Denmark’s Royal Family updates website after Margrethe’s grandchildren were stripped of HRH titles

By William On Jan 2, 2023

The Royal Family of Denmark have updated their website to show the new status belonging to four of Queen Margrethe’s grandchildren after they were stripped of their HRH titles.

The 82-year-old monarch announced in September that the four children of her youngest son, Prince Joachim, 53, would no longer be able to use the title of prince and princess after January 1.

She has said the decision was intended to allow Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, born from Joachim’s first marriage, and Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, to live a normal life without real obligations.

Instead of being Princes and Princesses, they are Counts and Countesses and are referred to as Their Excellencies, a change now reflected on the family’s website.

The Royal Family of Denmark have updated their website to show the new status belonging to four of Queen Margrethe’s grandchildren after they were stripped of their HRH titles. In the image, Count Nikolai, on the left and on the right, Count Felix

Under the Royal Family and Succession to the Throne pages of the website, the four young royals, who have maintained their positions in the line of succession, are listed with their new titles.

It was a tumultuous autumn for the Danish royal family after the monarch stripped Joachim’s four children of their titles of prince and princess, a move he spoke out against.

But speaking in a televised New Year’s speech on Saturday, Margrethe admitted: “It hurts me that the relationship with Prince Joachim and (his wife) Princess Mary has run into difficulties.

‘Difficulties and disagreements can arise in any family, including my own. The whole country has witnessed this.

The 82-year-old monarch announced in September that the four children of her youngest son, Prince Joachim, 53, would no longer be able to use the title of prince and princess after January 1. In the photo, Countess Athena, on the left. , and on the right, Count Henrik

The Danish queen (pictured with her children and their wives) has said the decision was intended to allow Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, born from Joachim’s first marriage, and Henrik, 13, and Athena , out of 10, will lead a normal life without real obligations

She added that she was “confident that the family can enter the new year together with confidence, understanding and new courage.”

And last night, the Royal Family seemed to put the drama behind them as they arrived for their glamorous New Year’s Eve dinner at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.

Despite the fallout, Prince Joachim was seen leaving the lavish event with his wife Princess Marie, as well as his brother Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary, as well as the sister of the Queen, Princess Benedikte.

Last year, Prince Joachim publicly spoke out against his mother’s decision in the days that followed, claiming that his children had been “harmed” in the process.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark attending the annual New Years dinner last night

Months later, the sixth in line to the throne admitted that “communication was lacking” within the Royal Family in the lead up to the shock announcement.

Joachim told a local media outlet BT.: ‘There is a lot to work on. Communication was what was missing. