Hirschholm, Hørsholm

Facts

Scandalous love affair at the palace

By Lisbet Hein , Cand.mag. i historie og dansk 1979. (3 stories)

In the 1700s, Denmark witnessed a royal building boom. The King ruled supreme and no expense was spared to create residences befitting His Majesty. Next in line was a small Crown property in Hørsholm, which was replaced by the magnificent Hirschholm Palace. Intended as a summer residence for the Danish Royals, it suffered a sad fate. In 1771, it was the scene of the scandalous events at court during the de facto regency of court physician Count Johann Friedrich von Struensee. Afterwards, the residence fell into disuse and in 1810 was demolished. Hørsholm Church was built in the former palace courtyard in 1823.

Not a public place

Selected entry

Palace died of shame

Story written by Lisbet Hein

Time / Periode 1771

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On Sunday, 7 July 1771, the Master of the Royal Household at Hirschholm Palace wrote: At 9 o'clock, Her Majesty the Queen sensed a slight indisposition and towards 11 o'clock was happily delivered of a princess". Many courtiers suspected that the father of the child was not the king, Christian VII. The infant was the result of a love affair between Queen Caroline Mathlide and Court Physician Struensee. For a couple of years, Struensee had been the de facto ruler of the country, bypassing the deranged king. In 1771, resistance to Struensee's reform policies grew, and culminated in his public execution the following year. The Queen died in exile a few years later. It is said that Hirschholm Palace "died of shame" over the scandalous love affair. "