The historic announcement of abdication that Queen Margaret II of Denmark made in her New Year’s Eve speech is consummated today with the proclamation of King Frederick The ceremony, which will be held at noon, will have large attendance: the sister-in-law and nephews of the future Danish king will not support him on her big day.
The title of king comes to Federico after closing 2023 as the protagonist of a sentimental controversy when some images were published in which he appeared walking through Madrid, without the required escort that someone of his rank requires, along with the Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova. Queen Margaret II’s first-born son, who married Mary Donaldson in 2004, will be proclaimed king at a time when his relationship with the future queen consort has been questioned.
With the abdication of Queen Margaret II and the proclamation of King Frederick X, the Royal House will also undergo changes; among them, Prince Christian of Denmark will become heir to the throne. We review the main faces of the Danish Crown.
Queen Margaret II of Denmark (83). Daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid, she ascended to the throne of the monarchy in 1972 after the death of her father. She has been an isolated case in the portrait of the Danish monarchy: she became the first woman to head the kingdom thanks to the Succession Law, and has held the position of Head of State for more than five decades. The queen played her role, getting involved in the daily life of the citizens, which ensured her enormous popularity. Unlike other European countries, the liberal Berlingske describes Queen Elizabeth as someone who has managed to “create a modern and intelligent monarchy, relevant and loved by the majority of Danes.”
Prince Consort Henry of Denmark (d. 2018). Son of Count André de Laborde de Monpezat, he graduated in Law and Politics at the Sorbonne University in Paris, although his adventurous spirit led him to spend long periods in China and Vietnam, and it was in the Asian continent where he developed a diplomatic career. . In this way he met Princess Margaret in London, while she was studying an Economics course.
The couple married at Holmen Cathedral in Copenhagen on June 10, 1967. Five years later, Margaret was proclaimed Queen of Denmark, although the country’s laws relegated him to the role of prince. In an interview not authorized by the Royal House with the Danish media BT, she was dissatisfied with the situation: “Today a woman is given the title of queen, but the husband of a queen does not become king, so the “A couple’s relationship remains unbalanced in the eyes of public opinion and that is traumatic.” This discomfort led him to be absent from several official engagements. Despite his wife’s attempts to change the situation, in 2005 he was promoted to prince consort but he died in 2018 without ever having held the coveted title of king.
The marriage gave birth to two children: HRH Prince Frederick in 1968 and HRH Prince Joachim in 1969. The heir to the throne married Mary Donaldson in 2004 and they are parents of four children: Christian (18), Elizabeth (16) and the twins Vicente and Josefina (12). His younger brother is also the father of four children: Nicolás and Félix from his first marriage to Alexandra Manley, and Enrique and Athena, the result of his relationship with Princess Marie.
King Frederick X of Denmark (55). The first-born son of Queen Margaret II and Prince Henry is the heir to the Danish throne in order of natural succession. After having completed primary and secondary education in France and Denmark, he specialized in Political Science at Aarhus University and Harvard University. He combined his academic training with his military career in the three services.
Nicknamed the ‘turbo prince’, he has always been known for being a lover of love. In his affair with the model Malou Aamud he was about to lose her dynastic rights when he was arrested by the police after she drove her car at full speed while intoxicated. Despite being married to Mary Donaldson since 2004, the until now crown prince has been the protagonist of the Spanish social chronicle since November, when there were rumors about a possible love relationship with Genoveva Casanova.
Queen consort Mary Donaldson of Denmark (51). Born in Tasmania in 1972 but with Scottish roots, the lawyer is the first woman of Australian origin to enter a European royal family when she married Federico, whom she met at the Sydney Olympic Games. Internationally recognized for her progressive commitment, she has stood out for her defense of climate change and sustainability, as well as the rights of children and women.
Despite rumors of infidelity by her husband, whom she married in 2004, the couple has had four children, and Mary Donaldson has become one of the country’s favorite members of the Danish royal family after having learned by heart the customs, language and protocols of royalty.
Prince Christian of Denmark (18). Prince Christian of Denmark, eldest son of the now named King Frederick X and the queen consort Mary Donaldson, becomes the Crown Prince to the Danish throne. Just two months ago, on his eighteenth birthday, he took part in the swearing-in of the Danish Constitution, which allows him to be installed as head of state or to exercise the regency in case neither his grandmother nor his father can.
Prince Christian was born on October 15, 2005, and became the first member of the Danish royal family to be educated in public schools, before entering a Swiss boarding school at the age of 15. The Royal House has remained very secretive regarding his personal life, although his love for football and rap is known. Additionally, he has had a hunting license to shoot pheasants and crows since he was 16 years old.
Princess Elizabeth of Denmark (16). She is the second daughter of the newly proclaimed kings Frederick and Mary, and the fourth granddaughter of Queen Margaret II. She has followed in the footsteps of her sophisticated mother, and she has a great stylistic sense that she seems to have inherited from her grandmother. The young woman is still continuing her academic training.
Princes Vincent and Josephine (13). The twins are the little ones of the marriage. The young prince maintains a relationship with the Spanish monarchy, being the godson of King Felipe VI. The brothers share a love of tennis.
Prince Joachim of Denmark (54). The younger brother of Frederick X has been the great section of the Danish crown. He has a visibly bad relationship with his brother, and has stated in several interviews that his role as “second boy” made him dissatisfied. Her relationship with the Royal House seriously deteriorated in 2022 when Queen Margaret II withdrew the title of prince from her four sons with the aim of reducing her titular members. Joaquín stated that “it is never fun to see your children being mistreated like this.” The prince moved with his family to Washington, where he represents the Danish Crown, but away from his family.
The second son of Margarita and Enrique has had four children, the result of two marriages. The first of them was with Alexandra Manley, although he has been married to Princess Marie of Denmark since 2008.
Alexandra Manley, Countess of Frederiksborg (59). The first wife of the youngest member of the royal family, she was born in British Hong Kong, where she worked for GT Management after studying international business at the University of Vienna, Tokyo and London. After marrying Joaquín in 1955, she gave birth to Nicolás and Félix. The failure of her marriage is blamed on the princess’s infidelity, and the rumor grew two years after her royal divorce from her when she married Martin Jørgensen, a photographer 14 years her junior.
Nicholas (24) and Felix (21) of Denmark, counts of Monzepat. After losing their titles as princes, both deviated from the obligations of royalty to develop themselves in the world of art, fashion and design. Young people are dedicated to modeling, and have starred in campaigns for clothing brands and jewelry brands.
Princess Marie of Denmark (47). The Frenchwoman, Joaquín’s second wife, graduated in Liberal Arts from Marymount Manhattan College, and worked for several years in the communications industry. She met the prince in 2002 on a hunt in Denmark, where they established a friendship that turned into marriage in 2008.
She has a difficult relationship with her sister-in-law, the newly proclaimed Queen Mary of Denmark, so she will not attend the ceremony. The press officer of the Danish Royal Palace, Lene Balleby, has justified the absence of Princess Marie and the counts of Monpezat from Christianborg Palace. “Prince Joachim will be there, but the children go to school, there is no special reason.”
Henry (14) and Athena (11) of Denmark, counts of Monzepat. They are the offspring of princes Joachim and Marie, she being the last in line of succession to the throne. They continue studying basic education.
The Danish royal house will begin the year 2024 just as it ended in 2023, being the protagonist of a complicated relationship between family members. Even so, today will be the great day of Frederick X, who will finally hear the phrase “long live the king.”
