens
William Makepeace Thackeray
Alfred Tennyson
Charles Kingsley
Jenny Lind

The Wedding Attendants and Supporters

The bridesmaids of Alexandra of Denmark by an unknown photographer. source: National Portrait Gallery, NPG x33255

For the ceremony, the bride was supported by her father, Prince Christian of Denmark, and The Duke of Cambridge. The groom was supported by his brother-in-law, Crown Prince Friedrich of Prussia, and his uncle, Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

In addition, the bride had eight bridesmaids, all of whom were unmarried daughters of British Dukes and Earls:

  • Lady Diana Beauclerk, daughter of the Duke of St. Albans
  • Lady Elma Bruce, daughter of the Earl of Elgin
  • Lady Eleanor Hare, daughter of the Earl of Listowel
  • Lady Victoria Howard, daughter of the Earl of Suffolk
  • Lady Victoria Montagu Douglas Scott, daughter of the Duke of Buccleuch
  • Lady Emily Villiers, daughter of the Earl of Clarendon
  • Lady Feodore Wellesley, daughter of the Earl Cowley
  • Lady Agenta Yorke, daughter of the Earl of Hardwicke

 

The Wedding Attire

Credit – Wikipedia

The bride’s dress – a gift from King Leopold I of the Belgians – was made of white silk trimmed with orange blossoms and myrtle and overlaid with flounces of tulle and Honiton lace. The 21-feet long train was of silver moiré also trimmed in orange blossoms. Alexandra’s veil was trimmed with the same lace as her gown, and featured English roses, Irish shamrocks, and Scottish thistles. It was held in place by a wreath of orange blossoms and myrtle atop her head.

Alexandra’s jewels were all wedding gifts. She wore a pearl necklace, earrings, and brooch given to her by The Prince of Wales, an opal and diamond bracelet from Queen Victoria, another opal and diamond bracelet from the Ladies of Manchester, and a diamond bracelet from the Ladies of Leeds.

Alexandra carried a bouquet of orange blossoms, white rosebuds, lily of the valley, orchids, and myrtle. The flowers were held in a “bouquet holder of carved crystal adorned with pearls and coral. The stem features a band of emeralds and diamonds with a jeweled coronet; the foot is formed of a ball of crystal with rubies and diamonds. By turning the ball, the foot springs open into four supports, in each of which is a plume and cipher. Attached to the holder is a chain of gold and pearls and a hoop ring of eight pearls.” The flower and bouquet holder were a gift from the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh.  (source: An Historical Record of the Marriage of The Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra of Denmark, published by Darton and Hodge, London)

The groom was resplendent in the full dress uniform of a British General beneath his Garter Robes.

The bridesmaids wore dresses of white glacé silk trimmed with tulle and roses, and wreaths of roses on their heads.

The Ceremony

Wedding at St. George’s Chapel, painting by William Frith, circa 1865; Credit – Wikipedia

Despite her perpetual mourning for the late Prince Consort, Queen Victoria decreed that the Prince of Wales should be married with “the utmost magnificence”. She chose St. George’s Chapel, Windsor as the site of the ceremony. This would be the first of many royal weddings at St. George’s, a tradition that continues to this day for many members of the Royal Family.

Guests began to arrive at the Chapel at 10:30 on the morning of March 10, 1863, and by 11:30 the more prominent attendees were escorted to their seats. The Knights of the Order of the Garter were led in procession by Lord Palmerston, the Prime Minister. They were followed by the Lord Chancellor, carrying the Great Seal, and the Lord Chief Justice of all England. Next came the clergy – the Archbishop of Canterbury, followed by the Bishops of London, Oxford, Winchester, and Chester, and the Dean of Windsor. The Diplomatic Corps was the last to take their seats before the royal processions began.

Carriage processions began from Windsor Castle at 11:30, beginning with the royal guests and the bride’s family, followed by members of the British Royal Family, and then the groom and his supporters. The last procession was the bride. The Queen, still in mourning, made her way privately to the chapel, and did not take part in the carriage procession.

