The Danish royal family

H.M. King Frederik X appointed patron of the Royal Academy, continuing a centuries-old tradition.

On the afternoon of Thursday 30 May 2024 the Danish Royal Family published a new list of patronages. H.M. the King of Denmark will now be the patron of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Letters, known informally as the Royal Academy.

“It’s a tremendous honour for the Royal Academy to once again be under royal patronage, now by H.M. King Frederik. We look forward to our collaboration,” enthuses Professor Susanne Ditlevsen, president of the Royal Academy.

“H.M. the King has previously participated in various seminars and meetings at the Royal Academy, including on the climate and physiology. We appreciate that our new patron, like our previous patron H.M. Queen Margrethe, so clearly shows his support for science and its crucial role in society,” she concludes.

With this decision the Royal Family resumes and continues a centuries-old tradition of the current regent being the patron of the Royal Society, which dates all the way back to 1742 when the Academy was established with King Christian VI as its patron.

H.M. Queen Margrethe II, the former patron of the Royal Academy, will continue to preside over the annual presentation of Queen Margrethe II’s Science Award, which was instituted by the Royal Academy on the occasion of H.M.’s 75^th birthday in 2015.

Timeline of the history of the Royal Academy, including the names of previous royal patrons.