Erik Norman Svendsen, a former bishop of Copenhagen who served as royal confessor to the Danish royal family for a decade, has died aged 85 following a short illness. He passed away on Monday evening, 10 August 2026.
Svendsen held a prominent role in Denmark's state church, serving as bishop of the Diocese of Copenhagen from 1992 to 2009. He became closely associated with the royal household, acting as royal confessor from 2008 to 2018. During that period he officiated at several major family ceremonies, including the 2004 wedding of the then Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson at Copenhagen Cathedral, the christening of all four of the couple's children, and the 2018 funeral of Prince Henrik.
King Frederik and Queen Mary have expressed their sorrow over his death. Svendsen remained active in public church life in his later years, attending a service in Aarhus Cathedral in January 2024 marking the accession of King Frederik.