Just before noon, Queen Victoria, escorted by the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, made her way to the Catherine of Aragon Closet, a room with an oriel window overlooking the left side of the altar. Dressed in a black silk dress with white collar and cuffs, along with her widow’s cap, she took her seat largely out of view of the guests in the chapel, along with Lady Augusta Bruce – her Lady of the Bedchamber. (She can be seen in the upper right of the picture above)

At 12:00, the procession began, with the royal guests and family members making their way up the aisle, each offering a bow or curtsy to The Queen before taking their seats. Next came The Prince of Wales, accompanied by his brother-in-law and uncle, who processed to The Wedding March. They too stopped to bow to The Queen, who had now stood and come to the front of the balcony to receive their homage. Last to process was the bride, accompanied by her father and the Duke of Cambridge, both in full uniform and decorations. After Alexandra reached the altar and curtseyed to The Queen, the choir sang a chant written by The Prince Consort. Overcome with emotion, The Queen was seen to cry and step back, out of view from those gathered below.

The Archbishop of Canterbury conducted the ceremony. It began with the couple taking their vows, followed by a brief service of readings, prayers, and a homily from the Archbishop. Following the benediction, the couple joined hands, turned to bow and curtsy to The Queen, and began their procession out of the chapel. At this point, The Queen made her way quietly back to the castle.

The Witnesses

As is traditional at British royal weddings, many royal guests served as witnesses for the marriage register. These included the groom’s mother, Queen Victoria, the groom’s siblings and their spouses, the bride’s parents and her siblings. Other signers included the Danish Minister, church dignitaries, the Lord Chancellor and other ministers of the Crown.

The Wedding Banquet

Embed from Getty Images 
State Dining Room where the royal guests had luncheon

After the wedding, the bride and groom, and their royal guests traveled back to Windsor Castle by carriage. Queen Victoria met Bertie and Alexandra arrived at the Grand Entrance. They made their way to the Green Drawing Room and then the White Drawing Room, where the marriage register was signed. Lunch was then served in the State Dining Room for the royal guests, and in St. George’s Hall for the Diplomatic Corps, members of the royal households, and the more prominent guests at the wedding – nearly 400 people.

Embed from Getty Images
St. George’s Hall, circa 1845

There were two wedding cakes, one in each venue. The cake in the State Dining Room was octagonal, featuring a square altar at the center, and a Cupid on each angle holding a piece of wedding cake. The cake in St. George’s Hall weighed nearly 80 pounds. It was octagonal and displayed the arms of the Prince of Wales, the new Princess of Wales, Great Britain and Denmark alternately on each side. It was decorated with orange blossoms and jasmine and surmounted by a vase filled with a jasmine bouquet.

At 4 pm, the newly married couple took leave of their guests and traveled by open carriage, accompanied by a guard of honor from the Coldstream Guards, to Paddington Station where they boarded a train that took them to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight for their honeymoon.

Children

Embed from Getty Images

Bertie and Alexandra had six children:

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.

The Funeral of Prince Henrik of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2018

Photo Credit – Foto: Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset

Prince Henrik‘s funeral took place on February 20, 2018, at the Christiansborg Palace Church in Copenhagen. The funeral service was conducted by Chaplain-in-Ordinary Erik Norman Svendsen assisted by Ejgil Bank Olesen, Dean of the Holmens Church. In accordance with Prince Henrik’s wishes, the funeral was private. No foreign royalty attended. Members of the Danish Royal Family and Prince Henrik’s birth family were in attendance. The other guests were mostly Danish Royal Court officials. See the guest list below.

An honor guard consisting of members from the Danish Army, Navy, and Air Force was posted in front of the church. Church bells of all the Danish National Evangelical Lutheran Churches across the country rang for the half-hour before and the half-hour after the funeral.
After earth was sprinkled on the coffin and the benediction was given in Christiansborg Palace Church, a mourning gun salute was fired for forty minutes at thirty-second intervals. At the same time, the kingdom’s flag was raised to full mast.

Embed from Getty Images 

After the funeral, ten officers from The Royal Life Guard carried Prince Henrik’s coffin from the Palace Church to the hearse. As the coffin was carried out of the church, 19th-century Danish composer Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann’s Funeral March for Bertel Thorvaldsen (a Danish/Icelandic sculptor) was played. This music has been used at other Danish royal funerals including the funeral of King Frederik IX, Queen Margrethe II’s father. The royal family followed the coffin to the hearse and made their final farewells to Prince Henrik. When the hearse was driven away, Prince Henrik’s Homage March by Preben Beyer was played. This march was composed in 1967 as a wedding gift to Prince Henrik.

