Danish Royal Christenings

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

The Danish Royal Family are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark sometimes called The Church of Denmark, the established, state-supported church in Denmark. The sovereign is the supreme secular authority in the church. Most recent Danish royal christenings have been held at the Holmens Kirke or the Fredensborg Palace Chapel.

Holmens Kirke; Credit – Wikipedia

The building that is now occupied by the Holmens Kirke in Copenhagen, Denmark was first used as a forge for anchors. In 1619, King Christian IV had it converted into a church for the naval personnel who were housed in the area. King Frederik IX had a career in the Royal Danish Navy and had a great love for the sea. Perhaps that was the reason his three children were christened at Holmens Kirke. His elder daughter and successor Queen Margrethe was also married there.

Fredensborg Palace; Credit – By Glån – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12668133

Fredensborg Palace is located in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand in Denmark.  Queen Margrethe II uses the palace for three months in the spring and three months in the autumn. It has always been considered a “family home” for the Danish royal family. During the reign of King Christian IX, his extended family gathered at Fredensborg each summer. Christian’s children included Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, King George I of Greece and his successor King Frederik VIII of Denmark.  He had 39 grandchildren and his grandsons included Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, King Constantine I of Greece, King George V of the United Kingdom, King Christian X of Denmark and King Haakon VII of Norway. Over the years, numerous large family reunions were held at Fredensborg Palace with children, in-laws, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  The current Danish royal family continues the practice and it is a logical site for family christenings.

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Danish royal christening gown

It is interesting to note that among the godparents of Queen Margrethe II, who was born in 1940, is Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, her maternal great-grandfather, the son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. The Duke of Connaught died in 1942 at the age of 91. His sister Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll also died at the age of 91, making both Arthur and Louise the longest-lived of Queen Victoria’s children.

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King Frederik IX of Denmark

Four generations of Danish Kings: Prince Frederik (IX) standing on the chair surrounded by (left to right) his great-grandfather King Christian IX, his father Prince Christian (X), his grandfather Crown Prince Frederik (VIII); Credit – Wikipedia

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Queen Ingrid of Denmark, born Princess Ingrid of Sweden, wife of King Frederik IX

Ingrid on the right with her family at the christening of her brother Bertil; Credit – Wikipedia

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Queen Margrethe of Denmark

(see below)

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Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Princess Benedikte on the left with her sisters Margrethe and Anne-Marie; Credit – Wikipedia

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Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark, Queen of Greece

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King Christian X of Denmark and Queen Alexandrine who is holding Princess Anne-Marie and their grandchildren. From left, Prince Christian to the left of the queen, Princess Benedikte between the king and queen; in the back Princess Elisabeth, Prince Ingolf and Princess Margrethe

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Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

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Margrethe and her parents

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King Frederik X of Denmark

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Crown Prince Christian of Denmark

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Crown Princess Mary holding her son as his father and godparents, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Crown Princess Mett-Marit of Norway and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, look on

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Princess Isabella of Denmark

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Crown Princess Mary holds her daughter Princess Isabella while Crown Prince Frederik holds their son Prince Christian, with Isabella’s godparents from left: Major Peter Heering, Nadine Johnston, Maria Louise Skeel, Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark and Christian Buchwald

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Prince Vincent of Denmark

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Prince Josephine of Denmark

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Prince Joachim of Denmark

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