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Count Christian of Rosenborg (Christian Frederik Franz Knud Harald Carl Oluf Gustav Georg Erik; 22 October 1942 – 21 May 2013) was a member of the
Danish royal family The Danish royal family is the dynastic family of the monarch of Denmark. While some members of the Danish royal family hold the title of ''Prince(ss) of Denmark'', descendants of Margrethe II additionally bear the title '' Count(ess) of Monpe ...
. Born Prince Christian of Denmark, from 1947 he was third in the line of
line of succession An order, line or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated, such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.Margrethe Margret(h)e is an alternate spelling of the feminine given name Margaret. People so named include: * Margrete or Margaret I of Denmark (1353–1412), Queen of Denmark and Queen of Norway and Sweden by marriage * Margrethe II of Denmark (born 1940 ...
and her two younger sisters. He later gave up his princely rank and his rights to the throne in order to marry a commoner. He was a War
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
in the
Royal Danish Navy The Royal Danish Navy (, ) is the Naval warfare, sea-based branch of the Danish Armed Forces force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Denmark, Danish territorial waters (incl. Faroe Islands and ...
in Sorgenfri Palace, Sorgenfri.


Family

He was born at
Sorgenfri Palace Sorgenfri Palace (; , a calque of Sans Souci (disambiguation), Sans Souci) is a royal residence of the Denmark, Danish List of Danish monarchs, monarch, located in Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality, on the east side of Lyngby Kongevej, in the northern s ...
,
Sorgenfri Sorgenfri (lit. "free of sorrow", like Sans Souci) is a neighbourhood in Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality in Greater Copenhagen lying just north of Kongens Lyngby. The neighbourhood is enclosed between the landmarks of a forest with Lyngby Åmose, M ...
, as the younger son of Hereditary Prince Knud by his wife and first cousin,
Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark (Caroline-Mathilde Louise Dagmar Christine Maud Augusta Ingeborg Thyra Adelheid; 27 April 1912 – 12 December 1995) was a daughter of Prince Harald of Denmark and granddaughter of King Frederik VIII of Denmar ...
.


Loss of place in succession

From the death of his grandfather in 1947, Christian stood only behind his father and elder brother Prince Ingolf in the order of hereditary succession to the throne, with only future children of Ingolf possibly taking a place ahead of him. His father Prince Knud was then the
heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...
, due to succeed Christian's uncle
King Frederik IX Frederik IX (Christian Frederik Franz Michael Carl Valdemar Georg; 11 March 1899 – 14 January 1972) was King of Denmark from 1947 to 1972. Frederik was born into the House of Glücksburg during the reign of his great-grandfather King Ch ...
, who had three daughters but no sons. In 1953, the
Constitution of Denmark The Constitutional Act of the Realm of Denmark (), also known as the Constitutional Act of the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply the Constitution (, , ), is the constitution of the Kingdom of Denmark, applying equally in the Realm of Denmark: Denma ...
was amended to allow
cognatic primogeniture Primogeniture () is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit all or most of their parent's estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relat ...
. The new law made thirteen-year-old Princess Margrethe the new
heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...
, placing her and her two sisters before Prince Knud and his family in the succession. Christian was thus relegated to sixth in the line of
succession to the Danish throne The Act of Succession (Denmark), Danish Act of Succession, adopted on 5 June 1953, restricts the throne to those descended from Christian X of Denmark, Christian X and his wife, Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, through approved marriages. By ...
, but more importantly, he then ranked behind Margrethe and others who were likely to have
dynastic A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. Historians ...
children of their own (as has, in fact, happened). The princess became
Queen Margrethe II Margrethe II (; Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid, born 16 April 1940) is a member of the Danish royal family who reigned as Queen of Denmark from 14 January 1972 until her abdication on 14 January 2024. Having reigned for exactly 5 ...
in 1972 and
reign A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., King of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, List of Belgian monarchs, Belgium, Co-princes of Andorra, Andorra), of a people (e.g., List of Frankish kin ...
ed until her
abdication Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the Order of succession, succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of ...
in 2024. Christian's place in the line of succession, if he had been still eligible, would have been no higher than thirteenth in 2013.


Marriage, loss of dynastic rights and children

By 1971, Princess Margrethe had produced two children, pushing Christian to 8th in the line of succession. He then chose to
forfeit Forfeit or forfeiture may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Forfeit'', a 2007 thriller film starring Billy Burke * "Forfeit", a song by Chevelle from '' Wonder What's Next'' * '' Forfeit/Fortune'', a 2008 album by Crooked Fingers ...
his right of succession to the throne by marrying without having received the
royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in othe ...
of the monarch in the
Council of State A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...
. His brother Ingolf had done the same three years previously. The king's permission to marry was not sought because it was expected to be denied, since Christian's ''fiancée'' was an untitled commoner.Billed-Bladet, (Interview with Count Christian of Rosenborg), 1985, Danish Though Frederik IX had liberalized traditional practice by allowing royal spouses who were not themselves royal, but who claimed noble blood and were known by
courtesy titles A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but is rather used by custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some context ...
(
Anne Bowes-Lyon Princess Anne of Denmark (née Anne Ferelith Fenella Bowes-Lyon; 4 December 1917 – 26 September 1980), formerly styled as Viscountess Anson, was a member of the Danish royal family by marriage and a first cousin of Elizabeth II. Born int ...
was the granddaughter of an earl, first cousin of
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
, and through her first marriage to the son of an earl bore the title of viscountess;
Henri de Laborde de Monpezat Prince Henrik of Denmark (; born Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat; 11 June 1934 – 13 February 2018) was the husband of Margrethe II of Denmark. He served as her royal consort from Margrethe's accession on 14 January 1972 unt ...
used the title of count, though his family's claim to nobility was later acknowledged to be flawed), it would not be until 1995 that Margrethe II would allow her children to marry commoners with neither title nor claim to noble blood. Christian was given the title
count of Rosenborg Count of Rosenborg () is a Danish hereditary title of Danish nobility, nobility granted by the List of Danish monarchs, monarchs of Denmark to some men formerly titled as List of princes of Denmark, princes of Denmark and their descendants. Trad ...
and the
style Style, or styles may refer to: Film and television * ''Style'' (2001 film), a Hindi film starring Sharman Joshi, Riya Sen, Sahil Khan and Shilpi Mudgal * ''Style'' (2002 film), a Tamil drama film * ''Style'' (2004 film), a Burmese film * '' ...
of
Excellency Excellency is an honorific style (manner of address), style given to certain high-level officers of a sovereign state, officials of an international organization, or members of an aristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder ...
, as was customary in the twentieth century for Danish princes who renounced or forfeited their
dynastic A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. Historians ...
rights. Prior to his elder son's wedding in 1968, Prince Knud sought to convince his brother that Ingolf should be allowed to retain his royal title after his non-dynastic marriage, a privilege which might have been subsequently extended to Christian.Familie-Journalen, (Interview with Count Ingolf of Rosenborg), 14 May 1990, Danish But the king refused, on the grounds that other males of the dynasty, who had been demoted to counts of Rosenborg upon marriage, might try to re-claim their royal
rank A rank is a position in a hierarchy. It can be formally recognized—for example, cardinal, chief executive officer, general, professor—or unofficial. People Formal ranks * Academic rank * Corporate title * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy ...
if Ingolf were allowed to do so despite his marrying a commoner as they had done. So, in 1971, Christian renounced his rights to the throne and took the title count of Rosenborg. On 27 February 1971, at Kongens Lyngby Kirke, Kongens
Lyngby Kongens Lyngby (, Danish language, Danish for "the King's Heather Town"; short form Lyngby) is the seat and commercial centre of Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality in the northern suburbs of Copenhagen, Denmark. Lyngby Hovedgade is a busy shopping stre ...
, Denmark, Christian married Anne Dorte Maltoft-Nielsen (3 October 1947 in
Frederikssund Frederikssund () is a Denmark, Danish town, seat of the Frederikssund Municipality, in the Capital Region of Denmark, Region Hovedstaden with a population of 17,583 (1 January 2025).
– 2 January 2014 in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
) who thus became ''Her Excellency Countess Anne Dorte of Rosenborg''. Although lacking the prior
royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in othe ...
of the monarch given in the
Council of State A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...
that the law required, the king expressed no personal opposition to his nephew's choice of bride and, according to Christian, the king's private consent later had to be formally registered by the
King-in-Council The King-in-Council or the Queen-in-Council, depending on the gender of the reigning monarch, is a constitutional term in a number of states. In a general sense, it refers to the monarch exercising executive authority, usually in the form of app ...
. In a 1985 interview with ''Billed-Bladet'', Count Christian had explained (translated from Danish):
As protocol dictates, I had to ask my uncle, King Frederik IX, if he had any objections to my getting engaged...I knew I would have to renounce my title of prince and my right of succession if I married her. I was number four in the line of succession after Princess Margrethe,
Princess Benedikte Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (Benedikte Astrid Ingeborg Ingrid, born 29 April 1944) is a member of the Danish royal family. She is the second daughter and child of King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid of ...
, and my father. My brother, Ingolf, had two years previously lost ''his'' princely title and succession right when he married a commoner, Countess Inge. Now I was ready to follow him. To me, it didn't matter if I were in line for the throne or not...My uncle, of course, had nothing against a union between Anne Dorte and me.
Count Christian and Countess Anne Dorte had three daughters: * Countess Josephine Caroline Elisabeth of Rosenborg (b. Frederikssund, 29 October 1972), married firstly in Lyngby on 3 October 1998 Thomas Christian Schmidt (b. Copenhagen, 22 April 1970), and had two children, married secondly on 6 August 2019 Kenneth Schmidt, without issue ** Julius Christian Emil Schmidt (b. 1 December 2001) ** Clara Dorthe Elisabeth Schmidt (b. 28 November 2004) * Countess Camilla Alexandrine Cristine of Rosenborg (b. Frederikssund, 29 October 1972), married firstly in Søllerød Kirke, Søllerød, on 18 May 1995 Mikael Rosanes (b. 8 February 1952), and had four children, married secondly on 25 Aug 2018 Ivan Ottesen, without issue ** Anastasia Caroline Amalie Rosanes (b. 24 November 1997) ** Ludwig Christian Mikael Rosanes (b. 5 June 2000) ** Leopold Christian Ingolf Rosanes (b. 15 April 2005) ** Theodor Christian John Rosanes (b. 19 June 2008) * Countess Feodora Mathilde Helena of Rosenborg (b. Frederikssund, 27 February 1975), married firstly at Holmens Kirke, in Copenhagen, on 31 July 2004 and divorced in 2006 Eric Hervé Patrice Patte (b. Pont-à-Mousson, 20 Aug 1976), without issue, married secondly in Copenhagen on 8 September 2008 Morten Rønnow (b. Tärnby, 18 June 1968), with issue ** Caroline-Mathilde Margrethe Rønnow (b. 1 February 2009) All three were born “Komtesser” a lower title than “Grevinde” which translates to “Countess” from birth. And a title that all daughters of Counts in Denmark are given.


Public life

Count Christian took part in some major public events associated with the royal family, in 2004, he and Countess Anne Dorte attended the wedding on 14 May 2004 of Crown Prince Frederik at
Copenhagen Cathedral The Church of Our Lady () is the Lutheran cathedral of Copenhagen. It is situated on the Frue Plads public square in central Copenhagen, next to the historic main building of the University of Copenhagen. The present-day version of the church was ...
, Copenhagen and the subsequent reception at
Fredensborg Palace Fredensborg Palace (; ) is a palace located on the eastern shore of Lake Esrum ( Danish, ''Esrum Sø'') in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand (''Sjælland'') in Denmark. It is the Danish royal family’s spring and autumn residence, and is o ...
. They also attended the Memorial Service in honour of Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia held on 22 September 2006. They were included in the official guest-list as members of the Danish Royal Family when they attended the luncheon to celebrate the 75th birthday of Prince Henrik at
Fredensborg Palace Fredensborg Palace (; ) is a palace located on the eastern shore of Lake Esrum ( Danish, ''Esrum Sø'') in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand (''Sjælland'') in Denmark. It is the Danish royal family’s spring and autumn residence, and is o ...
on 11 June 2009; and the ruby jubilee celebrations for Queen Margrethe.


Death

Count Christian died on 21 May 2013 (aged 70) at Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen in Denmark. A number of members of the Danish royal family, led by Queen Margrethe, attended Count Christian's funeral, held at Lyngby Church on 29 May 2013. His wife Countess Anne Dorte of Rosenborg died just 7 months later on 2 January 2014 in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
.


Ancestry


References


Citations


Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Christian Of Rosenborg, Count Princes of Denmark 1942 births 2013 deaths House of Glücksburg (Denmark) Counts of Rosenborg Disinherited European royalty