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The Danish Royal Family

The Danish Monarchy is one of the oldest in the world and can be traced back to the year 958 and Gorm the Old.

Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Margrethe II (b. 1940) serving as head of state since her inauguration in 1972.

Queen Margrethe II is married to Prince Henrik, the Prince Consort. They have two sons, Crown Prince Frederik (b. 1968) and Prince Joachim (b. 1969).

Crown Prince Frederik is heir to the throne. In 2004 he married Crown Princess Mary, who was a commoner born in Australia. The successor couple have four children and the family is widely popular in Denmark and the Crown Prince has been voted ‘Dane of the Year’ several times. 

Though the royal family holds no real political power it has significant symbolic value in the Danish society. The Queen’s annual New Year’s speech is somewhat of a societal institution and a large number of Danes assemble in front of the royal residential palace, Amalienborg, for events such as royal birthdays, weddings and christenings.

Amalienborg in Copenhagen is home to the royal family.