Princess Benedikte of Denmark

Princess Benedikte
Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Benedikte in 2013
Born	(1944-04-29) 29 April 1944 (age 80) Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark
Spouse	Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg ​ ​ (m. 1968;died 2017)​
Issue	Gustav, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Princess Alexandra, Countess Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille Princess Nathalie
Names Benedikte Astrid Ingeborg Ingrid
House	Glücksburg [1]
Father	Frederik IX of Denmark
Mother	Ingrid of Sweden

Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg RE, SKmd, D.Ht. (Benedikte Astrid Ingeborg Ingrid, born 29 April 1944) is a member of the Danish royal family. She is the second daughter and child of King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark. She is the younger sister of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and therefore the aunt of Margrethe's son, the current King of Denmark, Frederik X. She is also an older sister of Queen Anne-Marie of Greece.

Princess Benedikte often represents the Danish monarch at official or semi-official events. She and her late husband, Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, had three children. Princess Benedikte is currently tenth and last in the line of succession to the Danish throne. ^[2]

Early life

Birth and family

Princess Benedikte's birthplace: Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg

Princess Benedikte was born on 29 April 1944 at Frederik VIII's Palace, her parents' residence at the Amalienborg palace complex, the principal residence of the Danish royal family in the district of Frederiksstaden in central Copenhagen. She was the second child and daughter of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid of Denmark. Her father was the eldest son of King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine of Denmark, and her mother was the only daughter of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden and his first wife, Princess Margaret of Connaught.

Her birth took place during Nazi Germany's Occupation of Denmark. The day after the birth of the princess, members of the Danish resistance group Holger Danske performed a salute of 21 bombs in the Ørstedsparken public park in central Copenhagen as a reference to the traditional 21-gun salute performed by the Danish Army and Navy at the occasion of royal births. ^[3]

She was baptised on 24 May 1944, her parents' 9th wedding anniversary, in the Holmen Church in Copenhagen. Her godparents were King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine of Denmark (her paternal grandparents); Prince Gustav of Denmark (paternal grand-uncle); King Gustaf V of Sweden (maternal great-grandfather), Sigvard Bernadotte (maternal uncle); Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark (paternal aunt by marriage); Princess Ingeborg of Denmark (paternal grand-aunt); Princess Margaretha of Sweden (her father's first cousin); Sir Alexander Ramsay (maternal grand-uncle by marriage) and Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom. ^[4]

Princess Benedikte has one elder sister, Margrethe, former Queen of Denmark, and a younger sister, Anne Marie, who was born in 1946 and married Constantine II of Greece.

Childhood and education

Princess Benedikte as a bridesmaid at the 1962 wedding of Princess Birgitta of Sweden and Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern

Princess Benedikte and her sisters grew up in apartments at Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg in Copenhagen and in Fredensborg Palace in North Zealand. She spent the summer holidays with the royal family at her parents' summer residence at Gråsten Palace in Southern Jutland. On 20 April 1947, King Christian X died and Benedikte's father ascended the throne as King Frederik IX.

At the time of her father's accession to the throne, only males could ascend the throne of Denmark. As her parents had no sons, it was assumed that her uncle Prince Knud would one day assume the throne. The popularity of Frederik IX and his daughters and the more prominent role of women in Danish life paved the way for a new Act of Succession in 1953 which permitted female succession to the throne following the principle of male-preference primogeniture, where a female can ascend to the throne if she has no brothers. Benedikte's elder sister Margrethe therefore became heir presumptive, and Princess Benedikte and Princess Anne-Marie became second and third in the line of succession.

Princess Benedikte was educated at N. Zahle's School, a private school in Copenhagen, followed by stays at a boarding school (Benenden School) ^[5] in England and a Swiss finishing school. In 1965 she took a class at the Margrethe-Skolen, a private fashion and design school in Copenhagen. ^[6]

Marriage

Princess Benedikte with Prince Richard before their marriage

Benedikte was married on 3 February 1968 at Fredensborg Palace Church to Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1934–2017). They had three children:

• Prince Gustav (born 12 January 1969).

• Princess Alexandra (born 20 November 1970).

• Princess Nathalie (born 2 May 1975).

