Line of Succession to the Danish Throne

Only descendants of King Christian X and his wife Queen Alexandrine may inherit the Danish throne. The monarch must be a member of the Lutheran Evangelical Church and must have Parliament’s permission to marry. The succession law was changed in 1953 to allow female succession. The monarch at that time, King Frederik IX, had only three daughters. Before 1953, the Salic Law, which prohibits female succession, was in effect. As of 2008, succession has been based on equal primogeniture, meaning the eldest child is heir, regardless of gender.

For more information see:
Denmark – Succession to the Throne Act
Wikipedia: Line of Succession to the Danish Throne

For more information about the Danish Royal Family, past and present, see Unofficial Royalty: Danish Index.

King Frederik X, the elder of the two sons of Queen Margrethe II is the current monarch of the Kingdom of Denmark. He succeeded to the Danish throne upon the abdication of his mother on January 14, 2024.

The current order of succession is:

  1. HRH Crown Prince Christian of Denmark (2005) – eldest child of King Frederik X
  2. HRH Princess Isabella of Denmark (2007) – second child of King Frederik X
  3. HRH Prince Vincent of Denmark (2011) – third child of King Frederik X
  4. HRH Princess Josephine of Denmark (2011) – fourth child of King Frederik X
  5. HRH Prince Joachim of Denmark (1969) – second child of Queen Margrethe II
  6. HE Count Nikolai of Monpezat (1999) – eldest child of Prince Joachim
  7. HE Count Felix of Monpezat (2002) – second child of Prince Joachim
  8. HE Count Henrik of Monpezat (2009) – third child of Prince Joachim
  9. HE Countess Athena of Monpezat (2012) – fourth child of Prince Joachim
  10. HRH Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1944) – second daughter of King Frederik IX

Princess Benedikte’s children are excluded from the line of succession because they did not meet the special condition established by King Frederik IX that they should be raised in Denmark.

King Frederik IX’s third daughter Princess Anne-Marie was removed from the line of succession upon her marriage to King Constantine II of the Hellenes in 1964.