New Titles for Queen Margrethe's Descendants: 2008 & 2022, 2024

[Tatiana Maria]

Do divorced Danish women in general keep the surname of their ex-husband or revert to their maiden name?

 

[Muhler]

As most women nowadays keep their maiden name upon marriage - it's common to adopt your husband/wife's surname in addition to your own - most will simply use their maiden name.

 

[crm2317]

As most women nowadays keep their maiden name upon marriage - it's common to adopt your husband/wife's surname in addition to your own - most will simply use their maiden name.

Most women from Denmark?

Just curious as I’m in my mid thirties (UK) and have attended 10 weddings in the last 4 years and every woman took her husbands last name.

 

[Muhler]

62 % of women who married in 2010 in DK took their husbands last name.
That was a drop from 75 % in 2005.

I don't know the current figures but I imagine they are even lower now.

However, as I mentioned in my post that does not mean that she doesn't incorporate her husband's name in hers.
Example: Annette Hansen marry Jens Brockdorff. Upon marriage she register her name as Annette Brockdorff Hansen.

And even if she didn't it's even more common to give the children both their parent's surnames, especially if the surname is a little special.
So our newlyweds newborn twins could be named Adolf and Adolfine Hansen Brockdorff.

ADDED:
Legally you only have one surname in DK, so in the above example Hansen becomes a middlename, but the children are free to register their mother's maiden name as their surname should they wish to. - Say after a nasty divorce.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

62 % of women who married in 2010 in DK took their husbands last name.
That was a drop from 75 % in 2005.

I don't know the current figures but I imagine they are even lower now.

However, as I mentioned in my post that does not mean that she doesn't incorporate her husband's name in hers.
Example: Annette Hansen marry Jens Brockdorff. Upon marriage she register her name as Annette Brockdorff Hansen.

And even if she didn't it's even more common to give the children both their parent's surnames, especially if the surname is a little special.
So our newlyweds newborn twins could be named Adolf and Adolfine Hansen Brockdorff.

ADDED:
Legally you only have one surname in DK, so in the above example Hansen becomes a middlename, but the children are free to register their mother's maiden name as their surname should they wish to. - Say after a nasty divorce.

Thank you! It seems that the present-day Danish naming convention mirrors that in Norway, which is not surprising given the neighboring countries' historical and linguistic ties. (For example, Princess Astrid's son Carl-Christian Ferner married Anna-Stina Slattum Karlsen. Upon marriage, he kept his name, her name became Anna-Stina Slattum Ferner, and their children are named Fay and Fam Slattum Ferner.)

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Count Nikolai discussed title and surname issues in a recent interview with Natalie Oliveri of 9Honey (first posted here by polyesco in his news thread, where other parts of his interview were discussed).

https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/co...xclusive/f360ce80-b75d-4e84-86f0-98416bb67a6c

"It's still quite a touchy subject but, I mean, I am the same person as I've always been," he says.

"It's more just a formality or sort of change of belonging, in a way."

Admitting it's "hard to describe, especially in English", Nikolai says: "I am the same person I have always been, it's weird having to settle for another surname now.

"Or another… not surname, another a call sign."

I enquire as to what his surname is now, something most of us don't have to think twice about.

"I am not quite sure still," he laughs.

"I have it in...I left my passport at home. It's a rather long name, definitely.

"[Title now is Count] of Monpezat so I guess that would be my surname, Count of Monpezat."

Does he find himself accidentally using 'prince' still?

"Oh no, no, no not at all. And in fact, I didn't do that before any of this anyway. I've always been Nikolai. And actually, my alias, I've always used my mother's title, or surname, Frederiksborg, I've always taken that on me.

"It's the closest I could have to a civil surname, my father didn't have one, so Nikolai Frederiksborg has always been my alias."

But the change must have been a shock, I ask, delicately.

"Yeah definitely. And I think it still is. But I imagine a lot of people especially, perhaps women who get married, have to change their surname as well, and their sense of belonging, so I guess it's not that different from many people but still it's … Not everyone wants to."

[...]

I ask about Queen Margrethe's reasoning that the removal of the prince and princess titles would allow for more freedoms.

"Hmmm… I think in the future I will be freer, but I've never felt limited before," Count Nikolai says.

