Last modified: 2025-08-09 by christopher oehler
Keywords: denmark | order of the elephant | wild men | lions (blue) | crown |
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![[Royal Standard]](../images/d/dk_royal.gif)
(56:107) image by Zoltan Horvath, 23 May 2024
Dannebrog with swallow-tail and the Royal arms set in the white field in the centre of the cross. The centre square is 32 parts in a flag with the ratio 56:107. The current version of the flag for the ruling monarch was introduced on 16 November 1972 after Margrethe II's accession to the throne.
Margrethe II greatly simplified the Royal arms to reflect
her much simplified title (she dropped a couple of mythical
titles and the German titles too - some of which she did not
inherit). The arms are now quartered by the Cross of Dannebrog,
silver with red borders. In field 1 and 4 Denmark - three blue lions
passant on a yellow field strewn with nine sea-leaves (formerly
also depicted as hearts). Field 2 Schleswig (or South Jutland):
Two blue lions passant on yellow. Field 3: Triparted, in chief
Union: Three yellow crowns on blue (representing the Union of
Calmar, uniting Denmark, Norway and Sweden), dexter Faeroes:
White ram on blue, sinister: Greenland: White polar bear on blue.
Inescutcheon: Oldenburg: Two red bars on yellow. Supporters:
Two wild men. Around the arms are the chains and insignia of
the Order of Dannebrog and Order of the Elephant. The Royal
mantle is surmounted by a Royal crown. This current version of
the Royal arms was introduced 16 November 1972.
Paige Herring 1998
Album des Pavillons (2000) describes this
flag as the state flag with a white panel in the intersection of the cross of
sides measuring 32 units (unit being 1/56 of hoist), on the panel the royal coat
of arms. A note with the image explains that other members of the royal family
use similar flags with the appropriate coats of arms on the panel. The
royal pennant consists of a white square at the hoist with the royal coat of
arms and a triangular cut (i.e. trapezoidal) fly end of Dannebrog pattern.
A note with the figure explains that the appropriate coat of arms is set for
other members of the royal family, the same as is the case with the standard,
and another note explains that this pennant is ceremonial and not required.
Željko Heimer, 12 June 2001
The white panel used throughout the flags of
this design is 32 units (when hoist is 56 units high).
Željko Heimer, 29 May 2004
![[Queen of Denmark alternate flag]](../images/d/dk_roy.gif)
56:107
by Željko Heimer
When no standard is available, Flaggenbuch (1939)
reported it could be replaced with the naval ensign topped with the masthead
pennant.
Željko Heimer, 29 May 2004
A flag for the Queen's husband was introduced in 1972. In the
white field, measuring 32 parts in a flag with a 56:107 ratio, the
flag has the arms of the Prince as Knight of the Order of the
Elephant: Quartered, 1 and 4 Denmark, 2 and 3 Arms of the
Counts de Laborde de Monpezat: A gold lion rampant on a
field of red with three five-pointed stars in the chief. Supporters:
Two gold lions. The arms are set on a mantle surmounted by a
princely crown with four arches, three of which are visible, and
an elongated pearl on top.
Paige Herring 1998
![[Flag of Queen]](../images/d/dk-qm2.gif)
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 6 March 2009
It is a white flag. In
the centre of a red lozenge, not touching the edge, is a royal crown.
Source: Pedersen (1979a); p.165
Klaus-Michael Schneider; 7 March 2009
Flaggenbuch (1939) reported the Queen's
standard to be the same as the Royal Standard, but with the
lesser coat of arms. This is I presume for a non-ruling queen. Would such be in
use nowadays for the non-ruling king? I suppose the difference may have been
abolished in the modern time.
Željko Heimer, 29 May 2004
![[Ingrid, Queen Mother of Denmark]](../images/d/dk-qingr.gif)
by Graham Bartran 2000
Queen Ingrid's flag was introduced 1948. In the white field, with a size of 32 parts in a flag of 56:107, is set the Royal arms as they were in 1948, without orders and supporters, but with the Royal mantle and crown. The arms consist of three shields placed on top of each other: Bottom shied: Quartered by the Cross of Dannebrog 1 Denmark, 2 Schleswig, 3 triparted Union, Faeroes, Greenland, 4 per fess in chief Wends: Yellow wyvern on red, in base Goths: Blue lion over nine red hearts on yellow. Middle shield: Quartered: 1 Holstein: White nettle leaf on red, 2 Stormarn: White swan on blue, 3 Dithmarschen: White mounted knight on red, 4 Lauenburg: Yellow horse head on red. Top shield: Per pale, Dexter Oldenburg, Sinister: Delmenhorst: Yellow cross on blue.
Comparing the arms of the two Queens Ingrid and Margrethe,
we can see that Margrethe dropped the titles relating to the Wends,
the Goths, Holstein, Stormarn, Dithmarschien, Lauenburg and
Delmenhorst.
Paige Herring 1998
![[Crown Prince of Denmark]](../images/d/dk_cp.gif)
56:107
by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 May 2010
The flag, introduced in 1914, has in the white centre field the arms of
Denmark (the three lions) surrounded by the chain and insignia of the
Order of the Elephant and surmounted by a royal crown. The centre
white field is a square of 32 parts in a flag measuring 56:107.
Paige Herring 1998
More details about this flag can be found on the
Crown Prince's web page. The
flag was introduced in 1914.
Dov Gutterman, 14 July 2005
I've been trying to find out more about the
details of the Danish flag for the Crown Prince, as the image is markedly
different from the depiction in [rya00a].
Mr. Bjarne Erbo Grønfeldt, Deputy Private Secretary to Her Majesty the Queen of
Denmark, informs me that the flag of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is as
it can be seen at:
http://kongehuset.dk/monarkiet/flag.
