Count Ingolf of Rosenborg

Count Ingolf of Rosenborg, (formerly Prince Ingolf of Denmark; ) (born 17 February 1940), is a grandson of King Christian X of Denmark and first cousin of the present Queen Margrethe II. At his birth, his accession to the throne of Denmark appeared likely until the new right of females of the royal family to inherit the crown displaced him in favor of his cousin Princess Margrethe in 1953.

He was born at Sorgenfri Palace, Sorgenfri, as His Highness Prince Ingolf of Denmark. He was the elder son of Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, by his wife (and first cousin) Princess Caroline-Mathilde of Denmark.

Loss of place in succession

From the death of his grandfather in 1947, Ingolf stood only behind his father in the order of hereditary succession to the throne and was expected to become king in his turn. His father Prince Knud was then the heir presumptive, due to succeed Ingolf's uncle King Frederick IX, who had three daughters but no sons.

In 1953, the Constitution of Denmark 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 succession. Ingolf was thus relegated to fifth in the line of succession to the Danish throne, but more importantly, he now ranked behind Margrethe and others who were likely to have dynastic children of their own (as has, in fact, happened). The princess became Queen Margrethe II in 1972 and is still......
Read More