Princess Benedikte of Denmark

Princess Benedikte
Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Benedikte at the wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden, 8 June 2013
Born (1944-04-29) 29 April 1944
Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark
Spouse
Issue Gustav, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Princess Alexandra, Countess von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth
Princess Nathalie, Mrs. Johannsmann
Full name
Benedikte Astrid Ingeborg Ingrid
House Glücksburg[1]
Father Frederick 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 the second daughter 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 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 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 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 Church of Holmen in Copenhagen. Her godparents were King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine (her paternal grandparents), Prince Gustav of Denmark (paternal granduncle), 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 grandaunt), Princess Margaretha of Sweden (her fathers first cousin), Sir Alexander Ramsay (maternal granduncle) 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 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.[5]

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, born in Giessen on 29 October 1934. He was the son of Prince Gustav Albrecht, 5th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1907–1944) and his wife, Margareta Fouché d'Otrante (1909–2005). The King decreed that her 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.[6] Prince Richard died on 13 March 2017 after 49 years of marriage.[7]

Children

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

Foreign

Awards and patronages

National

Foreign

Ancestry

References

  1. ↑ "150 years of the House of Glücksborg". 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. ↑ "Stilfuld stilfærdighed" (in Danish). Kristeligt Dagblad. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Conditional Consent, Dynastic Rights and the Danish Law of Succession". Archived from the original on 7 August 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2012. , Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard.
  7. ↑ Paulsen, Tommy M. (14 March 2017). "HH Prince Richard Has Died". kongehuset.dk (in Danish). Royal Family of Denmark. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  8. ↑ 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 (– Scholar search) on 9 May 2008.
  9. ↑ "Three candidates for the FEI Presidency". FEI. International Equestrian Federation. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  10. ↑ "Haya of Jordan Elected FEI President". Phelps Sports. Phelps Sports. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  11. ↑ "Her Royal Highness Princess Benedikte". Danish Royal Court. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 "Honors list". translate.google.com.
  13. ↑ "Photo" (JPG). c7.alamy.com.
  14. ↑ "Princess Benedikte Of Denmark".
  15. ↑ "Photo" (JPG). c7.alamy.com.
  16. ↑ "Princess Benedikte of Denmark attends a State Banquet at... News Photo | Getty Images". gettyimages.co.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  17. 1 2 3 "image of Benedikte wearing insignia".
  18. ↑ "Photo" (JPG). c7.alamy.com.
  19. ↑ "Image: _ben.jpg, (537 × 394 px)". 1.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  20. ↑ "Photo" (JPG). s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com.
  21. ↑ "Image: Crown%2BPrincess%2BWedding%2BGuests%2B17.jpg, (398 × 600 px)". 3.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  22. ↑ "Image: BENEDIKTE+turns+70,+with+sisters,+May+2+2014.jpg, (1024 × 685 px)". 2.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  23. ↑ "Alamy".
  24. ↑ Limited, Alamy. "Stock Photo – Danish Queen Margrethe (front) and Prince Consort Henrik (front) in uniform, Princess Benedikte and Crown Prince Frederik (back L) and pregnant Princess Marie and her husband". Alamy.
  25. ↑ "Image: GroupPhoto--GammaRapho-GettyImages.jpg, (594 × 392 px)". 2.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  26. ↑ "Queen Margrethe II's Silver Jubilee: January 14, 1997 – The Royal Forums". theroyalforums.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  27. ↑ Lotte (16 July 2008). "Danish Royal Watchers: Danish Royals @ 350th anniversary of Danish Life Guards".
  28. ↑ "Image: 741dc845c50d9782a4526162b9c78edd.jpg, (236 × 279 px)". media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  29. ↑ "Image: Balcony2.jpg, (1600 × 461 px)". 2.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  30. ↑ http://c7.alamy.com/comp/EM3FPT/copenhagen-denmark-15th-apr-2015-princess-benedikte-of-denmark-attends-EM3FPT.jpg
  31. ↑ "Image: tumblr_nmv62ngCwc1tihyjzo1_500.jpg, (500 × 333 px)". 36.media.tumblr.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  32. ↑ "Photo" (JPG). 41.media.tumblr.com.
  33. ↑ "The Royal Watcher: Photo". royalwatcher.tumblr.com.
  34. ↑ "Photo". www.theroyalforums.com.
  35. ↑ "Photo" (JPG). 68.media.tumblr.com.
  36. ↑ "Onorificenze – Dettaglio del conferimento". quirinale.it. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  37. ↑ "Photo". s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com.
  38. ↑ "Crown Prince & Princess invested in Order of Francis I". mic.gov.to. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  39. ↑ "Photo". 40.media.tumblr.com.
  40. ↑ "Photo" (JPG). 3.bp.blogspot.com.
  41. ↑ "State Visit Jewels: Mexican Visit to Denmark". www.thecourtjeweller.com.
  42. ↑ "Benedikte wearing the Grand Officer bow on her left chest".
  43. ↑ "Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands Visit Denmark".
  44. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  45. ↑ "Photo" (JPG). upload.wikimedia.org.
  46. ↑ "Photo" (JPG). s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com.
  47. ↑ "9781233271719: Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Jacques Chirac, Prince Claus of the Netherlands – AbeBooks – source wikipedia (author): 1233271717". abebooks.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  48. ↑ "Photo" (PDF). www.boe.es.
  49. ↑ "Photo" (JPG). 40.media.tumblr.com.
  50. ↑ "Swedish State Visit To Denmark".
  51. ↑ "Swedish State Visit To Denmark".
  52. ↑ "Pin by Maura Petzolt on #7A3-2 Benedikte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berlebu…". web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  53. ↑ "Denmark" (PDF). 21 February 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  54. ↑ "Welcome: Pigespejder.dk". pigespejder.dk. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  55. ↑ "World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts – Princess Benedikte Award". ob-ps.org. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  56. ↑ "Princess Benedikte's 70th Birthday | Official Denmark 2014 Stamps and Stamp Issues at face value | WOPA Stamps". wopa-stamps.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  57. ↑ "World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts – Our World: Denmark". wagggs.org. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  58. 1 2 "Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Patron of the 2005 FEI/PSI Freestyle Forum | eurodressage". eurodressage.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  59. ↑ "Princess Benedikte Awarded Her Own Trophy | The Royal Forums". theroyalforums.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  60. ↑ "Princess Benedikte dances at old people's home | Royalista". royalista.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  61. ↑ "The Royal Fanzine: Royal Profile: Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg". royalfanzine.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  62. 1 2 "Honorary Doctorate for Princess Benedikte | The Royal Forums". theroyalforums.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
Princess Benedikte of Denmark
Cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg
Born: 29 April 1944
Lines of succession
Preceded by
Princess Athena of Denmark		 Line of succession to the Danish throne
11th position		 Succeeded by
last in Line
Line of succession to the British throne
descended from Arthur, son of Victoria		 Succeeded by
Gustav, 7th Prince of
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.