Like many monarchies, the Danish Royal Family tree can be tricky to track. Here's a quick dive to keep you updated on the key members.
Interested in reading up on the Danish royal family? While the British monarchy can receive the lion’s share of the global public’s attention, recently, the Danes have been enjoying a moment in the spotlight. The surprise abdication of Queen Margrethe II in late December 2023 received widespread international press coverage, as did the coronation of her son King Frederik X in January 2024. Add in a glamorous, foreign-born Queen, a young Crown Prince, and a little bit of scandal – before she abdicated, Margrethe stripped the royal titles of some of her grandchildren – and you have a family ripe with intrigue.
Below, a guide to the main members of the Danish Royal Family.
King Frederik X
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The reigning monarch of Denmark and son of Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik. He studied at Aarhus University and later, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Afterwards, he served in all three branches of Denmark’s military.
He married Mary Donaldson in 2004. They have four children: Christian, Isabella, and royal twins Vincent and Josephine. Their son Christian will eventually succeed his father as the King of Denmark. Currently, they live at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.
He ascended to the throne in January 2024 after the surprise abdication of his mother, Queen Margrethe II. Frederik is also known for his passion for environmental causes.
Queen Mary
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark at her husband’s 50th birthday gala banquet on May 26, 2018 in Copenhagen. Photo: Getty Images
Born Mary Donaldson in Hobart, Australia, the future royal spent nearly her entire childhood in Tasmania before moving to Sydney as an adult to work in advertising. During the 2000 Olympic Games, she met the then-Prince Frederik at the Slipp Inn, a Sydney bar. Frederik was with the now King Felipe VI of Spain (then the Prince of Asturias), who happened to know Mary’s roommate. Four years later, they wed at Copenhagen Cathedral.
As the Queen of Denmark, she runs the Mary Foundation, which focuses on combating bullying, domestic violence, and loneliness.
Queen Margrethe II
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The former reigning monarch of Denmark, Queen Margrethe announced during her New Year’s Eve address in 2023 that she was stepping down in favour of her eldest son King Frederik. (It was a surprise announcement—she only told her own family about the decision three days before.)
Born in April 1940—a week after the German invasion of Denmark—to King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, she studied at the University of Copenhagen and Cambridge. In 1967, she married Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, a French diplomat.
She ascended the throne in 1972 upon her father’s death. The monarchy, at the time, was experiencing a record low in popularity. However, through her steadfast leadership, she made the monarchy relevant and beloved again.
Crown Prince Christian of Denmark
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The eldest son of King Frederik and Queen Mary and heir to the Denmark throne. Born in October 2005, the nineteen-year-old just finished a gap year in East Africa where he worked on a farm after graduating high school in June 2024. (“In the royal family, there is a long tradition that the successors to the throne go on extended stays abroad during their youth and have the opportunity to develop and experience the world,” read the palace statement announcing the news.) In early February, he began training with the Denmark military.
In October 2023, the Prince celebrated his 18th birthday with a gala dinner at Christiansborg Palace. Other young royals, including Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, attended.
Princess Isabela
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The first daughter and second child of King Frederik and Queen Mary. Born in April 2007, the 17-year-old is currently studying at Øregård Gymnasium just outside Copenhagen. She lives with her family at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.
Not yet a working royal, Isabella has made a select few official appearances alongside her parents. Recently, she posed for a photo call for her confirmation in April 2022 and also attended her brother’s high school graduation in 2024.
Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine
Photo: Getty Images
The 14-year-old royal twins, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, were born on January 11, 2001.
As young teenagers, Vincent and Josephine remain on the fringes of the royal spotlight—however, their parents shared portraits of the siblings for their recent birthday. Taken at the family’s New Year’s Eve party, it shows Vincent wearing a tuxedo and Josephine in a black sparkly dress along with a blue Hermes bracelet.
Originally published by Vogue.com