Prince Knud of Denmark
Encyclopedia
Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, formerly Prince of Denmark and Iceland (Knud Christian Frederik Michael) (27 July 1900 – 14 June 1976) was the second son and youngest child of King Christian X
and Queen Alexandrine
. From 1947 to 1953, he was heir presumptive
of his older brother King Frederick IX
, and would have become king in his turn, but a change in the constitution caused him to lose his place in the succession to his niece, Margrethe II
.
in Sorgenfri
, Denmark
. He married his first cousin, Princess Caroline-Mathilde
, on 8 September 1933 at Fredensborg Palace
. They had three children:
fathered no sons, the Danish law of succession declared that his younger brother would succeed him as next king. Consequently, Prince Knud was heir presumptive
since the death of King Christian X in 1947. Knud was married to Princess Caroline-Mathilde and officially referred to as Arveprins Knud.
The name Knud (sometimes anglicized as Knut
or Canute) was borne by six early Danish kings. The most well known of these was King Canute the Great, and the last was King Canute VI
who died in 1202.
King Frederick IX had, however, fathered three daughters, who were unable to inherit their father's throne due to the law of succession. In 1953, the Constitution
was amended to allow cognatic primogeniture. The new law made thirteen-year-old Princess Margrethe
the new heiress presumptive, placing her and her two sisters before Prince Knud and his family in the line of succession. (Upon her 1964 marriage to then-King Constantine II of Greece, Princess Anne-Marie, the youngest of King Frederick's daughters, renounced her rights to the Danish throne.)
Frederick IX died, and was succeeded by Margrethe, in 1972. Prince Knud died in Gentofte
on 14 June 1976.
in honor of Prince Knud.
At the time, Prince Knud was protector of Sydslesvigsk Studie- og Hjælpefond (Study and relief fund of Southern Schleswig
),(see Danish minority of Southern Schleswig
), an area that could be considered the birthplace of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the royal family Knud was a part of.
Christian X of Denmark
Christian X was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and the only King of Iceland between 1918 and 1944....
and Queen Alexandrine
Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Alexandrine Auguste of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was the queen consort of King Christian X of Denmark.-Family:She was born a Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, in the city of Schwerin...
. From 1947 to 1953, he was heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
of his older brother King Frederick IX
Frederick IX of Denmark
Frederick IX was King of Denmark from 20 April 1947 until his death on 14 January 1972....
, and would have become king in his turn, but a change in the constitution caused him to lose his place in the succession to his niece, Margrethe II
Margrethe II of Denmark
Margrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:...
.
Family
Prince Knud was born at Sorgenfri PalaceSorgenfri Palace
Sorgenfri Palace is a royal residence of the Danish monarch, located in the Lyngby-Taarbæk municipality in Greater Copenhagen....
in Sorgenfri
Sorgenfri
Sorgenfri is a neighbourhood in Lyngby-Taarbæk municipality in Greater Copenhagen lying just north of Kongens Lyngby. It is the site of Sorgenfri Palace....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. He married his first cousin, Princess Caroline-Mathilde
Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark
Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark and Iceland was a crown princess of Denmark by marriage to Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark.-Birth:...
, on 8 September 1933 at Fredensborg Palace
Fredensborg Palace
Fredensborg Palace, , is a palace located on the eastern shore of Lake Esrum in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It is the Danish Royal Family’s spring and autumn residence, and is often the site of important state visits and events in the Royal Family...
. They had three children:
- HH Princess Elisabeth Caroline-Mathilde Alexandrine Helena Olga Thyra Feodora Estrid Margarethe DésiréePrincess Elisabeth of DenmarkPrincess Elisabeth of Denmark, is the daughter of Hereditary Prince Knud and Hereditary Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark.-Biography:She is a first cousin of Queen Margrethe II, and is last in...
(born 8 May 1935) - HH Prince Ingolf Christian Frederik Knud Harald Gorm Gustav Viggo Valdemar Aage of DenmarkCount Ingolf of RosenborgCount Ingolf of Rosenborg, , is a grandson of King Christian X of Denmark and first cousin of the present Queen Margrethe II...
