Succession to the Danish throne

The line of succession to the Danish throne is the list of people who may become King or Queen of Denmark.^[1]

Crown Prince Frederik is heir apparent to the Danish throne

History

Since 2009, Danish law identifies the eldest child of a Danish monarch the royal heir. The first-born child follows his or her parent on the throne.^[2] This is known as full or equal primogeniture.

Order of succession

In 2023, the current order of succession is clear.

• • • Margrethe II (born 1940)
  • Frederik X (b. 1968)^[3][4]
    • • (1) Prince Christian (b. 2005)^[3][5]
      • (2) Princess Isabella (b. 2007)^[3][6]
      • (3) Prince Vincent of Denmark (b. 2011)^[3][7]
      • (4) Princess Josephine (b. 2011)^[3][8]
    • (5) Prince Joachim (b. 1969)^[3][9]
      • (6) Count Nikolai of Monpezat (b. 1999)^[3][10]
      • (7) Count Felix of Monpezat (b. 2002)^[3][11]
      • (8) Count Henrik of Monpezat (b. 2009)^[3][12]
      • (9) Countess Athena of Monpezat (b. 2012)^[3][13]
  • (10) Princess Benedikte, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (b. 1944)^[3][14]
    • Gustav, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (b. 1969)^[14]
    • Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (b. 1970)^[14]
      • Count Richard von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (b. 1999)^[14]
      • Countess Ingrid von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (b. 2003)^[14]
    • Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (b. 1975)^[14]
      • Konstantin Johannsmann (b. 2010)^[14]
      • Louisa Johannsmann (b. 2015)^[14]

Note

The consent to Princess Benedikte's marriage to Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg in 1968 was given on the condition that their children (and further descendants) would have to take up permanent residence in Denmark during the age of mandatory education if they were to retain their succession rights. Since the condition was not met, Princess Benedikte's children are not deemed to have succession rights and are not included in the official line of succession.^[3] It is unclear whether their own descendants will have succession rights if residing in Denmark during the age of mandatory education. One Danish constitutional scholar, the late Professor Henrik Zahle, claimed that the children of Princess Benedikte do have succession rights, but without providing any arguments for the claim.^[15]

Family tree

† Christian X 1870 - 1947 reigned 1912-1947

† Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

† Frederick IX 1899 - 1972 reigned 1947-1972

† Hereditary Prince Knud 1900-1976

Margrethe II b. 1940 reigns 1972-present

10) Princess Benedikte b. 1944

11) Princess Elisabeth b. 1935

1) Crown Prince Frederik b. 1968

6) Prince Joachim b. 1969

2) Prince Christian b. 2005

3) Princess Isabella b. 2007

4) Prince Vincent b. 2011

5) Princess Josephine b. 2011

7) Prince Nikolai b. 1999

8) Prince Felix b. 2002

9) Prince Henrik b. 2009

Related pages

• Order of succession