The King had decreed that Princess Benedikte's children would need to be raised in Denmark in order to have succession rights. Since the condition was not met, Princess Benedikte's three children are not in line to succeed to the throne. The children of Princess Benedikte are styled as Highnesses by a Danish Order in Council.

Interests

Princess Benedikte at the summer camp of The Danish Guide and Scout Association in 1999

Princess Benedikte is very much involved in the Girl Guide and Girl Scout organization in Denmark as well as internationally. When she was a child, a special Scout unit was created so that she could join the Guides. Now her involvement is more at the organisational level as she is chairman for Pigespejdernes Fællesråd Danmark (Joint Committee of Girl Guides in Denmark). She is patron of De grønne pigespejdere (The Green Girl Guides, Denmark) and Det Danske Spejderkorps (The Danish Guide and Scout Association). In addition, she is patron of the Olave Baden Powell Society (OB-PS), a support organisation for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. She is an honorary member of the St George's Guilds in Denmark. In 2007 she was awarded with a prize of honour by this Scout association for adults. ^[7]

She is also involved in equestrian sport, and has acted as an honorary patron of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses. ^[8] In 2006, she ran in an election for president of the International Equestrian Federation, but she was heavily defeated, earning only 16 votes and placing last out of the three candidates. ^[9]

Titles, styles, honours and awards

Benedikte's monogram

As Princess of Denmark, Benedikte is entitled to the style "Her Royal Highness". ^[10]

Honours

See also: List of honours of the Danish Royal Family by country

National

Orders and appointments

• 20 April 1947: Knight of the Order of the Elephant (R.E.) ^[11]
• 27 January 1993: Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog (S.Kmd.) ^[11]

Medals and decorations

•   Denmark: Knight of the Decoration of the Cross of Honour of the Dannebrog (D.Ht.) ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the Homeguard Medal of Merit ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the 100th Anniversary Medal of the Birth of King Christian X ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the 50th Anniversary Medal of the Arrival of Queen Ingrid to Denmark ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the 50th Birthday Medal of Queen Margrethe II ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the Silver Anniversary Medal of Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the Silver Jubilee Medal of Queen Margrethe II ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the 100th Anniversary Medal of the Birth of King Frederik IX ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the Queen Ingrid Commemorative Medal ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the 75th Birthday Medal of Prince Henrik ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the 70th Birthday Medal of Queen Margrethe II ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the Ruby Jubilee Medal of Queen Margrethe II ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the 75th Birthday Medal of Queen Margrethe II ^[11]
•   Denmark: Recipient of the Golden Jubilee Medal of Queen Margrethe II

Foreign

•   Argentina: Grand Cross of Order of the Liberator General San Martín ^[11]
•   Belgium: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown ^[11]
•   Egypt: Grand Cross of the Order of the Virtues ^[12]
•   Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland ^[11]
•   Germany: Grand Cross, 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany ^[11]
• Greek Royal Family:
  • Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Saints Olga and Sophia ^[11]
  • Recipient of the Commemorative Badge of the Centenary of the Royal House of Greece
•   Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon ^[11]
• Iranian Imperial Family: Knight Grand Cordon of the Imperial Order of the Crown ^[11]
•   Italy: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ^{[11] [13]}
•   Luxembourg: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau ^[11]
•   Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown ^[11]
•   Norway: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav ^[11]
•   Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic ^{[11] [14]}
•   Sweden:
  • Member Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star ^[11]
  • Recipient of the 50th Birthday Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf ^[11]
  • Recipient of the King Carl XVI Gustaf Ruby Jubilee Medal ^[11]
•   Tunisia: Grand Officer of the Order of the Republic ^[11]
• Two Sicilian Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Francis I ^[15]
•   Vatican: Knight of the Decoration of Honour ^[11]

Awards and patronages

National

•   Denmark: Chairman of the Joint Committee of Girl Guides in Denmark ^[16]
•   Denmark: Protector of the Green Girl Guides ^[17]
•   Denmark: Protector of the Danish Guide and Scout Association ^[18]
•   Denmark: Patron of the Danish World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts ^{[19] [20]}
•   Denmark: Patron of the Danish Dressage ^[21]
•   Denmark: Patron of the Danish International Federation for Equestrian Sports ^[21]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Princess Benedikte of Denmark

