Queen Margrethe of Denmark strips four grandchildren of royal titles
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has stripped four of her eight grandchildren of their royal titles, as well as titles of “Her Highness” and many members of the royal family are unhappy with the decision.
Queen Margrethe II, 82, who is the third cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth and now Europe’s longest-reigning monarch following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, has announced she is scrapping royal titles in a communicated on Wednesday, September 28.
Only the four children of Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Princess Mary will keep their royal titles.
The children of the Queen’s second son, Prince Joachim; Nikolai, 23, Félix, 20, Henrik, 13 and Athéna, 10 will now be called “His Excellency the Count of Monpezat” or “Her Excellency the Countess of Monpezat” from January 1, 2023.
Prince Joachim is sixth in line to the Danish throne.
The statement announcing the Queen’s decision reads: “With her decision, Her Majesty The Queen wishes to create the framework for the four grandchildren to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the considerations and particular duties which formal affiliation to the Royal House of Denmark as an institution entails.
“His Majesty has decided that from January 1, 2023, the descendants of His Royal Highness Prince Joachim will only be able to use their titles of Count and Countess of Monpezat, the titles of Prince and Princess they held until now being deleted.”
The Danish monarch defended her decision, telling reporters: “It’s a consideration I’ve had for quite a long time and I think it will be good for them in their future. That’s the reason.”
But the news that the Queen has stripped the titles of Prince and Princess from her grandchildren has not gone down well with all members of the Royal Family.
Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg – the mother of Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix, who are set to lose their royal titles, said she was “confused” by the news.
Prince Joachim’s ex-wife said in a statement from her press adviser Helle von Wildenrath Løvgreen: “We are saddened and in shock.
“It falls like a thunderclap. The kids feel ostracized. They can’t understand why their identity is being taken away from them.”
No changes have been made to the titles of Prince Frederik, the heir to the throne, as well as his wife, Princess Mary, and their children – Prince Christian, 16, Princess Isabella, 15 and the twins 11-year-old Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
The palace said: “The Queen’s decision is in line with similar adjustments that other royal houses have made in various ways in recent years.”