After Prince Henrik’s remains were cremated, half of the ashes were spread over the Danish waters, and the other half were placed in an urn in the private section of Fredensborg Palace Garden.

Embed from Getty Images

Guest list for HRH Prince Henrik’s funeral service

The Royal Family

Family of Prince Henrik

  • Mrs. Françoise Bardin (sister of Prince Henrik)
  • Mr. Guillaume Bardin (nephew of Prince Henrik)
  • Mrs. Laurence Bardin (wife of Guillaume Bardin)
  • Charles-Henri Keller (nephew of Prince Henrik)
  • Sister Catherine de Monpezat (sister of Prince Henrik)
  • Count Etienne de Laborde de Monpezat (brother of Prince Henrik)
  • Countess Isabelle de Laborde de Monpezat (sister-in-law of Prince Henrik)
  • Count Jean-Baptiste de Laborde de Monpezat (brother of Prince Henrik)
  • Countess Gill de Laborde de Monpezat (sister-in-law of Prince Henrik)

Guests (in alphabetical order)

  • HE Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg (first wife of Prince Joachim)
  • Valet Officer: Anker Andersen
  • Communications Manager: Lene Balleby
  • Secretary of State for HKH Prince Joachim: Colonel Søren Bo Bojesen
  • Chairman of the National Forest Association: Jens Bjerregaard Christensen
  • Court Chief of Prince Henrik: Chamberlain Colonel Mogens Christensen
  • Professional Deputy: Marianne Gøttsche G. Dupont
  • Court Marshal: Chamberlain Michael Ehrenreich
  • Cabinet Secretary, Secretary of the Order: Chamberlain Henning Fode
  • Lady-in-Waiting for Her Majesty The Queen: Ane Vibeke Foss
  • Secretary of State for The Crown Prince: Morten Roland Hansen
  • Deputy Chief of Staff: Colonel Lasse Harkjær
  • Valet Officer Jesper G. Jensen
  • Managing Director at Fredensborg Palace: Colonel John Kidde-Hansen
  • Chairman of the Danish Parliament, Member of the Danish Parliament: Pia Kjærsgaard
  • Ceremonial Master: Colonel Kim Kristensen
  • Secretary of the Royal Civilian: Chamberlain Søren Weiskopf Kruse
  • Valet Officer: Olivier Laurent
  • Secretary-General of Prince Henrik Secretariat: Supervisor Olivier Lesenecal
  • Secretary of Prince Henrik: Major Nils Nykjær
  • Captain of the Royal Yacht Dannebrog: Commander Christian A. Nørgaard
  • Secretary of State Princess Benedikte: Chamberlain Colonel Tommy M. Paulsen
  • Secretary of State Crown Princess Mary: Christine Pii
  • Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen
  • HE Count Ingolf of Rosenborg (cousin of Queen Margrethe II)
  • Countess Sussie of Rosenborg (wife of Count Ingolf)
  • HE President of the Supreme Court: Thomas Rørdam
  • Lady-in-Waiting for Her Majesty The Queen: Colonel Annette de Scheel
  • President of the Diplomatic Corps: Chamberlain General Consul Fritz H. Schur
  • Court Chief of Crown Prince and Crown Princess Court: Chamberlain Christian Schønau
  • Lady-in-Waiting, Secretary of State for Princess Marie: Britt Siesbye
  • Palace Manager: Major Michael de Voss Court
  • Lady-in-Waiting of Her Majesty The Queen: Annelise Wern
  • HE The Ambassador of France: Francois Zimera

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.

Prince Valdemar of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Prince Valdemar of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Valdemar of Denmark was born on October 27, 1858, at Bernstorff Palace in Gentofte, Denmark. Valdemar was the youngest of the six children of King Christian IX of Denmark and Louise of Hesse-Kassel.

Valdemar had five siblings. Four of Valdemar’s five siblings became a monarch or a consort of a monarch.

