Norway, Greece, Denmark

I know members of the Royal House of Greece are also Princes/sses of
Denmark. Why aren't members of the Royal House of Norway also
Princes/sses of Denmark? Is it because Haakon VII of Norway renounced
any claims to the throne of Denmark and George I of Greece didn't?

pierre_aronax...

On 27 November 1905, king Haakon VII indeed renounced his right to the
Danish crown and that's why his descendants never used the title of
Prince and Princess of Denmark.

However, they are perhaps nevertheless Princes and Princesses of
Denmark since it is not necessary to be in line for the throne to enjoy
that title (actually, the Greek princes are no more in line today).
What seems even more probable is that, although they do not use them
today, they retain at least in theory all the hereditary titles of
Haakon which were not connected to the Danish succession and to which
he never formally renounced.=20

Charles von Hamm...

I would argue that they are princes and princesses of Denmark, but the title
obviously is not used. As Pierre Aronax indicated in another message, the
title was never renounced (were there provisions for that?), its use was
merely discontinued.

It is interesting to note that the Greek and Norwegian royal families and
part of the current British royal families are essentially extensions of the
House of Denmark. Denmark provided the dynasties for Norway and Greece and
Greece further provided Britain's "newest dynasty".

Hovite...

Or, rather, it was Oldenburg that provided Kings of Denmark (since
1448), Norway (various times from 1448), Sweden (various times since
1457), Greece (off and on), Britain (next generation), as well as
Emperors of Russia (from Peter III), and (of course) Dukes of
Schleswig-Holstein (etc.).

kurrild...

... Not to mention ruling dukes of Lauenburg, a king of Livonia, a king
of Iceland, various prince-bishoprics, etc. ... ;-)

Best wishes,

Peter Kurrild-Kitgaard

mjcar...

It is curious to note that, in 1917, the Oldenburgs reigned in Russia
as Emperors, Denmark, Greece and Norway as Kings, and Oldenburg as
Grand Dukes - five thrones.

Am I right in thinking that in recent times they were topped only by

pierre_aronax...

pierre_aronax...

the Wettins who, until 1910, reigned in the United Kingdom, Portugal,
Saxony, Belgium and Bulgaria as Kings, in Saxe-Weimar und Eisenach as
Grand Dukes, and in Saxe-Coburg und Gotha, Saxe-Meiningen and
Saxe-Altenburg as Dukes (nine thrones)?

Graham Truesdale...

PA - Not fair to count each of the Thuringian petty duchies!

GT -on what basis do you omit them while counting the King of Saxony?

pierre_aronax...

They resulted of the division of the inheritage between members of the
same house: they must count as one. The Kingdom was an other kind of
animal.

pierre_aronax...

Not fair to count each of the Thuringian petty duchies!

Hovite...

You can probably add several titles to the Wettin list, because of
linkage to the British throne: Man, India, Canada, Australia (and
states), New Zealand, and more. Depending on the year that you pick and
the exact status of the various territories at the time, it could be
an extra dozen or two.

mjcar...

Perhaps I should have referred to "monarchs" rather than "thrones".

kurrild...

Something slightly similar may be argued in the case of Oldenburg, in
so far as the Russian emperors were monarchs of several states that
were or less united with Russia itself; at least Finland should in this
respect probably be counted as a separate Grand Duchy. As far as I

pierre_aronax...

And the post-Vienna kingdom of Poland as a distinct crown.

remember the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg also constitutionally consisted
of several parts (counties, principalities, etc.) with slightly
different succession rules, but I am on thin ice here.

Best wishes,

Tom Wilding / Stephen Stillwell...

Well, there are the various branches of the House of Capet --
France, Spain, Parma, Two Sicilies, Luxembourg, Portugal, Brazil.

Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard

Charles von Hamm...

Of course, however most recently for Greece, Norway and (in the future) the
United Kingdom is descent in the male line from the House of Denmark (itself
from Oldenburg).

Charles von Hamm

the_verminator...

Just curious but if all cadet branchs had kept the original House
Name.. how many recognized Houses would there be today?

Charles von Hamm

Donald4564...

As all the European monarchies seem to be related to each other, I
wonder (in some jest of course) as to whether they may in future
'amalgamate' as it were, in order that one of them is sovereign of what

Phillip...

Greece

is surely to become the "United States of Europe"? Food for thought?

Donald Binks

the_verminator...

You of course mean the United European Empire !

Phillip...

Charles for Emperor.

Charles von Hamm...

This Charles, I hope!

Charles von Hamm

Phillip...

I did consider you: but, on the proven track record of the Prince's Trust,
I felt the other Charles has a stronger claim to be able to repair the
fabric of European society.