(17 February 1940). Lost his title and became HE Count Ingolf of Rosenborg after marrying without consent to Inge Terney. - HH Prince Christian Frederik Franz Knud Harald Carl Oluf Gustav Georg Erik of DenmarkCount Christian of RosenborgCount Christian of Rosenborg, a former Danish and Icelandic prince now Grev Christian af Rosenborg , who was high in the line of hereditary succession to the throne of Denmark until the new right of females of the royal family to inherit the crown displaced his branch of the dynasty in favor of...
(22 October 1942). Lost his title and became HE Count Christian of Rosenborg after marrying without consent to Anne Dorte Maltoft-Nielsen. He has issue.
Succession
Since King Frederick IXFrederick IX of Denmark
Frederick IX was King of Denmark from 20 April 1947 until his death on 14 January 1972....
fathered no sons, the Danish law of succession declared that his younger brother would succeed him as next king. Consequently, Prince Knud was heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
since the death of King Christian X in 1947. Knud was married to Princess Caroline-Mathilde and officially referred to as Arveprins Knud.
The name Knud (sometimes anglicized as Knut
Knut
Knut , Knud , or Knútur is a Scandinavian first name, of which the anglicised form is Cnut or Canute. In Germany both "Knut" and "Knud" are used...
or Canute) was borne by six early Danish kings. The most well known of these was King Canute the Great, and the last was King Canute VI
Canute VI of Denmark
Canute VI was King of Denmark . Canute VI was the eldest son of King Valdemar I and Sophia of Polotsk.-Life:...
who died in 1202.
King Frederick IX had, however, fathered three daughters, who were unable to inherit their father's throne due to the law of succession. In 1953, the Constitution
Constitution of Denmark
The Constitutional Act of Denmark is the Kingdom of Denmark's constitution, or fundamental law. Originally verified in 1849, the last revision was signed on 5 June 1953 as "the existing law, for all to unswerving comply with, the Constitutional Act of Denmark".-Idea and structure:The main...
was amended to allow cognatic primogeniture. The new law made thirteen-year-old Princess Margrethe
Margrethe II of Denmark
Margrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:...
the new heiress presumptive, placing her and her two sisters before Prince Knud and his family in the line of succession. (Upon her 1964 marriage to then-King Constantine II of Greece, Princess Anne-Marie, the youngest of King Frederick's daughters, renounced her rights to the Danish throne.)
Frederick IX died, and was succeeded by Margrethe, in 1972. Prince Knud died in Gentofte
Gentofte
Gentofte Kommune is a municipality in the Capital Region of Denmark on the east coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 68,913...
on 14 June 1976.
Protector
In 1953 a students home in Copenhagen/Denmark was named "Arveprins Knuds Kollegium"in honor of Prince Knud.
At the time, Prince Knud was protector of Sydslesvigsk Studie- og Hjælpefond (Study and relief fund of Southern Schleswig
Southern Schleswig
Southern Schleswig denotes the southern half of the former Duchy of Schleswig on the Jutland Peninsula. The geographical area today covers the thirty or forty northernmost kilometers of Germany up to the Flensburg Fjord, where it borders on Denmark...
),(see Danish minority of Southern Schleswig
Danish minority of Southern Schleswig
The Danish ethnic minority in Southern Schleswig, Germany, has existed by this name since 1920, when the Schleswig Plebiscite split German-ruled Schleswig into two parts: Northern Schleswig, with a Danish majority and a German minority was united with Denmark, while Southern Schleswig remained a...
), an area that could be considered the birthplace of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the royal family Knud was a part of.
Titles and styles
- 27 July 1900 – 20 April 1947: His Royal Highness Prince Knud of Denmark
- 20 April 1947 – 27 March 1953: His Royal Highness The Heir to the Throne, Prince Knud of Denmark
- 27 March 1953 – 14 June 1976: His Royal Highness Hereditary Prince Knud of Denmark