Denmark Monarch's Portrait Order (Royal Family Order)

The "Ordensportrættet" (Portrait Order) is the Denmark Version of a Royal Family Order. The Portrait Order is a tradition of the Denmark Monarch since the 18th century. As the Order of the Elephant and other honors used to be restricted to men only, the Ordensportrættet offered women their own honor. 

The Portrait Order is a portrait of the monarch, set in a gold frame surrounded by diamonds. The bow is the Order of Dannebrog ribbon (White with red border), representing the national colours of Denmark. The frames are reused for future Portrait Orders, with the picture replaced. 

There can be multiple images of the monarch used for their Portrait Order.  New recipients usual receive a Order with a recent image. 

Instead of wearing multiple monarch's orders, a Royal will wear the order of the monarch they are the closet relation to. (E.g. Princess Benedikte always wore her father's order, not her sister's; Queen Mary of Denmark wore her mother-in-law (Queen Margrethe II)'s order during her reign, but switched to her husband (King Frederik X)'s order during his reign).   

King Frederik IX (1947-1972)

• Queen Ingrid
• Princess Margrethe (later Queen Margrethe)
• Princess Bendikte
• Princess Anne-Marie (later Queen Anne-Marie of Greece)

Queen Margrethe II (1972-2024)

Worn by Princess Marie
Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

• Princess Alexandra
• Princess Mary (Later Queen Mary)*
• Princess Marie

* Princess Mary does not wear this Order anymore, as she now wears her husband's Portrait Order. 

King Frederik X (2024-Present)

King Frederik X's Order Portrait, worn by Queen Mary
Photo: Steen Evald, Kongehuset 

Note: Children are often not given the Portrait Order until their 18th Birthday.

Royal	Relation	Year Received	Notes
Queen Mary	Wife	2024
-
-
-	-	-	-

Order of the Companions of Honour

Order of the Companions of Honour is an Order of Merit. It is a honor given out by the Monarch of the Commonwealth Realms. (Commonwealth Realms referring to all of the countries the British Monarch is monarch of. Not to be confused with international organization The Commonwealth of Nations).

This honor does not come with any title, but Members are entitled to use the post-nominal letters CH. The Order of the Companions of Honour's precedence is published in the The Gazette UK's official Order of Wear (2019). This honor is after most of the other Orders of Chilvery or Merit, only outranking the Distinguished Service Order, Order of The British Empire and the lowest grades (Lieutenant & Member) of the Royal Victorian Order & Order of the British Empire. 

This honor is given by the British monarch on the advice of the governments from the Commonwealth Realms. There can be a max of 65 Members, plus honorary members or Royal Companions. 

Grade

There is only one grade to this honor, but you may be referred to differently depending on your circumstance. 

• Member - Given to Citizens from a Commonwealth Realm
• 65 max living members.
• Honorary Member - Given to those from outside a Commonwealth Realm
• Rarely given
• Royal Companion - Given to Royals
• Has only been given to a Royal once

Given for

This honor is "awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time."

Motto

The Orders Motto is "IN ACTION FAITHFUL AND IN HONOUR CLEAR." The motto comes from Alexander Pope's description in his Epistle to Mr Addison of James Craggs, later used on Craggs's monument in Westminster Abbey.

Insignia

The insignia of the Order of the Companions of Honour is an oval medallion with the order's motto, topped by a royal crown and with a rectangular panel within. The panel shows a oak tree, with the shield of the UK Royal Arms hanging from one branch, and, on the left, a mounted knight in armour.

This honor only has a badge with a red with golden border threads ribbon. Men wear the badge on a neck ribbon and women on a bow at the left shoulder.

Men's Badge
Spink.com, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Chapel 

The ‘Home Chapel’ of the Order is The Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace. Members of the Order can request use of the Chapel for weddings, baptisms and memorial services.

Royal Companions

Princess Kate was made the 1st Royal Companion in 2024, by King Charles II. 

Back to UK Honors Main Page

Queen Sofia of Spain - Hospitalization & Serious Health Issues

Zarateman, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

I think anytime a royal is in the hospital or having a major health event, there is public concern. I have compiled this information for the purpose of allowing the public to better understand the royal's health history.

All information I share is publicly available information that has been released by the palace. Out of respect for the royals, I don't include any rumors or anything not confirmed by the palace or royals. 

2024

• Hospitalized with Urinary Infection
• Hospital Ruber International in Madrid 
• April 9th-April 13th
• Updated: 
• April 10th: Initial Announcement, her condition is progressing very quickly and positively
• April 13th: Queen Sofia is released from the hospital. Sofia tells press outside hospital she feels like “new” & “ phenomenal”.

1962

• Surgery to remove Appendix
• Hospital in Athens, Greece

Balcony Appearance for Monarch's Birthday (Denmark)

Embed from Getty Images

Each year, the Denmark Monarch marks their birthday with a balcony appearance with members of the Royal Family. For milestone birthdays there are usually additional events held.

Usual Time:

• 11:50 AM
• Changing of the Guard Ceremony
• Noon
• Royal Family makes Balcony Appearance

The Balcony Appearance usually takes place at the Monarch's residence at Amalienborg Palace Complex. However, it can take place elsewhere, as often happened during Queen Margrethe's reign as her Birthday fell during her Easter stay at Marselisborg Castle.

Amalienborg Palace Complex	Purple
Other	White

King Frederik X's Reign

King Frederik's birthday is on May 26th, and was held on that day regardless of the day of the week.

Year	Residence	Notes
2028 (60th)	-	-
2027	-	-
2026	-	-
2025	-	-
2024	Frederik VIII’s Palace	-

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

Queen Margrethe's birthday was on April 16th. Queen Margrethe usually celebrated Easter at Marselisborg Castle, and therefore would hold her Birthday Celebrations there when they fell near Easter. 

In addition to the Monarch's Birthday, balcony appearances were held to mark important milestone Birthdays of other members of the Royals (I.e. Heir, heir to heir).

Year	Residence	Notes
2023	Christian IX's Palace	-
2022	Marselisborg Castle	-
2021		Canceled due to Covid Pandemic
2020 (80th)	Christian IX's Palace	Canceled due to Covid Pandemic
2019	Marselisborg Castle	-
2018	Christian IX's Palace	-
2017	Marselisborg Castle	-
2016	Christian IX's Palace	Queen Margrethe's Birthday fell on Easter.
2015 (75th)	Christian VII's Palace	Joined by Norway & Swedish Royals in town for 75th Birthday Celebrations
2014	Marselisborg Castle	-
2013	Marselisborg Castle	-
2012	Christian IX's Palace	-
2011	Marselisborg Castle	-
2010 (70th)	-	-
2009	Christian IX's Palace	-
2008	Amalienborg Palace	-
2007	Amalienborg Palace	-
2006	Marselisborg Castle	-
2005 (65th)	Amalienborg Palace	-
2004	-	-
2003	-	-
2002	Amalienborg Palace	-
2001	-	-
2000 (60th)	Amalienborg Palace	-

Note: We list Amalienborg Palace as the residence when we were unable to confirm which of the Palace's in that complex the Balcony Appearance was held at.

Back to Denmark Annual Events