The wife of a male monarch is a queen, but the husband of a female monarch is just a prince. Prince Henrik has long expressed his dissatisfaction with this inequality, and now there is good news for him.

There is a political majority in favour of giving Prince Henrik the title of king, but the Royal House itself would have to ask for the change, Ekstra Bladet reports.

Liv Holm Andersen, the equality spokesperson for coalition party Radikale, said the party didn’t have anything against it, but was quick to put the issue in proportion. “It has to be one of the smallest equality problems in the world,” she said.

“But that being said, Radikale’s position is that if it’s really important for Prince Henrik and the wish of the Royal House, we don’t have anything against it. We would be positive and open to it.”

DF: he does a terrific job
Peter Skaarup, the legal affairs spokesman of Dansk Folkeparti, emphasised the good will that Prince Henrik engenders for the Royal Family.

“He does a terrific job in different ways,” he said. “With his way of being he contributes to there being good backing for the Royal House.”

However, Manu Sareen, the minister for equality, told Ekstra Bladet that he would not be making the issue a priority. “There are many important equality issues,” he said.

“Prince Henrik’s title is, as far as I’m concerned, not one of them. I simply don’t have an opinion on this matter.”