dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti z ænd wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti z, hiː wʌzɐ klˈeɪmənt tə fˈɜːst dˈuːk ʌvðə hˈoʊl pɹˈɑːvɪnsᵻz ʌv ʃlˈɛswɪɡ ænd hˈɑːlstaɪn, ænd ɐ kˈændᵻdˌeɪt tə bɪkˌʌm kˈɪŋ ʌv dˈɛnmɑːɹk fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðə dˈɛθ ʌv kˈɪŋ fɹˈɛdɚɹˌɪk ɹˌoʊmən sˈɛvən.
During the 1850s and 1860s, he was a claimant to first duke of the whole provinces of Schleswig and Holstein, and a candidate to become king of Denmark following the death of King Frederick VII.