HRH Princess Benedikte is the patron of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses and the Danish Warmblood Association (DWB) , among others.
Today she turns 80 . The day is marked with a series of official events, while the birthday itself is celebrated privately with family and friends.
On 19 April, the princess' equestrian patronage celebrated Her Royal Highness with a birthday dinner at Sølyst in Klampenborg. The dinner was organized by the Friends of Dressage, of which the princess is chairman. It was a pleasant evening, where the almost 70 invited guests were entertained by several speeches. The guests were addressed by from the former chairman of the Sportsriding Club, Ole Rosdahl, the president of the WBFSH & chairman of Dansk Varmblod, Jan Pedersen, as well as the chairman of the Danish Riding Association, Dan Boyter. At the end the princess took the floor and gave thanks for the gifts and the memorable evening.
From the Dressage Friends' birthday dinner at Sølyst (Photo credit Ridehesten)
About HRH Princess Benedikte
Princess Benedikte was born during the Second World War during the reign of her grandfather, Christian X. The princess is the second child of Crown Prince Frederik (9th) and Crown Princess Ingrid, and Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg formed the setting for the Princess' upbringing. In 1946, little sister Princess Anne-Marie was born, and the following year the parents became Denmark's royal couple. Like her two sisters, the Princess completed her schooling at Zahle's school in Copenhagen. Subsequently, Princess Benedikte first studied at Benenden School in Kent, England, and then Brillantmont Ecole in Lausanne, Switzerland. Later, Princess Benedikte completed her education with a course in dressmaking and design at Margretheskolen in 1965.
At the age of 22, Princess Benedikte became engaged in March 1967 to Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. The wedding took place the following year in Fredensborg Castle Church. After the wedding, the couple settled in the northwestern German town of Bad Berleburg at Prince Richard's birthplace, Schloss Berleburg. Here Princess Benedikte and Prince Richard became parents to His Highness Prince Gustav in 1969, in 1970 to Her Highness Princess Alexandra and five years later to Her Highness Princess Nathalie. After 49 years of marriage, Prince Richard died in 2017.