The other Royal flags can be found there as well. Unfortunately, this is one of
the pages missing from the English language version of the site, but the images
should speak for themselves.
I doubt that we should take these images as normative, for example, the shield
in the flag of the Crown Prince in both graphics leans towards the fly, for no
apparent reason. But they do give a good impression of the style of the arms. It
doesn't explain why the standard at the
Crown Prince' site has that
much more contrast. But it does show the shield to have a round shape; it may be
the sharp tip visible at the site of the Crown Prince is really caused by the
folds of the fabric.
I don't know whether the Danish Royal flags are regulated by law, and didn't
want to bother Mr. Grønfeldt unnecessary. But do we have a Danish member who can
try and find out what ultimately determines what the flag looks like, de jure?
And is anyone near enough to Amalienborg to check what is actually flown from
the Crown Prince' Palace, de facto?
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 21 February 2011
![[Crown Prince of Denmark]](../images/d/dk_cp1.gif)
by Željko Heimer
Other members of the royal family have a similar flag
with their personal coat of arms; ceremonial not required). White square field
with the appropriate coat of arms to which is attached a trapezoidal form of the
national flag (actually, the crossbar at fly converges too). As far as I
understand the
Album des Pavillons (2000)
footnotes, this flag is used by the Queen and other members of the royal house
who are entitled to the flag instead of the "normal" split-flag in less
ceremonial occasions - i.e. when they want to indicate that they are present on
a ship, but that they do not wish that other ships would pay the respect with
gun saluting and similar. I would suppose that these flags would therefore be
used much more often nowadays then the "formal" ones. The royal flags would be
made of the "civilian" red shade normally, however, we may assume that the naval
ships that are equipped with the royal flags would have them in the naval dark
red just as any other flags in their lockers.
Željko Heimer, 27 May 2004
![[Regent of Denmark]](../images/d/dk_re.gif)
56:107
by Željko Heimer
There is also a flag for the Regent, the person acting as head of
state in the absence of the King or Queen. The flag was introduced
in 1914. The Regent's flag has in the centre white field a sceptre and
sword placed in saltire, above which is found a Royal crown, beneath
a Royal orb. The white square is 24 parts in a flag with a ratio of
56:107.
Paige Herring 1998
The state flag with a square white panel over the middle of the cross
containing a sword and a sceptre in saltire over a royal orb and crowned proper.
The sword is blue with yellow handle in
Album des Pavillons (2000),
sceptre is all yellow, the orb is yellow with blue lining. I suppose that since
regent is not a permanent function, this flag would not be used very much.
Željko Heimer, 27 May 2004
There is also another flag that might be considered a royal flag,
though it is not used by members of the Royal family. This is
the flag of Hendes Majestaet Dronningens Hofstat, or in English,
Her Majesty the Queen's Royal Court (or Household). This is the
staff of people taking care of the affairs of Her Majesty, the
Royal family, etc. This flag is also the Dannebrog with swallow-
tails and a white field in the centre of the cross. The emblem is
the Queen's Royal Cypher in yellow set within a wreath of green
oak and green laurel, both with yellow fruits, tied together by a
blue ribbon at the base. Royal Armorial Painter Age Wulff was
responsible for designing this flag, which was introduced in 1983.
Paige Herring 1998
![[Regent of Denmark]](../images/d/dk_re39.gif)
56:107
by Željko Heimer
Flaggenbuch (1939) shows a
design similar to
Album des Pavillons (2000),
with only minor drawing differences - the sceptre is white.
Željko Heimer, 29 May 2004
![[Royal House Standard]](../images/d/dk_rh.gif)
56:107
by Željko Heimer
The state flag with the white panel containing the royal crown, as reported
by Flaggenbuch (1939). The crown
is taken from Heraldique Europeene.
Željko Heimer, 29 May 2004
A flag for those members of the Royal family that do not have a
flag of their own was introduced 5 January 1905. This flag has
simply a Royal crown in the centre white square. The white square
is smaller than in the flags for the more important members of the
Royal family. It takes up 24 parts in a flag with the ratio 56:107,
and is thus the same size as the red fields on the hoist side of the
flag.
Paige Herring 1998
![[Crown of Denmark]](../images/d/dk-krone.gif)
by
Joe McMillan, February 2002
Many offices of the government use the
crown on the flag. All of the photos/drawings that I have seen have the
crown in gold. Is there any actual support that it is in fact used in full
color?
Paige Herring, 1 June 2004
Flaggenbuch (1939)
is one such source - it shows crowns in their full splendour. It may even be
true for the older flags where the defacements were painted on the flags, but
today I would expect more "solid" designs to be used either printed or sewn on
as patches. It may be that there was no regulation issued regarding the colour,
just a matter of practice (however, the modern flags tend to have fewer and
fewer crowns). But also compare my images based on
Album des Pavillons (2000)
with those based on the Flaggenbuch - I used two different types of crown
intentionally.
Željko Heimer, 1 June 2004
Betaenkning afgivet af Flaglovkommissionen af 19. juli 1927, Copenhagen, 1929
Bjerring, Ole: "Et nyt Dannebrog", Nordisk Flaggskrift, No. 13, 1984, p. 6
Munksgaard, Jan Henrik: "Kommando- og rangflagg i Norden II. Danmark", Nordisk Flaggkontakt, No. 20, 1995, pp 5-18
Pedersen, Christian Fogd: (1979) Verdens flagg i farger ,Oslo, pp 20-21, 166-167
Svane, Erling (1994): Det danske rigsvåben og kongevåben: udvikling og anvendelse, Odense, 1994, pp 149-158, 171-179