Succession to the Schleswig-Holstein headship

The House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg line of succession is based on the Germanic principle of agnatic primogeniture. More specifically, the status as Head of the House follows an order of seniority among persons and lines of descent from Friedrich Wilhelm, 1st Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderborg-Glücksburg.

The headship is not to be confused with the possession of the duchies Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg. In 1863, Christian, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a son of the 1st Duke and a brother of the 2nd Duke, became King of Denmark and thus the possessor of these fiefs, and the subsequent Kings of Denmarks possessed these titles until 1972.

Head of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
The House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg is the senior extant line of the House of Oldenburg. Junior lines of this house include the current royal houses of Denmark, Greece, Norway, and the United Kingdom upon the ascension of Charles, Prince of Wales to the throne.

The current Head of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg is Christoph, styled as His Highness The Prince of Schleswig-Holstein.

Line of succession

 * Current duke: Christoph, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein (born 1949)

Friedrich Wilhelm → Friedrich → Friedrich Ferdinand → Wilhelm Friedrich → Peter


 * 1) The Hereditary Prince of Schleswig-Holstein (b. 1985), son of The Prince of Schleswig-Holstein
 * 2) Prince Constantin of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (b. 1986), son of the Prince of Schleswig-Holstein
 * 3) Prince Leopold of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (b. 1991), son of the Prince of Schleswig-Holstein
 * 4) Prince Alexander of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (b. 1953), brother of the Prince of Schleswig-Holstein
 * 5) Prince Julian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (b. 1997), son of Prince Alexander of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

Friedrich Wilhelm → Christian IX of Denmark → Frederick VIII of Denmark → Haakon VII of Norway → Olav V of Norway
 * 1) The King of Norway (b. 1937), son of Olav V of Norway
 * 2) The Crown Prince of Norway (b. 1973), son of Harald V of Norway
 * 3) Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway (b. 2005), son of Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway

Friedrich Wilhelm → Christian IX of Denmark → George I of Greece → Constantine I of Greece → Paul of Greece
 * 1) The King of the Hellenes (b. 1940), son of Paul of Greece
 * 2) The Crown Prince of Greece (b. 1967), son of Constantine II of Greece
 * 3) Prince Constantine Alexios of Greece and Denmark (b. 1998), son of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece
 * 4) Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece and Denmark (b. 2000), son of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece
 * 5) Prince Odysseas-Kimon of Greece and Denmark](b. 2004), son of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece
 * 6) Prince Aristidis-Stavros of Greece and Denmark (b. 2008), son of Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece
 * 7) Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark (b. 1969), son of Constantine II of Greece
 * 8) Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark (b. 1986), son of Constantine II of Greece

Friedrich Wilhelm → Christian IX of Denmark → George I of Greece → Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark
 * 1) Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark (b. 1939), son of Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark

Dukes of Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg
On 5 June 1851 with the Warsaw Protocol and 8 May 1852 with the London Protocol, Christian August, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg was excluded from the possibility of succession both in Denmark and the duchies Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg; the sole heir became Christian, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and his male descendants, and since 1863, they bore the titles Duke of Schleswig, Duke of Holstein, and Duke of Lauenburg until 1972.

List of Dukes (1863–1972)

 * 1) 1863–1906: Christian IX of Denmark, Duke of Schleswig, Duke of Holstein, Duke of Lauenburg
 * 2) 1906–1912: Frederick VIII of Denmark, Duke of Schleswig, Duke of Holstein, Duke of Lauenburg
 * 3) 1912–1947: Christian X of Denmark, Duke of Schleswig, Duke of Holstein, Duke of Lauenburg
 * 4) 1947–1972: Frederick IX of Denmark, Duke of Schleswig, Duke of Holstein, Duke of Lauenburg