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

In 1863, when Valdemar was five years old, his father succeeded to the Danish throne. Earlier that year, Valdemar had accompanied his family to England where his sister Alexandra had married Edward, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Victoria. Valdemar was educated at home by governesses and tutors. In the summer of 1874, Valdemar accompanied his father to Iceland to celebrate 1,000 years since Iceland’s first settlement in 874.

Valdemar with his father, circa 1863-1865; Credit – Wikipedia

After his confirmation in 1874, Valdemar enrolled at the Royal Danish Naval Academy.  As a younger son, it was expected that he would have a career in the military. Valdemar participated in several naval expeditions in the 1870s and became Lieutenant in 1880. In 1883, Valdemar’s 14-year-old nephew Prince George of Greece,  the second son of his brother King George I of Greece, was enrolled at the Royal Danish Naval Academy. George lived with Valdemar at Bernstorff Palace while he attended the naval academy. Having felt abandoned by his father at that time, George would later tell his fiancée the profound attachment he developed for his uncle Valdemar.

In 1885, Valdemar became engaged to Princess Marie of Orléans, the eldest child of Robert, Duke of Chartres and his wife, Françoise of Orléans, both grandchildren of King Louis Philippe of France, who was forced to abdicate after the outbreak of the French Revolution of 1848. Louis Philippe lived out his life in exile in England where his great-granddaughter Marie had been born. Marie lived the first years of her life in England. After the fall of Napoleon III in 1871, her family’s rival, Marie’s family moved back to France.

Princess Marie of Orléans; Credit – Wikipedia

Valdemar and Marie were first married in a civil ceremony in Paris, France on October 20, 1885. Two days later, an extravagant religious ceremony and reception were held at the Chateau d ‘ Eu in Normandy, France, the home of Louis Philippe of Orléans, Count of Paris, a cousin of both Marie’s parents. More than 1,000 guests attended including members of the royal families of Denmark, Greece, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Valdemar remained Lutheran and Marie remained Roman Catholic. When Pope Leo XIII gave his permission for the marriage, he agreed to the provision that any daughters would be raised Roman Catholic and any sons would be raised Lutheran. After their marriage, the couple lived at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen and Valdemar’s birthplace, Bernstorff Castle in Gentofte, nearby Copenhagen.

Valdemar and Marie had four sons and one daughter. Three of their sons made unequal marriages and relinquished their position within the Danish Royal Family upon marrying without official consent from the monarch. For more information, see Unofficial Royalty: The Danish Counts of Rosenborg.

Valdemar, Marie, and their children; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Prince Valdemar and King Chulalongkorn of Siam (Thailand), during Valdemar’s visit to Siam in 1900; Credit – Wikipedia

Valdemar had a lifelong naval career which frequently caused him to be away from home. He was appointed Vice-Admiral in 1911 and Admiral in 1918. Valdemar was offered two European thrones, Bulgaria and Norway, but he rejected both offers. His wife Marie died on December 4, 1909, in the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 44 after a long illness. Unfortunately, at the time of Marie’s death, Valdemar was on a long naval voyage. Prince Valdemar survived Marie by thirty years, dying on January 14, 1939, at the age of 80 in the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen. Both Marie and Valdemar were buried in 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.

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2017). Prins Valdemar. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prins_Valdemar [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2017). Prinsesse Marie af Orléans. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prinsesse_Marie_af_Orl%C3%A9ans [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2017). Waldemar von Dänemark. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldemar_von_D%C3%A4nemark [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Prince Valdemar of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Valdemar_of_Denmark [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Princess Marie of Orléans (1865–1909). [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Marie_of_Orl%C3%A9ans_(1865%E2%80%931909) [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. (2017). Marie d’Orléans (1865-1909). [online] Available at: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_d%27Orl%C3%A9ans_(1865-1909) [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on September 4, 1729, Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the youngest of the six daughters and the eleventh of the thirteen children of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Juliana Maria and her siblings were first cousins of Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia and brothers-in-law/sisters-in-law of King Friedrich (the Great) II of Prussia.

Juliana Maria had twelve siblings:

Juliana Maria’s father died when she was six-years-old, having had only a six-month reign as Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. The House of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was one of the smaller German princely families and Juliana Maria had a simple, strict upbringing.

