Copenhagen - Women will have the right to be first in line to the Danish throne after a referendum held Sunday, marking a new era in the over 1,000-year-old Danish monarchy, final returns showed Monday.

The change, already cleared by parliament, was approved by 85.4 per cent of voters. It will ensure that the first-born child of any future monarch will succeed to the throne, regardless of gender.

Voter turnout was almost 59 per cent of the 4 million voters, sufficient to clear the threshold.

The change will not have any effect on the current royal family as Crown Prince Frederik's oldest child, Prince Christian, was born before his sister, Isabella.

The current law of succession was introduced in 1953. Queen Margrethe is the oldest of three sisters and became monarch in 1972 only because there were no male heirs.

The Danish monarchy traces its roots back to Gorm the Old who died in the year 958.

Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen welcomed the proposed change pass, saying "it was important for gender equality."(dpa)