Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark
Prince Knut of Denmark ( born July 27, 1900 in Lyngby, † June 14, 1976 in Gentofte ) was the second and youngest son of the Danish King Christian X and his wife Alexandrine of Mecklenburg -Schwerin. He was a member of the House of Glücksburg, and from 1947-1953 the Danish throne.
Origin and family
Prince Knut was born at Castle Sorgenfri in Copenhagen and baptized in the name Knud Christian Frederik Michael. His father was King of Denmark, as Knut was 12 years old. His uncle Carl was King Haakon VII of Norway. Knut's brother Frederik ( IX ) succeeded his father on the Danish throne.
Prince Knut married on September 8th, 1933 at Fredensborg Castle his cousin Princess Caroline - Mathilde of Denmark, daughter of Knut's uncle Prince Harald of Denmark and Princess Helena of Schleswig -Holstein -Sonderburg- Glücksburg. The marriage produced three children:
- Princess Elisabeth of Denmark ( born May 8, 1935)
- Prince Ingolf of Denmark ( born February 17, 1940), later Count of Rosenborg
- Prince Christian of Denmark ( born October 22, 1942 † 21 May 2013), later Count of Rosenborg
Activities
As a 19 -year-old Prince Knut joined the Danish Navy. His service to the Danish patrol vessels took him to Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands and the Mediterranean. Together with his brother he went through the military school of the Danish navy. As a naval officer, he served as commander of the fortress Dragør. He ended his career in the Navy after 46 years as an admiral.
Prince Knut was very popular for its friendly character, his warmth and his closeness to the people in the Danish population. Besides his work as an officer, he became involved in various charitable organizations. His greatest commitment was to the Danish minority in South Schleswig and the entire border region. With the reunification of North Schleswig with Denmark in 1920 he rode to his father and brother on the former border, which was a symbolic action to a national event of the page.
Prince Knut was the patron of the following organizations:
- Sydslesvigsk study -og Hjælpefond ( " Suedschleswigscher training ind Relief Fund " )
- Foreningen af Søofficerer i reserves ( the "Association of Marine Officers of the Reserve" )
- Foreningen for National Arts ( " Association of Danish Art " )
- Dansk Ornitologisk Forening ( "Danish Ornithological Association")
Succession and constitutional change
King Frederik IX. had when he ascended the throne in 1947, three daughters. As in Denmark was the male succession to the throne, Prince Knut was declared as his younger brother, heir to the throne. As successor couple had Prince and Princess Caroline - Mathilde Knut suddenly a new public role, I had not the expected. Prince Knut became a member of the Danish State Council and took over new representative duties.
1948 said the Danish Minister of State Hans Hedtoft under four eyes for the first time with King Frederik IX. about the possibility of female succession to the throne. The king responded initially resistant, presumably because he first thought of the load, which would mean the Office for his (then small ) daughter. His wife, Ingrid, even devotee of feminism advocated female succession without restriction.
As of 1950, the Danish Women's Association ( Dansk Kvindesamfund ) presented publicly the question of why Prince Knut and his son Prince Ingolf of the very popular king's daughter, Princess Margrethe, should be preferred, because in Denmark did not exist the possibility of female succession to the throne. The women's movement and the struggle for equality were at this time long been a fixture in Denmark, and their arguments were heard. Unpleasant was the debate for Prince Knut and his family, as the media fueled the issue for years with commentary and reporting, while also were irrelevant and personal. Was asked if Princess Margrethe was not appropriate as her uncle and her cousin Knut Ingolf. Prince Knut lamented not view the fact that a debate on the succession to the throne was passed. The way of the discussion, however, he found offensive.
In 1953, Minister of State Erik Eriksen the matter in hand: he brought a referendum on a constitutional amendment on the way, which included the abolition of the Upper House Landstinget and other reforms addition to the introduction of conditional female succession to the throne. Thus, the Danes could choose practically, if they in the long run, Prince Ingolf wanted to have as head of state Princess Margrethe or. In the vote 1953 constitutional amendment was adopted. The then 13 -year-old Crown Princess Margrethe was. Prince Knut and his sons were in the list of the heir to the throne now behind Margrethe and her two sisters. Knut's daughter Princess Elizabeth was newly included in the list of the heir to the throne and stands there today in 12th place as a compensation for the withdrawal of the heir apparent title prince Knut continued to receive compensation in the amount of heir - Apanage. This was decided by the Danish Parliament in 1953. Moreover, he and his wife were given the title of Crown Prince permanently or a Hereditary Princess.
Residences
Center of his life was Sorgenfri Castle: here spent Prince Knut part of his childhood, and he and his wife moved into the castle as a fixed residence, which remained a life long faithful to her. Growing up was also Prince Knut to Amalienborg Palace and Marselisborg. 1944 inherited Knut and Caroline - Mathilde of Prince Gustav Egelund castle on the island of Zealand, which used it as a summer residence. Later the little lock Klitgården formed at Skagen the center of the summer holidays. The couple inherited it in 1952 by Queen Alexandrine. Knut Prince and Princess Caroline Mathilde were considered to be very hospitable.
Phrase
Prince Knut in 1958 accidentally in the development of the Danish phrase En gang til, for prins Knud - "Once again, for Prince John" involved, which is used when something is repeated surprising: Prince Knut and Princess Caroline - Mathilde had attended a ballet performance and out of her box a familiar scene can not see. When they told the theater manager this after the show, let this repeat the scene for the couple. This was the next day of a newspaper under the heading "Once again, for Prince John" picked up. This title again in 1959 for a used Revue hit by Brigitte Reimer and thus more widespread. The proverb is also used when you have to repeat something because someone does not understand something. Thus, the view has emerged that Prince Knut must have been slow on the uptake. This is not correct.
Worth mentioning
Prince Knut was carrier of the elephant - Order.
After Prince Knut of a train ferry was named the Great Belt ( Arveprins Knud ), the 1997 after completion of the bridge over the Great Belt ( Storebæltsbroen ) einstellten their service. In addition, a dormitory in Copenhagen was named after him, the students from South Schleswig receives ( Arveprins Knud's College ).
Prince Knut was buried in 1976 at the traditional burial place of the royal family in Roskilde Cathedral. His wife lived 19 more years as a widow at Castle Sorgenfri.