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 19, 1751, Louisa of Great Britain, the wife of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway died while pregnant with her sixth child. Despite having parents with very strict religious beliefs, Frederik V had a very sensual nature and loved wine and women. He spent so much time visiting Copenhagen’s taverns and brothels that his father King Christian VI considered disinheriting him from the throne. When Frederik’s marriage to the youngest daughter of King George II of Great Britain was proposed, the Danish government hoped (incorrectly) that marriage would put a damper on Frederik’s affairs and drunkenness.

However, that strategy did not work as during the early years of his marriage to Louisa, Frederik had an affair with Else Hansen, known as Madame Hansen and they had five children. After Frederik became king in 1746, he took part in the government by attending council meetings, but he was afflicted with alcoholism and most of his reign was dominated by very able ministers such as Count Adam Gottlob Moltke, Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff, and Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann.

King Frederik V of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Count Moltke thought it would be a good idea if Frederik married again as soon as possible in hopes of stabilizing his behavior. Frederik preferred another British wife, but there was no British princess at an appropriate age. Count Moltke drew Frederik’s attention to Juliana Maria. Her portrait was sent to Denmark and it pleased Frederik. 29-year-old Frederik and 22-year-old Juliana Maria were married at Frederiksborg Palace on July 8, 1752. However, many Danish people felt the marriage occurred too quickly after the death of the beloved Queen Louisa.

The couple had one child:

Hereditary Prince Frederik by Vigilius Eriksen, 1777; Credit – Wikipedia

Her marriage to Frederik V also brought Juliana Maria four stepchildren, but she had no influence in their upbringing:

Despite her efforts, Juliana Maria found it difficult to replace Queen Louisa in the hearts of the Danish people. While Louisa had learned Danish and had insisted that her children learn Danish, a rarity in an almost German-language Danish court, Juliana Maria never fully mastered the Danish language but she did try to speak and write it. She appointed Danish tutors for her son so that he could master Danish. King Frederik V continued his affairs and his drinking and as Louisa had done, Juliana Maria pretended not to notice the problems. Juliana Maria led a quiet life and had no influence in government affairs despite the expectation of her brother-in-law King Friedrich II (the Great) of Prussia that she act as his agent.

In 1760, King Frederik V broke his leg in a drunken accident, affecting his health for the rest of his life. Frederik V died on January 14, 1766, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 42. He was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel.

Frederik V was succeeded by his 17-year-old son from his first marriage, King Christian VII. Christian had been only two-years-old when his mother died. He had a nervous disposition and had been poorly educated and terrorized by a brutal governor, Christian Ditlev Reventlow, Count of Reventlow.  A few months after he became king, Christian married his first cousin Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales, the daughter of Frederick, Prince of Wales (who predeceased his father King George II) and the sister of King George III.

It was soon clear that Christian VII was not quite normal. He publicly declared that he could not love Caroline Matilda because it was “unfashionable to love one’s wife”. His symptoms included paranoia, self-mutilation, and hallucinations. Christian wandered the streets of Copenhagen visiting the city’s taverns and brothels. It became clearer and clearer that Christian could not fulfill his role as king. During a trip that had been arranged because it was believed that new environments could change Christian’s behavior, Christian became acquainted with the physician Johann Friedrich Struensee. Struensee was the first person who understood that Christian was seriously ill. When Christian came home from the trip, Struensee accompanied him and was employed as Christian’s personal physician. Struensee could handle Christian’s instability, which was a great relief to the king’s advisers, and Christian developed confidence in him.

King Christian VII; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of Christian’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power. In 1770, Struensee became Master of Requests and Minister of the Royal Cabinet. He also became the lover of the ill-treated Caroline Matilda, whose marriage was less than satisfactory. When Caroline Matilda gave birth to her daughter Louise, no one doubted that Struensee was the father of the princess. Eventually, Queen Dowager Juliana Maria maneuvered a coup that would bring about the fall of Struensee and discredit Caroline Matilda. Juliana Maria arranged for King Christian VII to sign the arrest warrant of Struensee after she had already made the arrest in the name of the king. In 1772, Struensee was executed and Caroline Matilda was exiled.

