Grand Commanders of the Order of the Dannebrog

Order of the Dannebrog

The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...

 have been appointed by the Sovereign of the Royal Danish Orders of Chivalry

Chivalry

Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...

, i.e. the Danish monarch, since the general reorganization of the Order by royal letters patent

Letters patent

Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...

 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

Grand Cross

The phrase Grand Cross is used to denote the highest grade in many orders of knighthood. Sometimes the holders of the highest grade are referred to "knights grand cross" or just "grand crosses"; in other cases the actual insignia itself is called "the grand cross".Alternatively, in some other...

 of the Dannebrog. Together with the Knights of the Order of the Elephant

Order of the Elephant

The Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional monarchy in 1849, is now almost exclusively bestowed on royalty and heads of state.- History :A Danish religious...

 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
  Danish Royal Family
  The Danish Royal Family includes the Queen of Denmark and her family. All members except the Queen hold the title of Prince/Princess of Denmark with the style of His/Her Royal Highness or His/Her Highness. The Queen is styled Her Majesty. The Queen and her siblings belong to the House of...
  
  ,
• 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

Margrethe II of Denmark

Margrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:...

, the Sovereign of the Order.
By royal ordinance

Decree

A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...

 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

Insignia

Insignia or insigne pl -nia or -nias : a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction...

 of a Grand Commander.

