Nicklas Bendtner dated Danish baroness Caroline Iuel-Brockdorff in the late 2000s and the pair had a son together before their whirlwind romance ended in 2011
15:50, 16 Jan 2026Updated 15:50, 16 Jan 2026
Photo of Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner celebrating a goal in the rain, arms outstretched, for Arsenal in 2007
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Nicklas Bendtner is a cult hero in north London(Image: Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images)
Arsenal cult hero Nicklas Bendtner once boldly declared himself among the world's elite strikers.
"If you ask me if I am one of the best strikers in the world, I'd say 'yes' because I believe it," the Dane proclaimed. While that assertion was rather generous, the towering forward did manage to net 45 times in 171 outings for the Gunners.
The striker became one of football's most colourful personalities throughout the 2010s, largely due to his off-field escapades. While supporters mocked his profligacy in front of goal, he certainly couldn't stop finding the back of the net away from the pitch.
An image depicting a soccer match in progress, with players from two opposing teams competing for the ball. One player is mid-air, attempting to head the ball, while others on the field are in various positions, preparing for the next play. The background features a blurred crowd of spectators watching the match.
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Nicklas Bendtner was once linked to a Danish aristocratic(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Bendtner, who celebrates his 38th birthday today, January 16, has romanced an impressive roster of stunning women. He even came close to securing aristocratic status through his liaison with Danish baroness Caroline Iuel-Brockdorff during the late 2000s.
Caroline had actually surrendered her Baroness title upon marrying banker Rory Fleming - a first cousin once removed of James Bond author Ian Fleming - back in 2001.
Beyond her blue-blooded heritage, Caroline's daughter Josephine serves as goddaughter to Mary Donaldson, Denmark's crown princess.
Caroline Fleming attends the launch of new fragrance "Le Jardin De Monsieur Li" by Hermes Paris hosted by Mr Fogg's of Mayfair at the Hermes Bond Street store on July 9, 2015 in London, England.
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Caroline had surrendered her Danish baroness status(Image: Getty Images Europe)
The pair were spotted together at Hyde Park in London during November 2009, having allegedly first crossed paths when Caroline appeared renovating her ancestral seat, Valdemar's Castle, on a reality programme.
The ex-Arsenal striker had featured as a guest on the show. The year after, Caroline welcomed Bendtner's son into the world, but by 2011 the pair had called time on their relationship.
A pal of the duo revealed: "It was a whirlwind romance and they were madly in love – perhaps they did realise in the end they were poles apart in age and outlook.
"The birth of a child can put a strain on any relationship but there seems to have been more pressure on them both recently in the last couple of weeks."
A separate insider commented: "They decided to go their separate ways now rather than have a messy divorce in the future. They will of course remain in close contact because of the child."
Yet Bendtner would officially earn his 'Lord' moniker in 2015 when Danish publication SE Og HOR claimed to have bought the footballer a plot of Scottish land, allowing him to genuinely call himself Lord Bendtner.
The magazine insisted they possessed documentation showing Bendtner as the proprietor of a square metre patch in Glencoe Wood.
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Elisa Lykke, representing Bendtner, said he was thrilled with the gesture: "We have seen it, and Nicklas thinks it's a fun gimmick."