Frederik IX’s funeral
Denmark bid farewell to Frederik IX in January 1972. The ceremonies followed centuries-old traditions for royal funerals, as thousands paid their respects during The King’s castrum doloris at Christiansborg, and the entire nation followed the solemn journey to Roskilde Cathedral.
Frederik IX’s death – ceremonies and traditions
Frederik IX’s illness and death
Frederik IX passed away on 14 January 1972. On New Year’s Eve, The King had given his traditional New Year’s Address, but the very next day, newspapers announced that he had fallen ill. Thus, Frederik IX would not attend the traditional New Year’s banquet, and the New Year’s levees were cancelled.
A few days later, Frederik IX suffered a heart attack and was hospitalised. His condition deteriorated, and 10 days later, in the evening of 14 January, he expired at the Copenhagen Municipal Hospital. Frederik IX was the first Danish monarch to die in hospital. He passed away surrounded by his closest family.
The death is announced, and the flags of the Royal Life Guards are moved
Just 45 minutes after The King’s death, TV and radio broadcasters delivered the sombre news to the public. That same evening, the flags of the Royal Life Guards were moved from Frederik VIII’s Palace, which had been Frederik IX’s residence, to Christian IX’s Palace, the residence of the new monarch, Queen Margrethe II.
The flags of the Royal Life Guards belong in the antechamber of the sitting monarch’s palace. Thus, the transfer of the flags was the first symbolic indication of the succession of the throne.
Court mourning
The death of Frederik IX was marked with two months of court mourning, until 14 March 1972. The Ministry of Justice further issued a directive that banned public entertainment on two dates: 15 January, the day of HM Queen Margrethe’s proclamation, and 24 January, the day of Frederik IX’s funeral. On those two days, concerts and sporting events had to be cancelled, and cinemas and theatres had to stay closed
The days after The King’s death
The coffin is moved
The day after The King’s death, on 15 January, Frederik IX’s coffin was moved from the hospital to Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg, where it remained the following days.
The new monarch is proclaimed
On the same day, 15 January, Denmark’s new monarch was proclaimed from the balcony at Christiansborg Palace. Despite freezing temperatures, more than 50,000 people had shown up to witness the event as the then Prime Minister, Jens Otto Krag, proclaimed HM Queen Margrethe II the new monarch of Danmark.
Castrum doloris
A few days later, Frederik IX’s coffin was moved to Christiansborg Palace Chapel for castrum doloris. The coffin was placed on a raised platform surrounded by four silver gueridons and the three silver lions. The regalia – the Orb, the Coronation Sword and the Sceptre – and the Sovereign chains for the Order of Dannebrog and the Order of the Elephant were placed by the coffin. The coffin itself was adorned with Christian V’s anointing robe and Christian V’s crown, both dating from 1671. Apart from the anointing robe, all these objects were brought to the chapel from Rosenborg Castle, where they are normally on display. The anointing robe was stored elsewhere, because it was – and is – too fragile to be put on display.
The following six days, thousands of people visited to pay their respects to the ‘sailor king’
Funeral procession
On 24 January, 10 days after the death of Frederik IX, The King’s coffin was moved from Christiansborg Palace Chapel to Copenhagen Central Station. Since the death of Christian IX, in 1906, the coffins of deceased Danish monarch have been moved to Roskilde by rail.
The coffin was placed on a gun carriage that was pulled through Copenhagen by sailors from the Danish Navy. The Royal Family and visiting heads of state walked directly behind the coffin. The Danish military also had a strong presence in the procession, including representatives of the Royal Danish Life Guards, the Navy and the Guard Hussars. While the procession moved slowly through town, the bells of all the city’s churches rang out, and a drumbeat marked the pace. Along the route from the church to the Central Station, once again, large crowds were in attendance.
Later in the day, when the coffin arrived in Roskilde, the route to the cathedral was covered with spruce branches to dampen the noise of the hearse and of the many horses and people. Also in Roskilde, large crowds had turned out to pay their respects to The King on his final journey.
The funeral
True to tradition, Frederik IX was buried at Roskilde Cathedral, with the Royal Family, the Danish government and foreign heads of state – including Olav V of Norway – in attendance.
The public could follow the event in real time, as this was the first TV-transmitted royal funeral in Denmark. Both before and after the funeral, all the church bells in the country rang out for half an hour – a tradition that dates back to medieval times.
Frederik IX’s funeral at Roskilde Cathedral
Final resting place
After the funeral service, the coffin was placed in the Glücksborg Chapel, where it was draped with Frederik IX’s own royal standard.
Frederik IX had never liked the idea of being laid to rest inside Roskilde Cathedral but wished to be buried outdoors. After his death, Queen Margrethe II and Queen Ingrid therefore had a contemporary burial plot established outside the church, in accordance with the late King’s wish. The plot had room for both Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid.
In 1985, when it was completed, Frederik IX’s coffin was moved there. When Queen Ingrid died, in 2000, she was laid to rest next to her husband.
Queen Dronning Margrethe II’s sepulchral monument
Queen Margrethe wished to be involved in designing her own sepulchral monument. In 2003, she began work on the future monument, which would be placed in Saint Birgitta’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral. She commissioned the design from the Danish sculptor Bjørn Nørgaard, who is also known for creating the tapestries in the Great Hall at Christiansborg Palace, among other works of art. Since its completion, the monument has been under cover, to be unveiled at the funeral of Queen Margrethe. However, a small-scale model of the monument is on display for public viewing at Roskilde Cathedral.
Film: Frederik IX’s death and funeral
In this film, museum curator Peter Kristiansen provides insight into the rituals of Frederik IX’s funeral and the rituals and customs marking the end of a monarch’s life and reign.