List of heirs to the Danish throne

Heirs to the Danish throne

Heirs to the Danish throne
House of Oldenburg (1665–1863)
Monarch Heir Relationship
to monarch
Became heir
(Date; Reason)
Ceased to be heir
(Date; Reason)
Next in line of succession
Frederik III Crown Prince Christian Son 14 November 1665
King's Law established
9 February 1670
Father died, became king
Prince Jørgen, brother
Christian V Prince Jørgen Brother 9 February 1670
Brother became king
2 October 1671
Son born to king
Anna Sophie, Hereditary Electress of Saxony, sister
Crown Prince Frederik Son 2 October 1671
Born
25 August 1699
Father died, became king
Prince Jørgen, 1671–1672, uncle
Prince Christian Vilhelm, 1672–1673, brother
Prince Jørgen, 1673–1675, uncle
Prince Christian, 1675–1695, brother
Prince Carl, 1695–1697, brother
Prince Christian, 1697–1698, son
Prince Carl, 1698–1699, brother
Frederik IV Prince Carl Brother 25 August 1699
Brother became king
10 December 1699
Son born to king
Prince Vilhelm, brother
Crown Prince Christian Son 10 December 1699
Born
12 October 1730
Father died, became king
Prince Carl, 1699–1701, uncle
Prince Frederik Karl, 1701–1702, brother
Prince Carl, 1702–1703, uncle
Prince Jørgen, 1703–1704, brother
Prince Carl, 1704–1723, uncle
Prince Frederik, 1723–1730, son
Christian VI Crown Prince Frederik Son 12 October 1730
Father became king
6 August 1746
Father died, became king
Princess Louise, 1730–1745, sister
Prince Christian, 1745–1746, son
Frederik V Crown Prince Christian Son 6 August 1746
Father became king
3 June 1747
Died
Princess Sophie Magdalene, sister
Princess Sophie Magdalene Daughter 3 June 1747
Brother died
29 January 1749
Son born to king
Princess Louise, 1747, aunt
Princess Vilhelmine Karoline, 1747–1749, sister
Crown Prince Christian Son 29 January 1749
Born
14 January 1766
Father died, became king
Princess Sophie Magdalene, 1749–1753, sister
Prince Frederik, 1753–1766, half-brother
Christian VII Hereditary Prince Frederik Half-brother 14 January 1766
Half-brother became king
28 January 1768
Son born to king
Sophie Magdalene, Crown Princess of Sweden, half-sister
Crown Prince Frederik Son 28 January 1768
Born
13 March 1808
Father died, became king
Prince Frederik, 1768–1791, uncle
Prince Christian, 1791, son
Prince Frederik, 1791–1797, uncle
Prince Christian, 1797, son
Prince Frederik, 1797–1805, uncle
Prince Christian Frederik, 1805–1808, first cousin
Frederik VI Hereditary Prince Christian Frederik First cousin 13 March 1808
First cousin became king
3 December 1839
First cousin died, became king
Prince Ferdinand, 1808, brother
Prince Frederik, 1808–1839, son
Christian VIII Crown Prince Frederik Son 3 December 1839
Father became king
20 January 1848
Father died, became king
Prince Ferdinand, uncle
Frederik VII Hereditary Prince Ferdinand Uncle 20 January 1848
Nephew became king
29 June 1863
Died
Succession uncertain, 1848–1853
Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg[a],
1853–1863, first cousin once-removed
Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg Second cousin 29 June 1863
First cousin once-removed died
15 November 1863
Second cousin died, became king
Prince Frederik of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, son
House of Glücksburg (1863–present)
Monarch Heir Relationship
to monarch
Became heir
(Date; Reason)
Ceased to be heir
(Date; Reason)
Next in line of succession
Christian IX Crown Prince Frederik Son 15 November 1863
Father became king
29 January 1906
Father died, became king
Prince Valdemar[b], 1863–1870, brother
Prince Christian, 1870–1906, son
Frederik VIII Crown Prince Christian Son 29 January 1906
Father became king
14 May 1912
Father died, became king
Prince Frederik, son
Christian X Crown Prince Frederik Son 14 May 1912
Father became king
20 April 1947
Father died, became king
Prince Knud, brother
Frederik IX Hereditary Prince Knud Brother 20 April 1947
Brother became king
5 June 1953
Law of succession changed
Prince Ingolf, son
Princess Margrethe Daughter 5 June 1953
Law of succession changed[c]
14 January 1972
Father died, became queen
Princess Benedikte, 1953–1968, sister
Prince Frederik, 1968–1972, son
Margrethe II Crown Prince Frederik Son 14 January 1972
Mother became queen
14 January 2024
Mother abdicated, became king
Prince Joachim, 1972–2005, brother
Prince Christian, 2005–2024, son
Frederik X Crown Prince Christian Son 14 January 2024
Father became king
Incumbent Princess Isabella, sister

Notes

  1. ^ In 1853, the law of succession was changed in order to allow Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a great-grandson of Frederick V, to inherit the throne after the predictable extinction of King Frederik III's male line, as both King Frederik VII and his uncle Ferdinand were childless.
  2. ^ Prince Vilhelm, second son of Christian IX, became king of Greece before his father ascended the throne and deferred his succession rights.
  3. ^ In 1953, the law of succession was changed from agnatic primogeniture to male-preference primogeniture.