Odense Slot

Eight surprising facts about Skovsgaard Manor 

Louise Rasmussen was born the bastard daughter of a single mother seamstress; she had a bastard child of her own – and as if that were not enough, she was a former ballet dancer … In the mid-1800s, she was, in the eyes of the aristocracy and the upper reaches of society, a scandalous woman.

Nevertheless, Louise Rasmussen had secured a key to the gate in the wooden palisade around Odense Castle, so that she could secretly visit the Crown Prince in the castle. Once on castle grounds, Louise tapped at the door of the servants’ quarters on the ground floor, before climbing a secret staircase that led directly to the Crown Prince’s dressing room on the first floor. Here, she exited a beautiful cabinet that concealed the entrance to the staircase. 
 
We know that Crown Prince Frederik received visits from Louise at the castle, even though she never officially resided at Odense Castle. For example, the entry in his diary for 19 March 1847 reads: “Spent the whole day at home and argued with Louise.”

The Crown Prince found happiness with Louise

Four months previously, the Crown Prince had officially divorced from his second wife, and he could now finally set Louise Rasmussen up close to himself at Odense Castle.

The former dancer, currently a fashion trader, was gifted a suite of rooms at a farm just outside Odense. She had a horse and carriage at her disposal so that she could easily travel to the castle.

Around Christmas, the 38-year-old Crown prince wrote to her: “... I say to you in all sincerity, that this month has been the happiest of my life; for which I will always be sincerely grateful to you.” 

From Copenhagen to Odense

Louise Rasmussen resided principally in Copenhagen, but throughout 1847 she made the journey to the farm outside Odense every time Crown Prince Frederik was in residence there. That is, if the couple were not together at Frederiksgave, as Hagenskov Manor was called for many years.

King Christian VIII died in January 1848, elevating Frederik to the throne. Two years later, he married his darling Louise and granted her the title of Countess Danner – putting an end to the cumbersome procedure of sneaking in the back door and creeping up secret stairs.