List of heirs to the Danish throne
House of Oldenburg, Absolute monarchy 1665-1863
Frederick III adopted a Semi-salic law of succession.
Heir |
Status |
Relationship to Monarch |
Became heir |
Ceased to be heir |
Next in succession relation to heir, dates |
Monarch
|
Date |
Reason |
Date |
Reason
|
Christian |
heir apparent |
son |
14 November 1665 |
Hereditary succession established |
9 Feb 1670 |
became king |
George brother |
Frederick III
|
George |
heir presumptive |
brother |
9 Feb 1670 |
brother became king |
11 Oct 1671 |
son born to king |
Anna Sophie sister |
Christian V
|
Crown Prince Frederick |
heir apparent |
son |
11 Oct 1671 |
born |
25 Aug 1699 |
became king |
George, Duke of Cumberland uncle (1671-1672, 1673-1675)
|
Christian William brother (1672-1673)
|
Christian brother (1675-1695)
|
Charles, Count of Holstein brother (1695-1697, 1698-1699)
|
Christian son (1697-1698)
|
Charles, Count of Holstein |
heir presumptive |
brother |
25 Aug 1699 |
brother became king |
10 Dec 1699 |
son born to king |
William brother |
Frederick IV
|
Crown Prince Christian |
heir apparent |
son |
10 Dec 1699 |
born |
12 Oct 1730 |
became king |
Charles, Count of Holstein uncle (1699-1701, 1702-1703, 1704–1723)
|
Frederick brother (1701-1702)
|
George brother (1703-1704)
|
Frederick son (1723-1730)
|
Crown Prince Frederick |
heir apparent |
son |
12 Oct 1730 |
father became king |
6 Aug 1746 |
became king |
Louise sister (1730-1735) |
Christian VI
|
Christian son (1745-1746)
|
Crown Prince Christian |
heir apparent |
son |
6 Aug 1746 |
father became king |
3 Jun 1747 |
died |
Sophia Magdalena sister |
Frederick V
|
Sophia Magdalena |
heir presumptive |
daughter |
3 Jun 1747 |
brother died |
29 Jan 1749 |
son born to king |
Princess Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark sister
|
Crown Prince Christian |
heir apparent |
son |
29 Jan 1749 |
born |
14 Jan 1766 |
became king |
Sophia Magdalena sister (1749-1753)
|
Frederick brother (1753-1766)
|
Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark |
heir presumptive |
brother |
14 Jan 1766 |
brother became king |
28 Jan 1768 |
son born to king |
Sophia Magdalena sister |
Christian VII
|
Crown Prince Frederick |
heir apparent |
son |
28 Jan 1768 |
born |
13 Mar 1808 |
became king |
Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark uncle (1768-1805)
|
Christian cousin (1805-1808)
|
Christian |
heir presumptive |
cousin |
13 Mar 1808 |
cousin became king |
3 Dec 1839 |
became king |
Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark brother (1808) |
Frederick VI
|
Frederick son (1808-1839)
|
Crown Prince Frederick |
heir apparent |
son |
3 Dec 1839 |
father became king |
20 Jan 1848 |
became king |
Ferdinand uncle |
Christian VIII
|
Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark |
heir presumptive |
uncle |
20 Jan 1848 |
nephew became king |
29 Jun 1863 |
died |
disputed, eventually: |
Frederick VII
|
Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg 1st cousin, once removed (1852-1863 by legislation)
|
Christian |
heir presumptive |
2nd cousin |
29 Jun 1863 |
heir died |
15 Nov 1863 |
became king |
Frederik son
|
House of Glücksburg
With both Frederick VII and his uncle, Ferdinand childless, legislation was passed in 1852 to give the Danish throne to Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a great-grandson of Frederick V. Semi-salic law continued to be used until 1953 when male-preference primogeniture was adopted. This lasted until 2009 when absolute primogeniture was put in place.
Heirs to the Danish throne
House of Glücksburg (1863–present)
|
Monarch
|
Heir
|
Relationship to monarch
|
Became heir (Date; Reason)
|
Ceased to be heir (Date; Reason)
|
Next in line of succession
|
Christian IX
|
Crown Prince Frederick
|
Son
|
16 November 1863 Father became king
|
29 January 1906 Father died, became king
|
Prince Valdemar[a], 1863–1870, brother
|
Prince Christian, 1870–1906, son
|
Frederick VIII
|
Crown Prince Christian
|
Son
|
29 January 1906 Father became king
|
14 May 1912 Father died, became king
|
Prince Frederik, son
|
Christian X
|
Crown Prince Frederik
|
Son
|
14 May 1912 Father became king
|
20 April 1947 Father died, became king
|
Prince Knud, brother
|
Frederik IX
|
Hereditary Prince Knud
|
Brother
|
20 April 1947 Brother became king
|
5 June 1953 Law of succession changed
|
Prince Ingolf, son
|
Princess Margrethe
|
Daughter
|
5 June 1953 Law of succession changed[b]
|
14 January 1972 Father died, became queen
|
Princess Benedikte, 1953–1968, sister
|
Prince Frederik, 1968–1972, son
|
Margrethe II
|
Crown Prince Frederik
|
Son
|
14 January 1972 Mother became queen
|
14 January 2024 Mother abdicated, became king
|
Prince Joachim, 1972–2005, brother
|
Prince Christian, 2005–2024, son
|
Frederik X
|
Crown Prince Christian
|
Son
|
14 January 2024 Father became king
|
Incumbent
|
Princess Isabella, 2024–present, sister
|
Notes
|
|