"So for me, as I mentioned before, it hasn't' changed anything yet. I think in the future it will make a difference."

How?

"Not that I had any formal responsibilities before, but now I am officially free of them anyway."

So you don't have to ask for permission now?

"Yeah, I would say so. I guess I've always sort of done what I wanted but in respect to everyone around me, especially my heritage, [I've] always asked for permission, done what's been said and expected of me."

In being respectful of royal tradition that comes with being Queen Margrethe's eldest grandchild, Nikolai says, "I feel like I always have, in a modern way."

"I am not rebellious at all – in my own opinion," he laughs, "but, you know, times change all the time and I like to keep up."

But is he hurt by his grandmother's decision?

"Oh, I wouldn't say hurt, and it's not my intention to stir the pot in any way. I think it's just a bit weird still, I still have to get used to it."

But the change must have been a shock, I ask, delicately.

"Yeah definitely. And I think it still is. But I imagine a lot of people especially, perhaps women who get married, have to change their surname as well, and their sense of belonging, so I guess it's not that different from many people but still it's … Not everyone wants to."

I liked Count Nikolai's acknowledgement that forced changes of surname are not unusual for married women and others have had similar experiences to him, but I wonder why he omitted the most relevant "not that different" situation: himself. Many, probably most, Danish royal watchers (including his own mother) had always expected him to lose his Prince title on marriage, since that is precisely what happened to the Queen's cousins Prince Ingolf and Prince Christian, who like Nikolai were sons of a monarch's younger son.

In comparing "not that different" situations, it would have made sense to say that losing his Prince title at marriage is not that different compared to losing it at age 22, but the thought apparently did not strike him, so I wonder about his view on it.

I ask about Queen Margrethe's reasoning that the removal of the prince and princess titles would allow for more freedoms.

"Hmmm… I think in the future I will be freer, but I've never felt limited before," Count Nikolai says.

"So for me, as I mentioned before, it hasn't' changed anything yet. I think in the future it will make a difference."

It is a nuanced point and it is good that he raised it. Yes, it is difficult to see how he is being treated any differently from "Prince Nikolai" at the moment (especially with the attention he is receiving from the Australian media), but if he eventually becomes a business executive of some kind (as seems likely), and his company is for instance forced to take a difficult decision about whether to keep conducting business in a country which recently passed controversial laws, there would be obvious advantages (for both his firm and the country) to not having the name "of Denmark" dragged into it.

I enquire as to what his surname is now, something most of us don't have to think twice about.

"I am not quite sure still," he laughs.

"I have it in...I left my passport at home. It's a rather long name, definitely.

"[Title now is Count] of Monpezat so I guess that would be my surname, Count of Monpezat."

Even Count Nikolai is unsure of what his legal surname is or even whether he has one - those who denounce the Belgian royal family for being unclear about titles and surnames, take note. (In my opinion, the Belgians certainly have room for improvement but are no more unclear than many other royal families of Europe regarding titles and surnames, and the issue is partly with non-Belgians refusing to accept certain decisions of the Belgian monarchs, but I digress.)

Does he find himself accidentally using 'prince' still?

"Oh no, no, no not at all. And in fact, I didn't do that before any of this anyway. I've always been Nikolai. And actually, my alias, I've always used my mother's title, or surname, Frederiksborg, I've always taken that on me.

"It's the closest I could have to a civil surname, my father didn't have one, so Nikolai Frederiksborg has always been my alias."

I wonder what is preventing him from coming to an agreement with his grandmother about being made "of Frederiksborg" instead of "of Monpezat", given that he says has "always used" Frederiksborg and the earlier interview with his spokeswoman about Nikolai and Felix preferring "a Danish name" such as Frederiksborg. Has Nikolai refrained from putting the request directly to his grandmother because he is worried that it would be "stirring the pot", as he put it? Has he decided he is happy after all with having a French formal name and a Danish alias? Has the Queen refused for reasons of her own?

 

[Prinsara]

"Frederiksborg" would also give him and Felix different last names from Henrik and Athena, and perhaps Nikolai doesn't want still more division in the family, especially as the four siblings are close.

 

[kalnel]

I'm surprised they don't just use "de Monpezat." It's part of their title, and it is the paternal name. Their grandfather would have loved it!

 

[Curryong]

He and his brother may well feel more Danish than French. Has Nikolai spent a great deal of time in France, of his own volition I mean, not accompanying his family or doing his modelling work?

 

[CrownPrincessJava]

I'm surprised they don't just use "de Monpezat." It's part of their title, and it is the paternal name. Their grandfather would have loved it!

Me too. Or even the house name of the Danish Royal Family.

 

[Countessmeout]

He and his brother may well feel more Danish than French. Has Nikolai spent a great deal of time in France, of his own volition I mean, not accompanying his family or doing his modelling work?

Why would they consider themselves French?

They are born and raised in Denmark. Neither of their parents as French. Unlike their younger siblings they have never lived or gone to school there. One of their grandparents is French. One of my grandparents is British doesn't make me less Canadian, just part of my heritage.

Henrik and Athena are a different matter considering their mother in French. And they spent some years living in France.

 

[Somebody]

To avoid the other thread going off-topic, let me respond here.

"I'm not sure what my last name is, let me check my passport" is droning?

He's a semi-famous figure with a media profile who was put in an extremely embarrassing position by his grandmother, not of his own making. Of course he's going to be asked about it, and if he says "no comment" for the rest of time people who want to see him as sullen and petulant will still do just that.

Nikolai has always been pretty gracious and well-spoken about things and I'm not sure why that would change due to a title, either.

He has not been put in an extremely embarrassing position by his grandmother. His title changed, as happened to many people (including members of his larger family; one of them who was destined to be king!) before him - and by his mother's admission was going to happen to him anyway in the future. It had nothing to do with him personally (so no embarrassment there) but with the way his grandmother decided to restructure the family's titles.

The only thing is that instead of it happening at the time of his marriage, his grandmother decided to do it in advance for all siblings at the same time. On a side note, an advantage of this method is that in this way his bride won't be tainted by it. While she acknowledged that the way she went about it, wasn't the right one, his going on about it, isn't doing him (or the family) any favors either.

And this was announced more than a year ago, answering that he doesn't know his last name and has to check his passport comes across as petulant imho. Of course, he knows, he just doesn't want to acknowledge it.

 

[Curryong]

I'm surprised they don't just use "de Monpezat." It's part of their title, and it is the paternal name. Their grandfather would have loved it!

I was commenting on the two brothers not using the ‘de Monpezat titles’ as part of the discussion upthread. Naturally they feel more Danish than French, therefore there would be little point in using those titles.

Why would they consider themselves French?

They are born and raised in Denmark. Neither of their parents as French. Unlike their younger siblings they have never lived or gone to school there. One of their grandparents is French. One of my grandparents is British doesn't make me less Canadian, just part of my heritage.

Henrik and Athena are a different matter considering their mother in French. And they spent some years living in France.

See above.

 

[Muhler]

"I'm not sure what my last name is, let me check my passport" is droning?

He's a semi-famous figure with a media profile who was put in an extremely embarrassing position by his grandmother, not of his own making. Of course he's going to be asked about it, and if he says "no comment" for the rest of time people who want to see him as sullen and petulant will still do just that.

Nikolai has always been pretty gracious and well-spoken about things and I'm not sure why that would change due to a title, either.

IMO, yes.

While I believe most can agree on this being handled in the most clumsy way imaginable, it has happened. It was bound to happen anyway. It's fact of life now and it won't be changed.

And judging from Nikolai's triumphant stay in Australia, not that much has changed on a daily basis for him.
Yet, in his most recent interview he still goes on about his traumatic loss of identity. We've heard you, Nikolai and we get it. Bad. Bad for you. Almost PTSD bad in fact.
But it won't make an iota of difference. At best no one cares, at worst it will become counter productive for him, personally in Denmark and for his career outside the modelling world. No one likes a perpetual whiner.
Get over it and move on. Life is sometimes though.

- And it is in that perspective many, if not most, Danes see Nikolai.
His problem is unrelatable.
There are many other problems for the ordinary Dane to worry about right now.
We've just had the worst flood in 100+ years with a lot of damage.
We are sending load after load of weapons to Ukraine where people Nikolai's age are fighting and dying.
Ordinary Danes of Nikolai's age are expected to retire at 72, perhaps (probably) even later. How many of his contemporaries will last that long, I wonder?

All our personal problems are huge in our own eyes, that's only human but when you complain about your problems, and keep complaining about them, people will begin to put your problems in relation to other more serious problems and then the sympathy wears out.
Nikolai seems unable to understand that.

I mean: Nikolai is not dead. He is not an invalid. He did not lose someone near and dear. His financial situation is excellent. He is getting a first rate education. He is intelligent. He is not homeless. He is (still) treated like royalty. He has great hair (according to some ? ). He still has his girlfriend of now quite a number of years. His future is looking pretty bright.
So, he lost his title, but he still has all of the above. That's not so bad, is it?

 

[Mbruno]

IMO, yes.

While I believe most can agree on this being handled in the most clumsy way imaginable, it has happened. It was bound to happen anyway. It's fact of life now and it won't be changed.

And judging from Nikolai's triumphant stay in Australia, not that much has changed on a daily basis for him.
Yet, in his most recent interview he still goes on about his traumatic loss of identity. We've heard you, Nikolai and we get it. Bad. Bad for you. Almost PTSD bad in fact.
But it won't make an iota of difference. At best no one cares, at worst it will become counter productive for him, personally in Denmark and for his career outside the modelling world. No one likes a perpetual whiner.
Get over it and move on. Life is sometimes though.

- And it is in that perspective many, if not most, Danes see Nikolai.
His problem is unrelatable.
There are many other problems for the ordinary Dane to worry about right now.
We've just had the worst flood in 100+ years with a lot of damage.
We are sending load after load of weapons to Ukraine where people Nikolai's age are fighting and dying.
Ordinary Danes of Nikolai's age are expected to retire at 72, perhaps (probably) even later. How many of his contemporaries will last that long, I wonder?

All our personal problems are huge in our own eyes, that's only human but when you complain about your problems, and keep complaining about them, people will begin to put your problems in relation to other more serious problems and then the sympathy wears out.
Nikolai seems unable to understand that.

I mean: Nikolai is not dead. He is not an invalid. He did not lose someone near and dear. His financial situation is excellent. He is getting a first rate education. He is intelligent. He is not homeless. He is (still) treated like royalty. He has great hair (according to some ? ). He still has his girlfriend of now quite a number of years. His future is looking pretty bright.
So, he lost his title, but he still has all of the above. That's not so bad, is it?

To be frank, the "royal treatment" that Nikolai is getting in Australia is above and beyond what he would probably get nowadays in Europe, even in Denmark itself.

Given the surprising high profile that the Australians assigned to Nikolai, I wonder what would happen if Christian spent a year studying in Australia as some commentators have suggested he might do in the future. I suppose at this point that it would be impossible for Christian to have a private life in Australia without being overwhelmed by media attention, which is unfortunate and might discourage him from going there as a student.

 

[CrownPrincessJava]

To be frank, the "royal treatment" that Nikolai is getting in Australia is above and beyond what he would probably get nowadays in Europe, even in Denmark itself.

Given the surprising high profile that the Australians assigned to Nikolai, I wonder what would happen if Christian spent a year studying in Australia as some commentators have suggested he might do in the future. I suppose at this point that it would be impossible for Christian to have a private life in Australia without being overwhelmed by media attention, which is unfortunate and might discourage him from going there as a student.

I can tell you that other than on this forum, there is no mention of Nikolai in the media. He isn't being hounded at all - the last time anything was written about him in Australian media was a week ago, and before then, it was a month ago. There is no royal treatment at all. And I have a suspicion that these interviews have been arranged from his side - not the Australian media.

Christian would get more attention, however I suspect that would be more the Danish media following him than Australian. Our way of living is to leave celebs and high profile people alone. We go about our daily lives; and if there is royalty or the like, we are incredibly considerate - CP Frederik said himself many times.

 

[Sun Lion]

To be frank, the "royal treatment" that Nikolai is getting in Australia is above and beyond what he would probably get nowadays in Europe, even in Denmark itself.

Given the surprising high profile that the Australians assigned to Nikolai, I wonder what would happen if Christian spent a year studying in Australia as some commentators have suggested he might do in the future. I suppose at this point that it would be impossible for Christian to have a private life in Australia without being overwhelmed by media attention, which is unfortunate and might discourage him from going there as a student.

I think his agencies have found some work for Nikolai down here in Oz Mbruno, he has an Australian agency listed on his Instagram.

The most prestigious thing will probably be his attendance at Derby Day, but he may get lost in the whole kerfuffle that is Cup Week.

He may not really get much notice from it, but he will have a good time and everyone will treat him well, those people who will be attending the Sponsor’s pavillion that he will be contracted to appear at.

Apart from a few sets of photos in the Daily Mail and the local Sydney paper, most information about Nikolai’s activities here are from his own Instagram, or his girlfriend’s account.

Anyone and everyone coming here, who has even a slight profile/position/fame will get some degree of attention if they put themselves out there. It is all commercial/business/ promotion driven, it isn’t organic.

The general population are not involved, the government are not involved. He hasn’t been given royal treatment or a high profile. He has just attended some promo functions.

If Christian ever studies here … apart from any initial media reports making it known … he will be under the radar of most everyone. Maybe a big deal for Denmark, but not so much for Australia apart from some royal watchers.

Even Mary’s sister Jane’s phone number was listed for years in the phone book, when we still had the White Pages directory. I once looked it up to see her address as Mary was staying with her!

I wonder if these comments about the loss of titles are just filler material in newer articles. Perhaps Nikolai isn’t saying this over and over, but journalists have a certain word count to fill, and these old complaints are handy for that.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

From Parliment.
https://www.stm.dk/presse/pressemeddelelser/hendes-majestaet-dronningen-abdicerer/

Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II has decided to abdicate the throne. The abdication will take place on 14 January 2024, which is the 52nd anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne.

At the same time, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik will take over the throne as His Majesty King Frederik 10. After a meeting in the Council of State, the Prime Minister will proclaim the change of throne at Christiansborg Castle.

Queen Margrethe II took over the throne on 14 January 1972 after her father, King Frederik IX, upon his death.

After the change of throne, the Queen will continue to be titled as Her Majesty.

I wonder what the full title of the new monarch will be. Will it follow the current Queen's example and be Danmarks Konge in the Swedish fashion? Or will it revert to past Danish practice and be Kong af Danmark?

We will soon also know for sure whether King Frederik 10 changes the name of the royal dynasty: Many Anglophone royal watchers have argued that he should adopt his male-line ancestors' family name (which would be Laborde, not Monpezat as often claimed), but I would be surprised if he did not keep the royal names of Glücksborg and Oldenborg. Even ordinary women in Denmark can and often do pass their names to their offspring.

 

[kalnel]

We will soon also know for sure whether King Frederik 10 changes the name of the royal dynasty: Many Anglophone royal watchers have argued that he should adopt his male-line ancestors' family name (which would be Laborde, not Monpezat as often claimed), but I would be surprised if he did not keep the royal names of Glücksborg and Oldenborg. Even ordinary women in Denmark can and often do pass their names to their offspring.

I understand your point about de Laborde being the original family name, but the family has signaled through the comital titles that they recognize de Monpezat as Henri's family name.

The late Prince Consort actually mentioned this in his memoirs, saying, "During our generation the future sovereign will perhaps receive approval to see 'Monpezat' added to the dynastic name of Oldenburg-Glücksborg."

(It's interesting to note that he refers to the sovereign receiving permission to change the house name. Would the government have to approve it?)

I recall Frederik referring to his father as the "lion of Monpezat" in a speech at a formal dinner. (Maybe his parents' anniversary? I don't recall.)

 

[Toledo]

To celebrate over one thousand years of royal history, maybe Frederick can go in the Grimaldi or Windsor*-style and re-create a new official dynastic name out of an old one. Maybe revive an ancient name like the House of Knýtlinga
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Knýtlinga

Will Queen M be referred as Queen Emeritus, which seems now a new tradition started when a previous Pope retired and then adapted to Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia upon retirement?

*I read the other day that the Windsor family, if it followed old name traditions, would be now 'of Greece and Denmark' since Queen Elizabeth married prince Phillip. So, the Greek/Danish royals and unofficially at Buckingham palace now.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

I understand your point about de Laborde being the original family name, but the family has signaled through the comital titles that they recognize de Monpezat as Henri's family name.

I myself wouldn't consider a family name inherited from a female ancestor as any less original than a family name inherited from a male ancestor, but those who argue that the soon-to-be Frederik X has no right to use the names of Glücksborg and Oldenborg are delegitimizing maternal lineage (because why else would Frederik X have less right to his ancestral royal name than Margrethe II?), so following their own logic, Henri and his descendants should not be using the family name of his own female ancestor the Lady of Monpezat, either.

The late Prince Consort actually mentioned this in his memoirs, saying, "During our generation the future sovereign will perhaps receive approval to see 'Monpezat' added to the dynastic name of Oldenburg-Glücksborg."

(It's interesting to note that he refers to the sovereign receiving permission to change the house name. Would the government have to approve it?)

I recall Frederik referring to his father as the "lion of Monpezat" in a speech at a formal dinner. (Maybe his parents' anniversary? I don't recall.)

Interesting. Perhaps Margrethe II thought it better for their marriage to tell her husband to take it to the government.

 

[Somebody]

To celebrate over one thousand years of royal history, maybe Frederick can go in the Grimaldi or Windsor*-style and re-create a new official dynastic name out of an old one. Maybe revive an ancient name like the House of Knýtlinga
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Knýtlinga

Will Queen M be referred as Queen Emeritus, which seems now a new tradition started when a previous Pope retired and then adapted to Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia upon retirement?

*I read the other day that the Windsor family, if it followed old name traditions, would be now 'of Greece and Denmark' since Queen Elizabeth married prince Phillip. So, the Greek/Danish royals and unofficially at Buckingham palace now.

If they would use the emeritus title (so far, this seems to happen only in Spain and Japan - but not for example in Belgium nor Luxembourg where they also keep their previous title), she would be queen emerita not queen emeritus (which is the male version; therefore, there is a king emeritus and an emperor emeritus and a queen emerita and an empress emerita).

 

[Tatiana Maria]

I wonder what the full title of the new monarch will be. Will it follow the current Queen's example and be Danmarks Konge in the Swedish fashion? Or will it revert to past Danish practice and be Kong af Danmark?

The latest press release answers my question. Frederik will revert to Danish tradition and be Kongen af Danmark (likewise for Mary).

https://www.kongehuset.dk/nyheder/ændringer-i-den-kongelige-families-titler

https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/news/changes-in-the-titles-of-the-royal-family

Interestingly, Queen Margrethe II plans to drop her regnal number II (2 in Danish) upon her abdication, like King Juan Carlos of Spain (who was Juan Carlos I during his reign) but unlike King Albert II of Belgium.

 

[Somebody]

Imho it makes sense to drop the regnal number. After death I am sure it will be used again to indicate her reign but once abdicated she is no longer reigning, so her name suffices as a way to refer to her. It is a small detail to distinguish between the reigning king or queen - with regnal - and other kings and queens (not reigning but spouses or previously reigning) without.

 

[Toledo]

If they would use the emeritus title (so far, this seems to happen only in Spain and Japan - but not for example in Belgium nor Luxembourg where they also keep their previous title), she would be queen emerita not queen emeritus (which is the male version; therefore, there is a king emeritus and an emperor emeritus and a queen emerita and an empress emerita).

I like that this new abdication is setting a trend there is no need nor shame for a monarch to decide to step down at a certain age when the crown prince/princess is an adult with almost grown-up kids of their own. It's good to know when time is not just to retire but to enjoy that freedom to do more for the country.

After she takes a few months to focus on her physical recovery I won't be surprised if she travels more around the country to show support for Frederik and Mary in their new roles.

 

[Mbruno]

I wonder what the full title of the new monarch will be. Will it follow the current Queen's example and be Danmarks Konge in the Swedish fashion? Or will it revert to past Danish practice and be Kong af Danmark?

We will soon also know for sure whether King Frederik 10 changes the name of the royal dynasty: Many Anglophone royal watchers have argued that he should adopt his male-line ancestors' family name (which would be Laborde, not Monpezat as often claimed), but I would be surprised if he did not keep the royal names of Glücksborg and Oldenborg. Even ordinary women in Denmark can and often do pass their names to their offspring.

I believe King Frederik IX was styled “ Konge til Danmark” rather than “ Konge af Danmark “.

See for example the preamble to the Succession to the Throne Act of 1953.


As you have correctly stated, Queen Margrethe II uses the title “ Danmarks Dronning” as opposed to her mother who, as Queen Consort, was titled “ Dronning af Danmark”.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

I believe King Frederik IX was styled “ Konge til Danmark” rather than “ Konge af Danmark “.

See for example the preamble to the Succession to the Throne Act of 1953.


As you have correctly stated, Queen Margrethe II uses the title “ Danmarks Dronning” as opposed to her mother who, as Queen Consort, was titled “ Dronning af Danmark”.

Thank you, Mbruno. It seems both "til Danmark" and "af Danmark" were used for kings in the past; Christian IX is here styled "Hans Majestæt Kongen af Danmark".

https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/1905/57

I wonder why Queen Margrethe II made that idiosyncratic choice.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Contrary to the earlier press release stating that Frederik would become "Kongen af Danmark" (King of Denmark), the new king announced himself to Parliament on January 15 using the title "Vi Frederik den Tiende, af Guds Nåde Danmarks Konge" (We Frederik the Tenth, by God's Grace Denmark's King).

https://www.stm.dk/statsministeren/...hm-kong-frederik-10s-budskab-til-folketinget/

Vi Frederik den Tiende, af Guds Nåde Danmarks Konge, skal herved meddele, at Vor kære mor, Dronning Margrethe den Anden, den 14. januar 2024 i Statsrådet har frasagt sig tronen.

[...]​

Thus, he is following his mother's example, which seems to be patterned on the Swedish and Norwegian custom (they use "Sveriges Konung" and "Norges Konge") instead of the example of the preceding Danish kings, who used "King to Denmark" in their long titles.


Compare the long titles used by the most recent three monarchs:

Frederik IX (King 1947-1972)

Vi Frederik den Niende, af Guds Nåde Konge til Danmark, de Venders og Goters, Hertug til Slesvig, Holsten, Stormarn, Ditmarsken, Lauenborg og Oldenborg

(We Frederik the Eighth, by the Grace of God King to Denmark, of the Wends and Goths, Duke to Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn, Dithmarschen, Lauenburg and Oldenburg)


Margrethe II (Queen 1972-2024)

Vi Margrethe den Anden, af Guds Nåde Danmarks Dronning

(We Margrethe the Second, by the Grace of God Denmark's Queen)


Frederik X (King 2024-)

Vi Frederik den Tiende, af Guds Nåde Danmarks Konge

(We Frederik the Tenth, by the Grace of God Denmark's King)


On a side note, Queen Margrethe II's decision to simplify the regnal title by dropping the references to German tribes and territories (territories which were already lost to the Danish crown in 1863) apparently inspired King Carl XVI Gustaf to do the same with his own title when he ascended the Swedish throne four years later (edit: one and a half years).

 

[Toledo]

Reminds me of the old tradition in XIX France, the restored Bourbons were Kings of France, their replacement Orleans cousins were King of the French.

Not sure if this was asked, will King Fredrik and Queen Mary's children and future grandchildren be known as Frederik's denomination Kongen af Danmark /King of Denmark as (name followed by) prince/ss Af Danmark?

 

[SirGyamfi1]

I wonder what the full title of the new monarch will be. Will it follow the current Queen's example and be Danmarks Konge in the Swedish fashion? Or will it revert to past Danish practice and be Kong af Danmark?

We will soon also know for sure whether King Frederik 10 changes the name of the royal dynasty: Many Anglophone royal watchers have argued that he should adopt his male-line ancestors' family name (which would be Laborde, not Monpezat as often claimed), but I would be surprised if he did not keep the royal names of Glücksborg and Oldenborg. Even ordinary women in Denmark can and often do pass their names to their offspring.

But those ordinary women most likely don’t have territorial designations as a last name and Glucksberg and Oldenburg aren’t last names. Pretty sure the old family name will be retaining just like in the Netherlands