List of heirs to the Danish throne
House of Oldenburg, Elected Monarchy 1448-1660
Although the monarchy was elective during this time period, succession following Christian I of Denmark (with one exception of a forced abdication) followed Salic law.
| Heir | Status | Relationship to Monarch | Became heir | Ceased to be heir | Next in succession relation to heir, dates | Monarch | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Reason | Date | Reason | |||||
| Succession unknown | 1448 | no children | 1450 | son born to king | none (1448-1471) | Christian I | ||
| Olaf | heir apparent | son | 1450 | born | 1451 | died | ||
| Knud | heir apparent | son | 1451 | brother died | 1455 | died | ||
| John | heir apparent | son | 1455 | brother died | 21 May 1481 | became king | ||
| Frederick brother (1471-1481) | ||||||||
| Frederick | heir presumptive | brother | 21 May 1481 | brother became king | 1 Jul 1481 | son born to king | none (1781) | John |
| Christian | heir apparent | son | 1 Jul 1481 | born | 22 Jul 1513 | became king | Frederick, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein uncle (1481-1497, 1511-1513) | |
| Francis brother (1497-1511) | ||||||||
| Frederick, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein | heir presumptive | uncle | 22 Jul 1513 | nephew became king | 21 Feb 1518 | son born to king | Christian son (1513-1518) | Christian II |
| John | heir apparent | son | 21 Feb 1518 | born | 20 Jan 1523 | father forced to abdicate, in exile | Frederick, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein great-uncle (1518-1519, 1520-1523) | |
| Philip Ferdinand brother (1519-1520) | ||||||||
| Christian | heir apparent | son | 20 Jan 1523 | father became king | 4 Jul 1534 | became king | John the Elder, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev brother (1523-1533) | Frederick I |
| Interregnum (10 Apr 1533 - 4 Jul 1534) | ||||||||
| Frederick | heir apparent | son | 1 Jul 1534 | born | 1 Jan 1559 | became king | John the Elder, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev] uncle (1534-1540) | Christian III |
| Magnus, Duke of Holstein brother (1540-1559) | ||||||||
| Magnus, Duke of Holstein | heir presumptive | brother | 1 Jan 1559 | brother became king | 12 Apr 1577 | son born to king | John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg brother (1559-1577) | Frederick II |
| Christian | heir apparent | son | 12 Apr 1577 | born | 4 Apr 1588 | became king | Magnus, Duke of Holstein uncle (1577-1578) | |
| Ulrik brother (1578-1588) | ||||||||
| Ulrik | heir presumptive | brother | 4 Apr 1588 | brother became king | 10 Apr 1603 | son born to king | John of Schleswig-Holstein brother (1588-1602) | Christian IV |
| John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg uncle (1602-1603) | ||||||||
| Christian | heir apparent | son | 10 Apr 1603 | born | 2 Jun 1647 | death | Ulrik uncle (1603-1609) | |
| Frederick brother (1609-1647) | ||||||||
| Frederick | heir apparent | son | 2 Jun 1647 | eldest brother died | 28 Feb 1648 | became king | Christian son (1647-1648) | |
| Christian | heir apparent | son | 28 Feb 1648 | father became king | 9 Feb 1670 | became king | Valdemar Christian of Schleswig-Holstein uncle (1648-1651, 1652-1653) | Frederick III |
| Frederik brother (1651-1652) | ||||||||
| George brother (1653-1670) | ||||||||
House of Oldenburg, Absolute monarchy 1660-1863
Frederick III adopted a Semi-salic law of succession.
