Frederick VIII was born on 3 June 1843 in Copenhagen. He was a member of the House of Schleswig–Holstein–Sonderburg–Glücksburg. His father was King Christian IX of Denmark and his mother was Louise of Hesse-Kassel. His siblings included Alexandra, Queen of Great Britain, and George I, King of Greece. His wife was Princess Louise of Sweden, daughter of King Charles XV of Sweden. Their wedding took place on 28 July 1869 in Stockholm. Their children were: Christian X (later King of Denmark) Haakon VII (later King of Norway) Louise, Harald, Ingeborg, Tíra, Gustav, Dagmar He ascended the throne on 29 January 1906, after the death of his father. At the time of his coronation: he was 62 years old and had been Crown Prince for 43 years. Political views: liberal, pro-reform, supported the parliamentary system. His reign was short, lasting only 6 years, but he was more open to democratic changes than his predecessor. Died: May 14, 1912 in Hamburg, after falling ill while walking. Cause of death: paralysis. Burial: in Roskilde Cathedral, next to other members of the Danish royal family.

During the reign of Frederick VIII, Denmark issued several coins and banknotes, which have become sought-after numismatic pieces. 1 Øre, 2 Øre, 5 Øre, 10 Øre, 25 Øre: These small coins were made of copper or bronze and featured Frederick's portrait. 2 Kroner, 20 Kroner: These silver and gold coins were made for special occasions, for example, a 2-krone coin was also minted to commemorate the death of Christian IX. 20 Kroner gold coin of 1912: weighing 8.96 grams, a rare and valuable piece, often turns up at auctions. 50, 100, 500 Kroner: These banknotes were made with various watermarks and decorations. The Heilmann types are particularly sought after by collectors. VIII. Frederick's portrait appeared not only in Denmark, but also in the territories under Danish rule: Greenland: 1 and 5 kronor banknotes were issued with Frederick's portrait. Iceland: 50 krónur banknotes bore his name. Danish West Indies: 20 and 40 cent silver coins were minted during his reign.