Grand Commanders of the Order of the Dannebrog

Note! The list is currently incomplete

Name	Date of appoint.	Date of death	Notes
Frederik VI, King of Denmark and Norway Frederick VI of Denmark Frederick VI reigned as King of Denmark , and as king of Norway .-Regent of Denmark:Frederick's parents were King Christian VII and Caroline Matilda of Wales...	1808	03.12.1839	As Sovereign of the Order he wore the insignia of a Grand Commander - From 1814 only King of Denmark
Christian August, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg	14.12.1808	28.05.1810	Adopted by King Carl XIII of Sweden Charles XIII of Sweden Charles XIII & II also Carl, , was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 until his death...  in 1809 and created Crown Prince of Sweden under the name of Carl August
Friedrich, Prince of Hesse-Kassel Prince Frederik of Hesse Prince Frederik of Hesse, Count or Landgreve Friedrich of Hesse-Cassel was a Danish nobleman, general and governor of Norway and the duchies Schleswig and Holstein .-Personal life:...	16.12.1813	27.02.1845	Brother-in-law and first cousin of King Frederik VI
Carl, Prince of Hesse-Kassel	10.09.1817	17.08.1836	Father-in-law of King Frederik VI
Christian VIII, King of Denmark Christian VIII of Denmark Christian VIII , was king of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, king of Norway in 1814. He was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, born in 1786 at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen...	28.10.1828	20.01.1848	First cousin of King Frederik VI - Appointed while Prince and Heir Presumptive Heir Presumptive An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...  (1808–1839) - Briefly King of Norway in 1814
Marie, Dowager Queen of Denmark Marie Sophie of Hesse-Kassel thumb|Queen Marie Sophie portrayed by [[Cornelius Høyer]] Marie Sophie Frederikke of Hesse-Kassel was Queen Consort of Denmark and Norway. She also served as Regent of Denmark in 1814–1815.-Background:...	28.01.1840	22.03.1852	Widow of King Frederik VI
Frederik VII, King of Denmark Frederick VII of Denmark Frederick VII was a King of Denmark. He reigned from 1848 until his death. He was the last Danish monarch of the older Royal branch of the House of Oldenburg and also the last king of Denmark to rule as an absolute monarch...	10.06.1841	15.11.1863	Son of King Christian VIII - Appointed while Crown Prince Crown Prince A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....  (1839–1848)
Frederik Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark Ferdinand of Denmark align=right|Ferdinand of Denmark, Prince Frederik Ferdinand, was a member of the Danish Royal Family, a grandson of King Frederick V....	01.08.1854	29.06.1863	Brother of King Christian VIII - Heir Presumptive (1848–1863)
Carl XV, King of Sweden and Norway Charles XV of Sweden Charles XV & IV also Carl ; Swedish and Norwegian: Karl was King of Sweden and Norway from 1859 until his death....	10.06.1860	19.08.1872	Father-in-law of King Frederik VIII
Wilhelm, Prince of Hesse-Kassel Prince William of Hesse Landgrave William of Hesse-Kassel , son of Landgrave Frederick of Hesse-Cassel and Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen....	10.11.1860	05.09.1867	Brother-in-law of King Christian VIII - Father-in-law of King Christian IX
Christian IX, King of Denmark Christian IX of Denmark Christian IX was King of Denmark from 16 November 1863 to 29 January 1906.Growing up as a prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a junior branch of the House of Oldenburg which had ruled Denmark since 1448, Christian was originally not in the immediate line of succession to the Danish...	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
Caroline Amalie, Dowager Queen of Denmark	15.07.1865	09.03.1881	Widow of King Christian VIII
Frederik VIII, King of Denmark Frederick VIII of Denmark Frederick VIII was King of Denmark from 1906 to 1912.-Early life:Frederick was born on 3 June 1843 in the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen as Prince Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a junior male line of the House of Oldenburg descended from Christian III of Denmark and who had...	28.06.1869	14.05.1912	Son of King Christian IX - Appointed while Crown Prince (1863–1906)
George I, King of the Hellenes George I of Greece George I was King of Greece from 1863 to 1913. Originally a Danish prince, George was only 17 years old when he was elected king by the Greek National Assembly, which had deposed the former king Otto. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the Great Powers...	30.06.1871	18.03.1913	Son of King Christian IX
Louise, Queen of Denmark Louise of Hesse-Kassel Louise of Hesse was a German Princess and the queen consort to King Christian IX of Denmark.-Early Life and Ancestry:...	07.09.1883	29.09.1898	Consort of King Christian IX
Alexander III, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias Alexander III of Russia Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...	09.11.1891	01.11.1894	Son-in-law of King Christian IX
Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias Nicholas II of Russia Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...	26.11.1894	17.07.1918	Grandson of King Christian IX - His Grand Commander’s insignia were lost after the Revolution of 1917 Russian Revolution of 1917 The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
Valdemar, Prince of Denmark Prince Valdemar of Denmark Prince Valdemar of Denmark, GCTE was a member of the Danish Royal Family, the youngest son of Christian IX of Denmark and his wife Luise of Hesse-Kassel...	21.07.1900	14.01.1939	Son of King Christian IX
Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom, Emperor of India Edward VII of the United Kingdom Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...	09.09.1901	06.05.1910	Son-in-law of King Christian IX
Christian X, King of Denmark Christian X of Denmark Christian X was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and the only King of Iceland between 1918 and 1944....	14.05.1912	20.04.1947	Son of King Frederik VIII - Wore the Grand Commander's insignia as Sovereign of the Order - Also King of Iceland (1918–1944)
