On December 20th, 2024 King Frederik passed a royal resolution, updating the Royal Coat of Arms. (The new coat was released to the public on January 1st, 2025). The change creates "a contemporary royal coat of arms that both reflects the Commonwealth and takes into account history and heraldic tradition."
The Royal Coat of Arms is used by both the Monarch and the State. It is used on many things including official documents and in the seals that are minted in royal appointments and original laws.
The Royal Coat of Arms dates back to the 12th century, but has been changed many times over the years. The two previous monarchs, Queen Margrethe II and King Frederik IX, both updated the coat of arms at the start of their reign.
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New Coat of Arms
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In the middle of the Royal Coat of Arms is the shield. The shield has 4 fields representing, in order: Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands, South Jutland/Schleswig. The shield is divided by the red Dannebrog cross. At the heart (center) is the shield of the Oldenborg family, marking the dynastic origin of the royal family. The shield is surrounded by the chains of the Order of the Elephant and the Order of the Dannebrog. The two supporters are "wildmen."
Changes from Royal Coat of Arms during Queen Margrethe II's reign:
- The Faroe Islands and Greenland are now given their own field (Quarter).
- This gives them equal place with Denmark, as they are all countries in the Kingdom of Denmark.
- South Jutland/Schleswig is a former Duchy, which is now half in Denmark and half in Germany.
- The Three Crowns, a symbol of the former Kalmar Union (1379-1523) has been removed, as it is no longer relevant.
- The Kalmar Union was a personal union of then Denmark, Sweden (which included much of Finland), Norway, and Norway overseas territories (which included Iceland, Greenland, etc.)
- Dannebrog cross has been changed back to the outward-curved.
Official Blazon:
"The shield is quartered by an outwardly curved silver cross with a red border. 1st field: In gold, three walking gold-armed blue lions with red tongues and with gold crowns, accompanied by nine red hearts (Denmark); 2nd field: In blue, a silver ram with gold armament and red tongue (Faroe Islands); 3rd field: In blue, an upright sitting silver bear with red tongue (Greenland); 4th field: In gold, two walking gold-armed blue lions with red tongues (South Jutland/Schleswig). Heart shield: In gold, two red beams (Oldenborg). The shield is surrounded by the chains of the Order of the Dannebrog and the Order of the Elephant.
Shield holders: Two naturally colored wild men with green oak leaves around their heads and loins, each holding a naturally colored club in the averted hand, standing on a stone console. All within a tent of arms crowned by the Danish royal crown."
Committee Members:
A committee was appointed shortly after King Frederik's Accession. The Committee consisted of:
- Ronny Skov Andersen - Royal Coat of Arms Painter
- Jes Fabricius Møller - Royal Order Historian
- Nils G. Bartholdy - Heraldic Consultant
- Professor Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard - Former Chairman of the Danish Heraldic Society
- Niels Arne Dam - Current Chairman of the Danish Heraldic Society
- Anton Pihl - Musem Curator and vexillologist
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