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Thursday, April 16, 2020

A girl for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark

April 16, 1940


Crown Princess Ingrid of Denmark gave birth to a daughter today at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.  This is the first child for the Swedish-born Princess and her husband, Crown Prince Frederik, who is the heir apparent to the Danish throne.

The New York Times reports that "flags went to the top of the staffs throughout Denmark" after the announcement that the Crown Princess had been safely delivered of a Princess.  There was "wide rejoicing, even amid the gloom over the country's occupation."   The Nazis invaded Denmark on April 9.

The news of the birth was broadcast, but "it was not heralded by the customary cannon salute," as the firing of cannons" was not popular, due to the political situation.




Women do not have succession rights to the Danish throne.  Had the Crown Princess given birth to a son, he would have moved into second in line to the throne.  For now,  Crown Prince Frederik's younger brother,  Prince Knud, remains second in line.

Fast forward to April 16, 2020.  Queen Margrethe II is celebrating her 80th birthday.  There were plans for a grand celebration, but due to the coronavirus, the party was canceled.

It was in 1953 when a constitutional amendment allowed for female succession and HRH Princess Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid became the heiress presumptive to the Danish throne.


Her baptism, according to the rites of the Danish Lutheran Church, took place on May 14, 1940, at the Holmen Church in Copenhagen.  Her godparents were her paternal grandfather, King Christian X, her paternal uncle, Hereditary Prince Knud, Prince Axel of Denmark, her maternal great-grandfather, King Gustaf V of Sweden, her maternal grandfather, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden (King Gustaf VI Adolf), her maternal uncle, Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbottem, and her maternal great-grandfather, the Duke of Connaught.

The new princess was named for her maternal grandmother, Princess Margaret of Connaught, who in 1905 married the future King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden. She died in 1920.   The other three names were in honor of her paternal grandmother, Queen Alexandrine and her mother, Crown Princess Ingrid.  As King Christian X was also king of Iceland, she was given the Icelandic name Þórhildur.



with grandpa King Christian X


Crown Princess Ingrid, with Margrethe, Prince Ingolf (son of Knud) and King Christian X



Margrethe's marriage on June 10, 1967, to Henri de Laborde de Monpezat (1934-2018), a French diplomat, also took place at the Holmen church.  Eleven months after their wedding,  Margrethe gave birth to a son, Frederik, on May 26, 1968.   Prince Joachim was born on June 7, 1969,  just three days before Margrethe and  Prince Henrik, celebrated their second wedding anniversary.



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KIng Frederik IX died on January 14, 1972.  Margrethe was 31 when she became Queen - as Margrethe II.

Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, the Australian-born Mary Donaldson, have four children: Christian (2005), Isabella (2007 and the twins, Vincent and Josepine(2011).   Prince Joachim has been married twice.  His first marriage to Hong-Kong born Alexandra Manley was dissolved by divorce in 2005.  They have two sons, Princes Nikolai (1999) and Prince Felix (2002).   He married Marie Cavallier, a French national, in 2008 and they have two children:  Prince Henrik (2009) and Princess Athena (2012).







all images: Marlene A Eilers Koenig collection


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