| Heir | Status | Relationship to Monarch | Became heir | Ceased to be heir | Next in succession relation to heir, dates | Monarch | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Reason | Date | Reason | |||||
| George | heir presumptive | brother | 9 Feb 1670 | brother became king | 11 Oct 1671 | son born to king | Anna Sophie sister (1670-1671) | Christian V |
| Crown Prince Frederick | heir apparent | son | 11 Oct 1671 | born | 25 Aug 1699 | became king | George, Duke of Cumberland uncle (1671-1672, 1673-1675) | |
| Christian William brother (1672-1673) | ||||||||
| Christian brother (1675-1695) | ||||||||
| Charles, Count of Holstein brother (1695-1697, 1698-1699) | ||||||||
| Christian son (1697-1698) | ||||||||
| Charles, Count of Holstein | heir presumptive | brother | 25 Aug 1699 | brother became king | 10 Dec 1699 | son born to king | William brother (1699-1699) | Frederick IV |
| Crown Prince Christian | heir apparent | son | 10 Dec 1699 | born | 12 Oct 1730 | became king | Charles, Count of Holstein uncle (1699-1701, 1702-1703, 1704-1723) | |
| Frederick brother (1701-1702) | ||||||||
| George brother (1703-1704) | ||||||||
| Frederick son (1723-1730) | ||||||||
| Crown Prince Frederick | heir apparent | son | 12 Oct 1730 | father became king | 6 Aug 1746 | became king | Louise sister (1730-1735) | Christian VI |
| Christian son (1745-1746) | ||||||||
| Crown Prince Christian | heir apparent | son | 6 Aug 1746 | father became king | 3 Jun 1747 | died | Sophia Magdalena sister (1746-1747) | Frederick V |
| Sophia Magdalena | heir presumptive | daughter | 3 Jun 1747 | brother died | 29 Jan 1749 | son born to king | Princess Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark sister (1747-1749) | |
| Crown Prince Christian | heir apparent | son | 29 Jan 1749 | born | 14 Jan 1766 | became king | Sophia Magdalena sister (1749-1753) | |
| Frederick brother (1753-1766) | ||||||||
| Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark | heir presumptive | brother | 14 Jan 1766 | brother became king | 28 Jan 1768 | son born to king | Sophia Magdalena sister (1766-1768) | Christian VII |
| Crown Prince Frederick | heir apparent | son | 28 Jan 1768 | born | 13 Mar 1808 | became king | Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark uncle (1768-1805) | |
| Christian cousin (1805-1808) | ||||||||
| Christian | heir presumptive | cousin | 13 Mar 1808 | cousin became king | 3 Dec 1839 | became king | Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark brother (1808) | Frederick VI |
| Frederick son (1808-1839) | ||||||||
| Crown Prince Frederick | heir apparent | son | 3 Dec 1839 | father became king | 20 Jan 1848 | became king | Ferdinand uncle (1839-1848) | Christian VIII |
| Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark | heir presumptive | uncle | 20 Jan 1848 | nephew became king | 29 Jun 1863 | died | disputed, eventually: | Frederick VII |
| Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg 1st cousin, once removed (1852-1863 by legislation) | ||||||||
| Christian | heir presumptive | 2nd cousin | 29 Jun 1863 | heir died | 15 Nov 1863 | became king | Frederick son (1863) | |
House of Glücksburg
With both Frederick VII and his uncle, Ferdinand childless, legislation was passed in 1852 to give the Danish throne to Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a great-grandson of Frederick V. Semi-salic law continued to be used until 1953 when male-preference primogeniture was adopted. This lasted until 2009 when absolute primogeniture was put in place.
| Heir | Status | Relationship to Monarch | Became heir | Ceased to be heir | Next in succession relation to heir, dates | Monarch | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Reason | Date | Reason | |||||
| Crown Prince Frederick | heir apparent | son | 16 November 1863 | father became king | 29 January 1906 | became king | George I of Greece brother (1863–1870) | Christian IX |
| Prince Christian son (1870–1906) | ||||||||
| Crown Prince Christian | heir apparent | son | 29 January 1906 | father became king | 14 May 1912 | became king | Prince Frederick son (1906–1912) | Frederick VIII |
| Crown Prince Frederick | heir apparent | son | 14 May 1912 | father became king | 20 April 1947 | became king | Prince Knud brother (1912–1947) | Christian X |
| Hereditary Prince Knud | heir presumptive | brother | 20 April 1947 | brother became king | 27 March 1953 | succession law changed | Prince Ingolf son (1947–1953) | Frederick IX |
| Princess Margrethe | heir presumptive | daughter | 27 March 1953 | succession law changed | 14 January 1972 | became queen | Princess Benedikte sister (1953–1968) | |
| Prince Frederik son (1968–1972) | ||||||||
| Crown Prince Frederik | heir apparent | son | 14 January 1972 | mother became queen | current heir | Prince Joachim brother (1972–2005) | Margrethe II | |
| Prince Christian son (2005–present) | ||||||||