Royal Profile: Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Princess Benedikte Astid Ingeborg Ingrid of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg  was born 29 April 1944  as the second of three daughters of King Federik XI & Queen Ingrid of Denmark {Source}.
She has two sisters, two brothers in law, several nieces and nephews, an numerous great nieces and nephews {Source}:

1. Queen Margarethe II of Demark
1. Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark
1. Crown Prince Fredrik of Denmark
1. Crown Princess Mary
1. Prince Christian (2005)
2. Princess Isabella (2007)
3. Prince Vincent (2011)
4. Princess Josephine (2011)
2. Prince Joachim of Denmark
1. Alexandra, Countess of Fredriksburg
1. Prince Nikolai (1999)
2. Prince Felix (2002)
2. Princess Marie
1. Prince Henrik (2009)
2. Princess Athena (2012)
2. Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
1. King Constantine of Greece
1. Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark (1965)
1. Mr. Carlos Morales Quintana
1. Miss Arrietta Morales y de Grecia (2002)
2. Miss Ana María Morales y de Grecia (2003)
3. Carlos Morales y de Grecia (2005)
4. Amelia Morales y de Grecia (2007)
2. Crown Prince Pavlos 
1. Princess Marie Chantal
1. Princess Maria Olympia (1996)
2. Prince Constantine-Alexios (1998)
3. Prince Achileas-Andreas (2000)
4. Prince Odysseus-Kimon (2004)
5. Prince Aristidis-Stavros(2008)
3. Prince Nikolas
1. Princess Tatiana
4. Prince Theodora
5. Prince Philippos

She was married to Richard,6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg in Denmark on 3 February 1968{Source}.Together, they have three children, two sons-in-laws and four grandchildren{Source}:

1. Gustav, Hereditary Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1969)
2. Alexandra, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1970)
1. Count Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth
1. Count Friedrich Richard Oscar Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (1999)
2. Lady Ingrid Alexandra Irma Astrid Benedikte von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (2003)
3. Nathalie, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (1975)
1. Alexander Johannasman
1. Master Konstantin Gustav Heinrich Richard Johannsmann (2010)
2. Miss Louisa Johannsmann (2015)

Princess Benedikte is patron of many national organizations, institutions, and foundations in Denmark and abroad {Source}. She also serves as honoray member of various associations and societies{Source}. Princess Benedikte served in a special scout unit created just for her so she could participate as a child. She is chairwoman of Pigespejdernes fællesråd (Joint Committee of Girl Guides in Denmark) since 2000{Source}.In 1963, she stood in for her mother during the Girl Scouts World Conference{Source}. In 1965, Princess Benedikte became president of the Girl Scouts ' Confederation Denmark{Source}. She is patron for De grønne pigespejdere (The Green Girl Guides, Denmark) and Det Danske Spejderkorps (The Danish Guide and Scout Association){Source}.Princess Benedikte is patron of the Olave Baden Powell Society (OB-PS){Source}.She is an honorary member of the St Georges Guilds in Denmark. In 2007, she was awarded with a prize of honour by this Scout association for adults.


She is a first cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden {Source}. Along with her younger sister, Anne-Marie, Benedikte was a bridesmaid at the 1962 wedding of Prince Juan Carlos of Spain & Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark.

She was not in line for the throne due to succession laws at birth.  However, things changed in 1947, allowed the Danish Royal women to succeed, which her sister did in 1972. Presently, the Danish Succession Act allows equal rights to the throne.Upon this change, Princess Benedikte became second in line.  Presently she is 10th in line after two nephews, and 8 great-nieces and nephews. Princess Benedikte's children are not in line for succession due to her father ruling that they must be brought up in Denmark in order to have succession rights. However, both her daughters have obtained Danish Citizenship. She was a horse breeder in Germany, something that her youngest child has followed in her footsteps doing.