8. Frederik VIII, King of Denmark 4. Christian X, King of Denmark 9. Princess Louise of Sweden 2. Frederik IX, King of Denmark 10. Frederick Francis III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg 5. Duchess Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 11. Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia 1. Princess Benedikte of Denmark 12. Gustav V, King of Sweden 6. Gustaf VI Adolf, King of Sweden 13. Princess Victoria of Baden 3. Princess Ingrid of Sweden 14. Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn 7. Princess Margaret of Connaught 15. Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia

References

Citations

1. "150 years of the House of Glücksborg". 15 November 2013. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
2. Succession to the throne Archived 8 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine – Official website of the Danish Monarchy
3. Peter Øvig Knudsen: Efter drabet (s. 191), forlaget Press, Oslo 2003, ISBN   82-7547-119-2
4. Prinsesse Benediktes fødsel og dåb Archived 3 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine – Website of the Danish National Archives.
5. Courtney, Nicholas (1986). Princess Anne: A Biography. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN   9780297789581 . Retrieved 22 April 2020. The school helped too, although Miss Gee admitted to having a Royal charge 'a bit of a shock, but we had had a princess at Benenden before - a Danish one [Benedikte] - and after she [Anne] had arrived, it was all perfectly normal.
6. "Stilfuld stilfærdighed" (in Danish). Kristeligt Dagblad. 28 April 2004. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
7. Rosenbom, Niels (December 2007). "Prize of honour to HRH Princess Benedikte". World Gazette Mondiale-News from the International Scout and Guide Fellowship (an organisation for adults)-ISGF. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2008.
8. "Three candidates for the FEI Presidency". FEI. International Equestrian Federation. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
9. "Haya of Jordan Elected FEI President". Phelps Sports. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
10. "Her Royal Highness Princess Benedikte". Danish Royal Court. Archived from the original on 12 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
11. "Honors list". translate.google.com.
12. ChristinZ [@ChristinsQueens] (6 December 2024). "Princess Benedikte was awarded the second class (1st Class) of the Order of Virtues (Al-Kamal) by Egyptian President" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
13. "Onorificenze – Dettaglio del conferimento". quirinale.it. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
14. "Photo" (PDF). www.boe.es.
15. "The Duchess of Calabria and HRH Princess Benedikte of Denmark jointly hold charity event for the Olave Baden Powell Association - Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George". 17 October 2002.
16. "Denmark" (PDF). 21 February 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
17. "Welcome: Pigespejder.dk". pigespejder.dk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
18. "World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts – Princess Benedikte Award". ob-ps.org. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
19. "Princess Benedikte's 70th Birthday | Official Denmark 2014 Stamps and Stamp Issues at face value | WOPA Stamps". wopa-stamps.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
20. "World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts – Our World: Denmark". wagggs.org. Retrieved 15 September 2015.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
21. "Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Patron of the 2005 FEI/PSI Freestyle Forum | eurodressage". eurodressage.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.

Bibliography

• Bloch Skipper, Jon (2008). Tre søstre : samtaler mellem dronning Margrethe, prinsesse Benedikte og dronning Anne-Marie[Three sisters: conversations between Queen Margrethe, Princess Benedikte and Queen Anne-Marie] (in Danish). Copenhagen: Lindhardt og Ringhof. ISBN   978-87-11-30060-2.
• Bramsen, Bo (1992). Huset Glücksborg. Europas svigerfader og hans efterslægt[The House of Glücksburg. The Father-in-law of Europe and his descendants] (in Danish) (2nd ed.). Copenhagen: Forlaget Forum. ISBN   87-553-1843-6.
• Lerche, Anna; Mandal, Marcus (2003). A royal family : the story of Christian IX and his European descendants. Copenhagen: Aschehoug. ISBN   9788715109577.

External links

• Official web page on Princess Benedikte

Princess Benedikte of Denmark House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg Cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg Born: 29 April 1944
Lines of succession
Preceded by Countess Athena of Monpezat	Succession to the Danish throne 10th position	Succeeded by last in line