Haakon VII, King of Norway Haakon VII of Norway Haakon VII , known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the personal union with Sweden. He was a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg...	1912	21.09.1957	Son of King Frederik VIII
George V, King of the United Kingdom, Emperor of India George V of the United Kingdom George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....	09.05.1914	20.01.1936	First cousin of King Christian X
Constantine I, King of the Hellenes Constantine I of Greece Constantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, in which Greece won Thessaloniki and doubled in...		11.01.1923	First cousin of King Christian X
Gustaf V, King of Sweden Gustaf V of Sweden Gustaf V was King of Sweden from 1907. He was the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sophia of Nassau, a half-sister of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg...		29.10.1950	First cousin once removed of King Christian X
George, Prince of Greece and Denmark Prince George of Greece and Denmark align=right| Prince George of Greece and Denmark was the second son of King George I of the Hellenes and Grand Duchess Olga, and is remembered chiefly for having saved the life of a future Emperor of Russia, Nicholas II...		25.11.1957	First cousin of King Christian X
Harald, Prince of Denmark Prince Harald of Denmark Prince Harald of Denmark was a member of the Danish Royal Family. He was the fourth child and third son of Frederick VIII of Denmark and his wife, Princess Louise of Sweden and Norway, and thus brother to Christian X of Denmark.The prince served in the Royal Danish Army for most of his life, and...		30.03.1949	Brother of King Christian X
Frederik IX, King of Denmark Frederick IX of Denmark Frederick IX was King of Denmark from 20 April 1947 until his death on 14 January 1972....	1930s	14.01.1972	Son of King Christian X - Appointed while Crown Prince (1912–1947)
Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark Prince Knud of Denmark Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, formerly Prince of Denmark and Iceland was the second son and youngest child of King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine...	1930s	14.06.1976	Son of King Christian X
Axel, Prince of Denmark Prince Axel of Denmark Axel Christian Georg, Prince of Denmark and Iceland was a Danish and Icelandic prince.Prince Axel was the second son of Prince Valdemar of Denmark and his wife, Princess Marie d'Orléans....		14.07.1964	First cousin of King Christian X
George VI, King of the United Kingdom George VI of the United Kingdom George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...	24.10.1948	06.02.1952	Second cousin of King Frederik IX
Paul, King of the Hellenes Paul of Greece Paul reigned as King of Greece from 1947 to 1964.-Family and early life:Paul was born in Athens, the third son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia. He was trained as a naval officer....	1940s	06.03.1964	Second cousin of King Frederik IX
Prince Viggo, Count of Rosenborg Count Viggo of Rosenborg Prince Viggo, Count of Rosenborg was a Danish and Icelandic prince. He was born in Copenhagen the youngest son of Prince Valdemar of Denmark and Princess Marie of Orléans.-Biography:...	1940s	04.01.1970	First cousin of King Christian X
Gustaf VI Adolf, King of Sweden Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden Gustaf VI Adolf - Oscar Fredrik Wilhelm Olaf Gustaf Adolf - was King of Sweden from October 29, 1950 until his death. His official title was King of Sweden, of the Goths and of the Wends. He was the eldest son of King Gustaf V and his wife Victoria of Baden...	1950s	15.09.1973	Father-in-law of King Frederik IX
Alexandrine, Queen of Denmark Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Alexandrine Auguste of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was the queen consort of King Christian X of Denmark.-Family:She was born a Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, in the city of Schwerin...	1951	28.12.1952	Widow of King Christian X
Olav V, King of Norway Olav V of Norway Olav V was the king of Norway from 1957 until his death. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Olav was born in the United Kingdom as the son of King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Maud of Norway...	11.09.1958	17.01.1991	First cousin of King Frederik IX
Ingrid, Queen of Denmark Ingrid of Sweden Ingrid of Sweden was a Swedish princess and the queen consort of King Frederick IX of Denmark.-Background:...	11.03.1959	07.11.2000	Consort of King Frederik IX
Constantine II, King of the Hellenes Constantine II of Greece |align=right|Constantine II was King of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973, the sixth and last monarch of the Greek Royal Family....	12.03.1964		Son-in-law of King Frederik IX - Since 1973 ex-King
Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark , is the husband of the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II.-Early life:Henrik was born in Talence, Gironde, France...	16.04.1974		Consort of Queen Margrethe II
Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden	10.04.1975		First cousin of Queen Margrethe II
Harald V, King of Norway Harald V of Norway Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991...	28.10.1991		Second cousin of Queen Margrethe II
Benedikte, Princess of Denmark	27.01.1993		Sister of Queen Margrethe II
Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, is the heir apparent to the throne of Denmark. Frederik is the elder son of Queen Margrethe II and Henrik, the Prince Consort.-Name and christening:...	01.01.2004		Son of Queen Margrethe II
Joachim, Prince of Denmark Prince Joachim of Denmark Prince Joachim of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. He is the younger son of Queen Margrethe II and Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark....	16.04.2004		Son of Queen Margrethe II