In something of a raritythe Queen Margrethe’s younger sister will serve as regent of Denmark whilst Her Majesty is out of the country for a couple of weeks.
The Danish Monarch will be absent from the country from 9 February to the 20 February, and since Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary are also abroad during this period, Princess Benedikte will step in as temporary head of state. The Queen is understood to be going abroad on a private holiday to Norway. It is not known where the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are traveling to.
As Margrethe’s younger son, Prince Joachim, is working full time as a defence attaché at the Danish Embassy in Paris, he is not physically in Denmark, he can not step in as head of state.
As interim regent, Princess Benedikte will be able to handle the Queen’s duties as head of state when the Her Majesty is prevented from doing so, such as when abroad. In modern times, the monarch’s duties can be carried out by the Crown Prince as regent or by Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Mary and Prince Joachim, as well as Princess Benedict who steps up to the task on this occasion.
Her Royal Highness Princess Benedikte of Denmark and Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg is the second daughter of King Frederick IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark. She is the younger sister of Margrethe II, and the older sister of Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. Princess Benedikte often represents her elder sister at official or semi-official events. She and her late husband, Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, have three children. Princess Benedikte is currently 11th in the line of succession to the Danish throne.
