Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark

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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

Hereditary Prince Knud of Denmark (Knud Christian Frederik Michael, Danish: Arveprins Knud) (July 27, 1900 – June 14, 1976) was the second son and youngest child of King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine. From 1947 to 1953, he was heir presumptive of his older brother King Frederick IX, and would have become king in his turn, but a change in the constitution caused him to lose his place in the succession to Margrethe II.

[edit] Family

Prince Knud was born at Sorgenfri Palace, Denmark. He married his first cousin, Princess Caroline-Mathilde, on September 8, 1933 at Fredensborg Palace. They had three children:

HH Princess Elisabeth of Denmark (born 8 May 1935)
HH Prince Ingolf of Denmark (17 February 1940). Lost his title and became HE Count Ingolf of Rosenborg after marrying without consent to Inge Terney.
HH Prince Christian of Denmark (22 October 1942). Lost his title and became HE Count Christian of Rosenborg after marrying without consent to Anne Dorte Maltoft-Nielsen. He has issue.

[edit] Succession

Since King Frederick IX fathered no sons, the Danish law of succession declared that his younger brother would succeed him as next king. Consequently, Prince Knud held the title of Heir Presumptive following the death of King Christian X in 1947. Knud was married to Princess Caroline-Mathilde and officially referred to as Arveprins Knud.

King Frederick IX had, however, fathered three daughters, who were unable to inherit their father's throne due to the law of succession. In 1953, the Constitution was amended to allow cognatic primogeniture. The new law made thirteen-year-old Princess Margrethe the new heiress presumptive, placing her and her two sisters before Prince Knud and his family in the line of succession. (Upon her 1964 marriage to then-King Constantine II of Greece, Princess Anne-Marie, the youngest of King Frederick's daughters, renounced her rights to the Danish throne.)