After the fall of Struensee, Juliana Maria and her son Christian VII’s half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik took charge of the Council of State. Christian VII was only nominally king from 1772 onward. Between 1772 and 1784, Denmark was ruled by Queen Dowager Juliana Maria, Hereditary Prince Frederik, and Cabinet Secretary Ove Høegh-Guldberg. Juliana Maria was given the responsibility of the upbringing of Christian VII’s eldest son Crown Prince Frederik, the future King Frederik VI. From 1784, Crown Prince Frederik ruled permanently as a prince regent. Crown Prince Frederik had no intention of allowing Juliana Maria and her son Frederik to continue their rule. He somehow managed to get his insane father to sign an order dismissing the supporters of Juliana Maria from the council and declaring that no royal order was legal unless co-signed by the Crown Prince, thereby deposing Queen Dowager Juliana Maria and Hereditary Prince Frederik.

Juliana Maria showing the portrait of her only child Hereditary Prince Frederik by Johann Georg Ziesenis, 1766-1767; Credit – Wikipedia

Juliana Maria lived the rest of her life quietly at court. She survived her husband by 30 years, dying on October 10, 1796, at Fredensborg Palace at the age of 67 and was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel.

Tomb of Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel – Photo by Susan Flantzer

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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2017). Juliane Marie af Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliane_Marie_af_Braunschweig-Wolfenb%C3%BCttel [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliana_Maria_of_Brunswick-Wolfenb%C3%BCttel [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). King Christian VII of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-christian-vii-of-denmark/ [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). King Frederik V of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-frederik-v-of-denmark/ [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].

King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2017

King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik V, King of Denmark and Norway, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein was born at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark on March 31, 1723. His birthplace was demolished in 1731 to make room for the first Christiansborg Palace.  The present Christiansborg Palace stands on the site and is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister’s Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark. Frederik was the only son and the eldest of the three children of King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.

Frederik had two younger sisters, but only one survived infancy:

Frederik as a child; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik’s education was inadequate and he was far from an exemplary student. His teachers complained that he was more interested in hunting and other pleasurable activities. Frederik was taught the basics of reading, writing, German, French, Latin, and history, but he never wanted to extend his learning. Curiously, Danish was not a subject. Frederik’s teachers were all German except for a Frenchman who taught him French. He was never really proficient in Danish. Ironically, his mother called him “Der Dänische Prinz” (The Danish Prince in German) because he spoke Danish only occasionally.

Frederik’s parents were both adherents to Pietism, a movement in Lutheranism with an emphasis on Biblical doctrine, the Reformed emphasis on individual piety, and living a vigorous Christian life. Pietism considered frugality, humility, restraint, and a sense of duty important virtues. However, Frederik had a very sensual nature and loved wine and women. He spent so much time visiting Copenhagen’s pubs and brothels that his father considered disinheriting him from the throne.

Frederik (on the left) and Louisa (on the right), then Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark, with King Christian VI and Queen Sophie Magdalene sitting, by Marcus Tuscher circa 1744; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 11, 1743, in Altona, Duchy of Holstein, now in Germany, 20-year-old Frederik married 19-year-old Princess Louisa of Great Britain, the fifth daughter and the youngest of the nine children of King George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach. Frederik’s father, King Christian VI, hoped that this marriage would cause the British government to support his or his son’s claim to the Swedish throne.  Furthermore, the Danish government hoped (incorrectly) that marriage would put an end to Crown Prince Frederik’s affairs and drunkenness. From 1745 – 1752, Frederik had an affair with Else Hansen, known as Madame Hansen and they had five children. Nevertheless, Frederik and Louisa got along reasonably well and although Frederik continued his affairs, Louisa pretended not to notice them.  Frederik and Louisa had five children:

Louisa was popular with the Danish people and was interested in music, dance, and theater. The Danish people greatly appreciated Louisa’s efforts to learn and speak Danish and her insistence that her children learn Danish, a rarity in an almost German-language Danish court.

On August 6, 1746, King Christian VI died and Frederik became King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. Although Frederik took part in the government by attending council meetings, he was afflicted with alcoholism and most of his reign was dominated by his very able ministers Count Adam Gottlob Moltke, a favorite of King Frederik V, Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff, and Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann.

Queen Louisa by court painter C.G. Pilo, 1751; Credit – Wikipedia

While pregnant with her sixth child, 27-year-old Louisa died on December 19, 1751, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark due to complications from a miscarriage. She was buried in Roskilde Cathedral, the burial place of the kings and queens of Denmark, in Roskilde, Denmark.

