2024 has been a year of change for the Danish royal family with King Frederik X acceding to the throne on 14 January after his mother, Queen Margrethe announced her decision to abdicate in her New Year's address. Join HELLO! as we take you through the key members of the Danish royal family and the current line of succession...
Denmark's royal family tree
© HELLO!Queen Margrethe
© INGRID RIISBorn on 16 April 1940, Margrethe became Queen of Denmark on 14 January 1972, following the death of her father, Frederik IX. However, at the time of her birth, only males were allowed to ascend to the throne, and as such, the heir presumptive was Margrethe's uncle, Prince Knud. Due to Frederik's personal popularity and of Margrethe and her two sisters, Benedikte and Anne-Marie, laws were changed by successive parliaments and a referendum.
In 2023, Margrethe was recognised as the longest-serving ruler in Danish history, and she held her Golden Jubilee in 2022. On 31 December 2023, and following a back surgery, the monarch announced her decision to abdicate and she was formally succeeded by her son on 14 January 2024, 52 years after her reign began.
On 5 October 1966, her engagement to Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, a French nobleman, and they walked down the aisle on 10 June 1967. The couple remained together until Prince Henri's death on 13 February 2018. The pair welcomed two children, King Frederik and Prince Joachim.
Prince Henrik
© Max Mumby/IndigoBorn on 11 June 1934 as Henrik de Laborde de Monpezat, Henrik met Queen Margrethe when she was studying in London and he was working at the French embassy. During his life, Henrik supported the Queen in her royal duties, but also grew frustrated at his own lack of seniority, famously heading to France for three weeks in 2002 when his son, Frederik, was appointed to host a New Year's gala due to Margrethe's absence.
On 1 January 2016, Henrik stood back from his royal duties, and a year later on 6 September 2017, it was confirmed that the royal had been diagnosed with dementia. Henrik was hospitalised on 28 January 2018 due to a benign tumour in his lung, and on 13 February 2018, he was transferred from hospital to the Fredensborg Palace where he died later that day at the age of 83. Henrik was cremated and half of his ashes were scattered at sea while the other half were interred in a private part of the gardens at the Palace.
Princess Benedikte
© Milos BicanskiBorn on 29 April 1944, Benedikte is Margrethe's younger sister and is currently tenth and last in line to the throne. On 3 February 1968, Benedikte married Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and the pair welcomed three children: Prince Gustav, Princess Alexandra and Princess Nathalie. Benedikte's father Frederik IX decreed that her children would have to be raised in Denmark to have succession rights, however, this was not met.
On 13 March 2017, Richard died at the age of 82. Benedikte is still seen representing the Danish monarchy when needed.
Queen Anne-Marie
© Max Mumby/IndigoAnne-Marie is the youngest sister of Margrethe and was born on 30 August 1946. On 18 September 1964, just two weeks after she turned 18, Anne-Marie married King Constantine of Greece, who she had first met when she was aged 12. The Danish royal immediately became his Queen Consort and together they welcomed five children: Princess Alexia, Crown Prince Pavlos, Prince Nikolaos, Princess Theodora and Prince Philippos.
Anne-Marie and Constantine were exiled from Greece in 1967 following a military coup and in 1974, the Greek people voted to abolish the monarchy in a referendum. Constantine died following a stroke on 10 January 2023.
King Frederik
© Pierre SuuBorn on 26 May 1968, Frederik is the current King of Denmark, succeeding his mother to the throne on 14 January 1972. Frederik was given his name due to it being custom for Danish kings to be called either Frederik or Christian; his eldest son has the latter name. While in attendance at the 2000 Olympics Games in Athens, Frederik met Mary Donaldson and the pair married in 2004.
The royal couple have welcomed four children: Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
Queen Mary
© Carlos AlvarezBorn as Mary Donaldson on 5 February 1972, the current Queen of Denmark met her husband at the 2000 Olympic Games, which were held in her home country of Australia. At the time of meeting her future husband, Mary was working as an accounts manager for Love Branding. The royal couple have welcomed four children: Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
Prince Joachim
© Pascal Le SegretainBorn on 7 June 1969, Prince Joachim is the youngest son of Queen Margrethe and the younger brother of King Frederik X. Joachim initially married Alexandra Manley, a Hong Kong-born sales and marketing executive, with the pair welcoming two sons: Count Nikolai and Count Felix. However, on 8 April 2005, the pair's divorce was finalised.
On 24 May 2008, the 73rd anniversary of his grandparent's wedding, Joachim married French-born Marie Cavallier and the pair have since welcomed a son, Count Henrik, and a daughter, Countess Athena.
Princess Marie
© Pierre SuuBorn on 6 February 1976, Marie is the second wife of Prince Joachim and the pair have welcomed two children, Count Henrik and Countess Athena. Marie has held several advertising positions before marrying Joachim and the pair were first linked in 2005.
Crown Prince Christian
© Martin Sylvest AndersenBorn on 15 October 2005, Crown Prince Christian is the heir apparent to his father, Frederik X. Due to Danish custom of kings being named Frederik or Christian, his parents chose to give him the latter name. As he only turned 18 in 2023, Christian has only recently begun taking on royal duties, including being sworn in as a Counsellor of State, who can undertake duties when the monarch is unavailable.
Princess Isabella
© Ole JensenBorn on 21 April 2007, Princess Isabella is currently second in line to the throne. Due to her young age, Isabella has not yet started undertaking royal duties and is currently studying at Øregård Gymnasium, like her father and uncle.
Prince Vincent
© IDA MARIE ODGAARDPrince Vincent was born on 8 January 2011 and is the twin brother of Princess Josephine, and the third child of Frederik and Mary. The young royal is studying at Tranegårdsskolen, the same school his older siblings attended.
Princess Josephine
© IDA MARIE ODGAARDPrincess Josephine is the youngest child of Frederik and Mary and was born half an hour after her older twin brother, Prince Vincent. Like Vincent, she is also studying at Tranegårdsskolen.
Count Nikolai
© Pascal Le SegretainBorn on 28 August 1999, Count Nikolai is the oldest child of Prince Joachim and Alexandra. Initially styled as a Prince, on 1 January 2023, he alongside his siblings were stripped of their royal titles by Queen Margrethe who wanted to give them more independence. Nikolai is currently working as a model and is also studying at the University of Technology Sydney.
Count Felix
© MIKKEL BERG PEDERSENBorn on 22 July 2002, Count Felix is the youngest child of Joachim and Alexandra. Like his older brother, Felix has found work as a model, working for jeweller Georg Jensen, but he is also studying at the Royal Danish Military Academy.
Count Henrik
© Patrick van KatwijkBorn on 4 May 2009, Henrik is the oldest son of Joachim and Princess Marie. With his family now living in Washington D.C., Henrik is going to a school there, after previously studying at the École Internationale Bilingue in France.
Countess Athena
© Patrick van KatwijkBorn on 24 January 2012, Countess Athena is the youngest member of the Danish royal family and the youngest child of Joachim and Marie. Like her older brother, Athena is currently studying at a school in Washington D.C.
Line of succession
- Crown Prince Christian
- Princess Isabella
- Prince Vincent
- Princess Josephine
- Prince Joachim
- Count Nikolai
- Count Felix
- Count Henrik
- Countess Athena
- Princess Benedikte
