List of Grand Commanders of the Dannebrog
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Grand Commanders of the Order of the Dannebrog have been appointed by the Sovereign of the Royal Danish Orders of Chivalry, i.e. the Danish monarch, since the general reorganization of the Order by royal letters patent of June 28, 1808. The Grand Commanders form a special class above the three ordinary classes of the Order of the Dannebrog. Thus, they outrank the Knights Grand Cross of the Dannebrog. Together with the Knights of the Order of the Elephant Grand Commanders constitute the Chapter of the Royal Danish Orders of Chivalry.
Grand Commanders are, or have been, either
- prominent members of the Danish Royal Family,
- kings and emperors related to the Danish monarch, or,
- other close relations of royal or princely status who are not members of the Danish Royal Family
Presently eight persons wear the Grand Commander's insignia. They are the seven Grand Commanders and HM Queen Margrethe II, the Sovereign of the Order. By royal ordinance of October 10, 1951 women can be appointed Grand Commanders. Therefore, the women that appear in the list before that date were, strictly speaking, not appointed Grand Commanders as much as awarded the honour of wearing the insignia of a Grand Commander.
[edit] Grand Commanders of the Order of the Dannebrog
Note! The list is currently incomplete
| Name | Date of appoint. | Date of death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HM Frederik VI, King of Denmark and Norway | 1808 | 03.12.1839 | As Sovereign of the Order he wore the insignia of a Grand Commander - From 1814 only King of Denmark |
| HSH Christian August, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg | 14.12.1808 | 28.05.1810 | Adopted by King Carl XIII of Sweden in 1809 and created Crown Prince of Sweden under the name of Carl August |
| HSH Friedrich, Prince of Hesse-Cassel | 16.12.1813 | 27.02.1845 | Brother-in-law and first cousin of King Frederik VI |
| HSH Carl, Prince of Hesse-Cassel | 10.09.1817 | 17.08.1836 | Father-in-law of King Frederik VI |
| HM Christian VIII, King of Denmark | 28.10.1828 | 20.01.1848 | First cousin of King Frederik VI - Appointed while Prince and Heir Presumptive (1808-1839) - Briefly King of Norway in 1814 |
| HM Marie, Dowager Queen of Denmark | 28.01.1840 | 22.03.1852 | Widow of King Frederik VI |
| HM Frederik VII, King of Denmark | 10.06.1841 | 15.11.1863 | Son of King Christian VIII - Appointed while Crown Prince (1839-1848) |
| HRH Frederik Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark | 01.08.1854 | 29.06.1863 | Brother of King Christian VIII - Heir Presumptive (1848-1863) |
| HM Carl XV, King of Sweden and Norway | 10.06.1860 | 19.08.1872 | Father-in-law of King Frederik VIII |
| HSH Wilhelm, Prince of Hesse-Cassel | 10.11.1860 | 05.09.1867 | Brother-in-law of King Christian VIII - Father-in-law of King Christian IX |
| HM Christian IX, King of Denmark | 15.11.1863 | 29.01.1906 | On accession to the thrown he became Sovereign of the Order and wore the insignia of a Grand Commander accordingly |
| HM Caroline Amalie, Dowager Queen of Denmark | 15.07.1865 | 09.03.1881 | Widow of King Christian VIII |
| HM Frederik VIII, King of Denmark | 28.06.1869 | 14.05.1912 | Son of King Christian IX - Appointed while Crown Prince (1863-1906) |
| HM George I, King of the Hellenes | 30.06.1871 | 18.03.1913 | Son of King Christian IX |
| HM Louise, Queen of Denmark | 07.09.1883 | 29.09.1898 | Consort of King Christian IX |
| HIM Alexander III, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias | 09.11.1891 | 01.11.1894 | Son-in-law of King Christian IX |
| HIM Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias | 26.11.1894 | 17.07.1918 | Grandson of King Christian IX - His Grand Commander’s insignia were lost after the Revolution of 1917 |
| HRH Valdemar, Prince of Denmark | 21.07.1900 | 14.01.1939 | Son of King Christian IX |
| HM Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom, Emperor of India | 09.09.1901 | 06.05.1910 | Son-in-law of King Christian IX |
| HM Christian X, King of Denmark | 14.05.1912 | 20.04.1947 | Son of King Frederik VIII - Wore the Grand Commander's insignia as Soverein of the Order - Also King of Iceland (1918-1944) |
| HM Haakon VII, King of Norway | 1912 | 21.09.1957 | Son of King Frederik VIII |
| HM George V, King of the United Kingdom, Emperor of India | 09.05.1914 | 20.01.1936 | First cousin of King Christian X |
| HM Constantine I, King of the Hellenes | 11.01.1923 | First cousin of King Christian X | |
| HM Gustaf V, King of Sweden | 29.10.1950 | First cousin once removed of King Christian X | |
| HRH George, Prince of Greece and Denmark | 25.11.1957 | First cousin of King Christian X | |
| HRH Harald, Prince of Denmark | 30.03.1949 | Brother of King Christian X | |
| HM Frederik IX, King of Denmark | 1930s | 14.01.1972 | Son of King Christian X - Appointed while Crown Prince (1912-1947) |
| HRH Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark | 1930s | 14.06.1976 | Son of King Christian X |
| HH Axel, Prince of Denmark | 14.07.1964 | First cousin of King Christian X | |
| HM George VI, King of the United Kingdom | 24.10.1948 | 06.02.1952 | Second cousin of King Frederik IX |
| HM Paul, King of the Hellenes | 1940s | 06.03.1964 | Second cousin of King Frederik IX |
| HH Prince Viggo, Count of Rosenborg | 1940s | 04.01.1970 | First cousin of King Christian X |
| HM Gustaf VI Adolf, King of Sweden | 1950s | 15.09.1973 | Father-in-law of King Frederik IX |
| HM Alexandrine, Queen of Denmark | 1951 | 28.12.1952 | Widow of King Christian X |
| HM Olav V, King of Norway | 11.09.1958 | 17.01.1991 | First cousin of King Frederik IX |
| HM Ingrid, Queen of Denmark | 11.03.1959 | 07.11.2000 | Consort of King Frederik IX |
| HM Constantine II, King of the Hellenes | 12.03.1964 | Son-in-law of King Frederik IX - Since 1973 ex-King | |
| HRH Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark | 16.04.1974 | Consort of Queen Margrethe II | |
| HM Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden | 10.04.1975 | First cousin of Queen Margrethe II | |
| HM Harald V, King of Norway | 28.10.1991 | Second cousin of Queen Margrethe II | |
| HRH Benedikte, Princess of Denmark | 27.01.1993 | Sister of Queen Margrethe II | |
| HRH Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark | 01.01.2004 | Son of Queen Margrethe II | |
| HRH Joachim, Prince of Denmark | 16.04.2004 | Son of Queen Margrethe II |
