Everything you need to know about the Danish royal family

Who are the Danish royal family?

The Royal Danish House has existed for more than 1000 years, making it the world’s second oldest monarchy, after Japan.

Today, at the head of the Danish royal family is Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II. Queen Margrethe’s husband of 53 years Prince Henrik died in February 2018 at the age of 83.

The heir to the throne is her son HRH Crown Prince Frederik. His Australian-born wife, HRH Crown Princess Mary, will become queen when Frederik becomes king.

Frederick has a younger brother, HRH Prince Joachim, but the line of succession to the throne passes first to Frederik and Mary’s children, Prince Christian, Princess Isabella and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.

Prince Joachim has one son, Prince Nikolai from his first marriage to Alexandra Countess of Frederiksborg.

With his current wife Princess Marie, he has Prince Felix, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena, who are all included in the order of succession to the throne.

All of the Danish royal family have the last name Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

Why won’t Queen Margrethe be buried next to her husband Prince Henrik?

Because he didn’t want her to be! Married to Queen Margrethe for over 50 years, Prince Henrik always wanted to be known as king consort, but his wife never gave him the title. He was known first as her prince consort, then simply as prince.

He made it known publicly he was unhappy about the title, stating she’d “made a fool out of him.” The year before he died, he announced he didn’t want to be buried next to his wife, countering the 459-year old Danish tradition of burying spouses together.

The Royal Danish House confirmed his decision before he died, saying: "It is no secret that the prince for many years has been unhappy with his role and the title he has been awarded in the Danish monarchy.

For the prince, the decision not to be buried beside the queen is the natural consequence of not having been treated equally to his spouse - by not having the title and role he has desired."

Instead, he was cremated. Half his ashes were spread over Danish waters and the other half in private gardens at Fredensborg Castle, just outside Copenhagen.

Where do the Danish Royal Family live?

There are four buildings the family use for both their official and private lives.

Amalienborg in Copenhagen is made up of four palaces. Queen Margrethe lives in Christian IX’s Palace during the winter. Prince Frederik, Princess Mary and their children live in Frederik VIII’s palace.

In the spring and autumn, Queen Margrethe lives at Copenhagen’s Fredensborg Palace. This is also where the family celebrate weddings and birthdays, and where the Queen receives visits from other heads of state during official visits.

Marselisborg Palace is in Aarhus, Denmark’s second largest city. Queen Margrethe spends her summers here.

The whole royal family use Gråsten Palace in the summer. There is also a royal yacht, called Dannebrog, which the family stay on during summer cruises and overseas trips.

The Queen also has three private residences; Marselisborg Slot in Aarhus, Château de Caix in France, and the royal hunting lodge in Jutland.

However, things are changing for the royal family. At the beginning of 2019, Prince Joachim and his family moved to Paris, where he’s taking part in a military training course.

Princess Mary will temporarily move to Switzerland in January 2020 to live closer to her four children who will be at boarding school in Lemania.

Can I follow the Danish royal family on Instagram?

Yes! They have a family account @detdanskekongehus, which often shows surprisingly personal photos of the family and their children’s activities. Look out for photos taken by Princess Mary, which are signed off with H.K.H. Kronprinsessen.

What religion are the Danish royal family?

They belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, which 75 per cent of the population are believed to follow.

It’s tradition for non-Danes who marry in to the royal family to convert and become members of the church.

Princess Mary converted from her Presbyterianism faith before marrying Prince Frederik in 2004, and Prince Henrik converted from Catholicism before marrying Queen Margrethe in 1968.

What is the net worth of the Danish royal family?

Around AUD$57.8million, according to Business Insider. The family receive around AUD$18.5 million a year from the Danish Civil List which covers personal expenses and the running of their households.

This puts them seventh on the list of the richest royal families in the world. Their wealth is small fry compared to the English royal family who are the fourth richest royal family with around AUD$872.5 million, and the Luxembourg royal family, who are the richest in the world with a fortune of AUD$5.8billion.

What do the Danish Royal family like to do?

Queen Margrethe II loves painting and has held public exhibitions of her watercolours and textiles. She’s the patron of the Royal Danish Academy of Science and Letters, amongst many other academies and charities.

Prince Frederik has a masters degree in political science and an extensive military education. He’s currently patron of the International Red Cross and runs the Crown Prince Frederik Foundation, which provides financial assistance to students who want to take scientific expeditions overseas or study social policy subjects.

Princess Mary has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 2009, and is the patron of several charities including Twins Research Australia and UNFPA.

What did the Danish Royal family do during World War 2?

King Christian, who was the grandfather of the current Queen Margrethe II, become extremely respected for his behaviour during World War II, when Denmark was occupied by the Nazis.

As a symbol of resistance, the king chose to ride his horse through the streets of Copenhagen everyday - without bodyguards or protection. He was also active in stopping Danish Jews being persecuted. He died in 1947, three years after the end of the war.

Does the Danish royal family have a coat of arms?

Yes, their current coat of arms was established in 1972. It has fewer quarterings than previous versions, as Queen Margrethe decided not to hold some of the official titles her male predecessors had.

As well as displaying the arms of Denmark, it also shows the arms Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are territories within the Kingdom of Denmark.

Got a story tip or just want to get in touch? Email us at lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com