Queen Juliana Maria; Credit – Wikipedia

Count Moltke wanted Frederik to marry again, hoping to stabilize his behavior. Moltke arranged a marriage with 22-year-old Princess Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the youngest of the six daughters and the eleventh of the thirteen children of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Frederik and Juliana Maria were married at Frederiksborg Palace on July 8, 1752.

The couple had one child:

In 1760, Frederik broke his leg in a drunken accident, which affected his health for the rest of his life. King Frederik V died on January 14, 1766, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 42. He was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel.

Tomb of King Frederik V – Photo © Susan Flantzer

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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

  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2017). Frederik 5.. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_5. [Accessed 5 Aug. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Frederick V of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_V_of_Denmark [Accessed 5 Aug. 2017].

Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scots

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

Margaret of Denmark was the wife of James III, King of Scots. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 23, 1456, Margaret was the only daughter and the fourth of the five children of King Christian I of Denmark and Dorothea of Brandenburg.  Following the death of the childless King Christopher of Denmark, Sweden and Norway in 1448, Margaret’s father Count Christian I of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark in 1448, King of Norway in 1450, and King of Sweden in 1457. The House of Oldenburg has occupied the Danish throne ever since.  Christian I ruled under the Kalmar Union,  a personal union from 1397 to 1523 in which a single monarch ruled the three kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

Margaret had three older brothers and one younger brother. Her two eldest brothers died in early childhood. Both her surviving brothers became King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

James III, King of Scots; Credit – Wikipedia

A marriage between Margaret and James III, King of Scots had been suggested as a way to end the conflict between Denmark and Scotland that had been going on since 1426. In 1266, Scotland and Norway signed the Treaty of Perth, ending the military conflict over the sovereignty of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man. The treaty recognized Scottish sovereignty over the disputed territories in return for a lump sum of 4,000 marks and an annual payment of 100 marks to Norway. In 1426, Scotland stopped the annual payment.

Map showing the location of the Hebrides, Isle of Man, Orkney Islands, and the Shetland Islands; Credit – By © Sémhur / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2918974

The marriage contract was signed on September 8, 1468. King James III agreed to give Margaret a third of the royal possessions and income, including Linlithgow Palace, Stirling Castle, and Doune Castle. King Christian I pledged a dowry of 60,000 Rhenish florins with a payment of 10,000 florins due before Margaret left Copenhagen. However, King Christian I was only able to raise 2,000 florins. The Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands were pledged by King Christian in his capacity as King of Norway, as security against the payment of the dowry. However, the money was never paid, and the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands were annexed by the Kingdom of Scotland in 1472.

James III and Margaret of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 13, 1469, at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland, 13-year-old Margaret married 17-year-old James III, King of Scots.

The couple had three sons:

Margaret, a popular queen, was described as beautiful, gentle, and reasonable. Many later historians called her far better qualified to rule than her husband. During the crisis of 1482, when her husband was deprived of power for several months, Margaret showed a greater interest in the welfare of her children than that of her husband, leading to the couple’s alienation.

Margaret died on July 14, 1486, at the age of 30 at Stirling Castle in Stirling, Scotland, and was buried at Cambuskenneth Abbey. After her death, there were suspicions that she had been poisoned by John Ramsay, 1st Lord Bothwell, a confidant of James III, although no evidence was found to support the charge. At the request of James III, Pope Innocent VIII commissioned an investigation of Margaret’s virtues and alleged miracles for possible canonization, but without result.

Memorial of Margaret and James III, King of Scots marking the site of their graves, funded by Queen Victoria; Photo Credit – By Adtrace at English Wikipedia – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2531316

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

  • Ashley, M. and Lock, J. (2012). The mammoth book of British kings & queens. London: Constable & Robinson.
  • Da.wikipedia.org. (2017). Margrete af Danmark (1456-1486). [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margrete_af_Danmark_(1456-1486) [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2017). Margarethe von Dänemark. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margarethe_von_D%C3%A4nemark [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). James III of Scotland. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_III_of_Scotland [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scotland. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_of_Denmark,_Queen_of_Scotland [Accessed 13 Jul. 2017].
  • Williamson, D. (1996). Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell.