Frederick IX of Denmark

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Frederick IX King of Denmark Reign 20 April 1947 – 14 January 1972 Predecessor Christian X Successor Margrethe II Spouse Ingrid of Sweden Issue Margrethe II of Denmark Princess Benedikte Queen Anne-Marie of Greece House House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg Father Christian X of Denmark Mother Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Born 11 March 1899(1899-03-11) Sorgenfri Palace Died 14 January 1972 (aged 72) Copenhagen Burial Roskilde Cathedral

Danish Royalty House of Oldenburg (Glücksburg branch) Christian IX Children    Frederick VIII    Alexandra, Queen of the United Kingdom    George I of Greece (formerly William)    Maria Feodorovna, Empress of Russia (formerly Dagmar)    Thyra, Duchess of Cumberland and Teviotdale    Prince Valdemar Frederick VIII Children    Christian X    Haakon VII of Norway (formerly Charles)    Princess Louise    Prince Harald    Ingeborg, Duchess of Västergötland    Princess Thyra    Prince Gustav    Princess Dagmar Christian X Children    Frederick IX    Hereditary Prince Knud Grandchildren     Princess Elisabeth Frederick IX Children    Margrethe II    Princess Benedikte    Anne-Marie, Queen of Greece Margrethe II Children (paternally Laborde of Monpezat)    Crown Prince Frederik    Prince Joachim Grandchildren    Prince Christian    Princess Isabella    Prince Nikolai    Prince Felix Nikolai]]    Prince Henrik

Frederick IX (Christian Frederik Franz Michael Carl Valdemar Georg) (11 March 1899 – 14 January 1972) was King of Denmark from 20 April 1947 until his death. He was the son of King Christian X of Denmark and Queen Alexandrine, born Duchess of Mecklenburg.

Frederick was born in Sorgenfri, Isle of Seeland and educated at the Royal Danish Naval Academy (breaking Danish royal tradition by choosing a naval instead of an army career) and the University of Copenhagen. Before he became king, he had acquired the rank of Rear Admiral and he had had several senior commands on active service. In addition, with his great love of music, the king was an able piano player and conductor.

In 1922, Frederick was engaged to Princess Olga of Greece and Denmark, his cousin and the daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark; however they never wed. Instead, he married Princess Ingrid of Sweden (1910–2000), daughter of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf, later King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, in Stockholm on 24 May 1935. They were related in several ways. In descent from Oscar I of Sweden, they were third cousins. In descent from Paul I of Russia, Frederick was a fourth cousin of Ingrid's mother. They had three daughters:

• Princess Margrethe (born 1940), later Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Married French Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, who was created Prince Henrik of Denmark, in 1967.
• Princess Benedikte (born 1944). Married Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg in 1968.
• Princess Anne-Marie (born 1946). Married King Constantine II of the Hellenes in 1964.

When he had no sons, it was expected that his younger brother Knud would inherit the throne, in accordance with Denmark's succession law (Royal Ordinance of 1853). However, in 1953, an Act of Succession was passed, changing the method of succession to cognatic primogeniture, meaning that his eldest daughter, Margrethe, could succeed if he had no sons, which she did, as Queen Margrethe II. By order of 27 March 1953 the succession to the throne was limited to the issue of King Christian X.

Frederick's reign saw great change. During these years, Danish society shook off the restrictions of an agricultural society and developed a welfare state. And, as a consequence of the booming economy of the 1960s, women entered the labour market. In other words, Denmark became a modern country, which meant new demands on the monarchy.

He was the 912th Knight of the Order of the Garter in 1951.

Shortly after the king had delivered his New Year's Address to the Nation at the 1971/72 turn of the year, he fell ill. On his passing in Copenhagen in 1972, King Frederick IX was buried outside Roskilde Cathedral near Copenhagen. Previous rulers had been interred in the cathedral, but it was the King's wish to be buried outside.

Ancestors

External links

• Royal House of Denmark and Royal House of Iceland
• Royal House of Sweden