Princess Benedikte of Denmark

Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg RE, SKmd, D.Ht. (Benedikte Astrid Ingeborg Ingrid, born 29 April 1944) is the second daughter and child of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark. She is the younger sister of the reigning Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II, and the older sister of Queen Anne-Marie of Greece.

Princess Benedikte
Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Benedikte at the wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden, 8 June 2013
Born	29 April 1944 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, Mrs. Johannsmann
Full name Benedikte Astrid Ingeborg Ingrid
House	Glücksburg[1]
Father	Frederick IX of Denmark
Mother	Ingrid of Sweden

Princess Benedikte often represents her elder sister at official or semi-official events. She and her late husband, Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, have three children. Princess Benedikte is currently 11th in the line of succession to the Danish throne.[2]

Early life

Birth

Princess Benedikte was born on 29 April 1944 at the Frederick VIII Palace in the Amalienborg Palace Complex in Copenhagen as the second child and daughter of Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark and Crown Princess Ingrid née Princess Ingrid of Sweden. Her father was the eldest son of King Christian X of Denmark and Queen Alexandrine née Duchess Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; and her mother was the only daughter of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden (later King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden) and his first wife Crown Princess Margaret née 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 in the Holmen Church in Copenhagen. Her godparents were King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine (her paternal grandparents), Prince Gustav of Denmark (paternal grand-uncle), King Gustav V of Sweden (maternal great-grandfather), Prince Sigvard, Duke of Uppland (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) and Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom.[4]

Princess Benedikte has one elder sister, Margrethe, present 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 Frederick VIII's Palace at Amalienborg in Copenhagen and in Fredensborg Palace in North Zealand. She spent 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 Frederick 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 Frederick 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.[7] The children of Princess Benedikte are styled as Highnesses in Denmark by an Order in Council. Elsewhere they are Serene Highnesses by courtesy.

Interests

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

Princess Benedikte is very much involved in the Scout/Guide 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.[8]

She is also involved in equestrian sport, and has acted as an honorary patron of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses.[9] 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.[10]

Titles, styles, honours and awards

Benedikte's monogram

As Princess of Denmark, Benedikte is entitled to the style "Her Royal Highness".[11]

Honours

National

•  Denmark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant (R.E.)[12][13][14]
•  Denmark: Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog (S.Kmd.)[12][15][16][17][18]
•  Denmark: Dame of the Royal Family Decoration of King Christian X
•  Denmark: Dame of the Royal Family Decoration of King Frederik IX[19][20]
•  Denmark: Dame of the Royal Family Decoration of Queen Margrethe II[17][21]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Cross of Honour of the Order of the Dannebrog (D.Ht.)[12][17][22]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Homeguard Medal of Merit[12][23][24]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 100th Anniversary Medal of the Birth of King Christian X[12]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 50th Anniversary Medal of the Arrival of Queen Ingrid to Denmark[12]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 50th Birthday Medal of Queen Margrethe II[12]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Silver Anniversary Medal of Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik[12]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Silver Jubilee Medal of Queen Margrethe II[12][25][26]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 100th Anniversary Medal of the Birth of King Frederik IX[12]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Queen Ingrid Commemorative Medal[12]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 75th Birthday Medal of Prince Henrik[12]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 350th Anniversary Medal of the Royal Danish Life Guards[27]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 70th Birthday Medal of Queen Margrethe II[12]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Ruby Jubilee Medal of Queen Margrethe II[12][28][29]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 400th Anniversary Medal of the Guard Hussar Regiment
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 75th Birthday Medal of Queen Margrethe II[12][30][31]
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Golden Anniversary Medal of Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik
•  Denmark: Recipient of the Prince Henrik's Commemorative Medal
•  Denmark: Recipient of the 80th Birthday Medal of Queen Margrethe II

Foreign

•  Argentina: Grand Cross of Order of the Liberator General San Martín[12]
•  Belgium: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown[12]
•  Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose[12][32]
•  Germany: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1st Class[12]
• Greek Royal Family: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Saints Olga and Sophia[12][33][34]
  • Recipient of the Commemorative Badge of the Centenary of the Royal House of Greece
•  Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon[12][35]
• Iranian Imperial Family: Knight Grand Cordon of the Imperial Order of the Crown[12]
•  Italy: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic[12][36][37]
•  Luxembourg: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau[12][38]
•  Mexico: Grand Cross of the Order of the Aztec Eagle[39][40]
•  Monaco: Knight Commander of the Order of the Crown[41]
•  Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown[12][42][43]
•  Netherlands: Recipient of the Wedding Medal of Princess Beatrix, Princess of Orange and Claus Van Amsberg[44]
•  Norway: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav[12][45]
•  Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic[12][46][47]
•  Sweden: Member Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star[12][48][49]
•  Sweden: Recipient of the 50th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf[12]
•  Sweden: Recipient of the Ruby Jubilee Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf[12]
•  Sweden: Recipient of the 70th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf
•  Tunisia: Grand Officer of the Order of the Republic[12]
•   Vatican: Knight of the Decoration of Honour[12][50]

National

•  Denmark: Chairman of the Joint Committee of Girl Guides in Denmark[51]
•  Denmark: Protector of the Green Girl Guides[52]
•  Denmark: Protector of the Danish Guide and Scout Association[53]
•  Denmark: Patron of the Danish World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts[54][55]
•  Denmark: Patron of the Danish Dressage[56]
•  Denmark: Patron of the Danish International Federation for Equestrian Sports[56]
•  Denmark: Patron Award of the Danish Warmblood Society[57]
•  Denmark: Patron of the Alzheimer's Association[58]
•  Denmark: Honorary Member of the Guild of St George in Denmark[59]

Foreign

•  South Korea: Honorary Doctorate of the Seoul Women's University[60]
•  United Kingdom: Patron of the Olave Baden-Powell Society[60]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Princess Benedikte of Denmark

8. Frederick VIII, King of Denmark 4. Christian X, King of Denmark 9. Princess Louise of Sweden 2. Frederick 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

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5. Courtney, Nicholas (1986). Princess Anne: A Biography. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. 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.
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42. "Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands Visit Denmark".
43. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2017.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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External links

• Official web page on Princess Benedikte at the Wayback Machine (archived 14 June 2006)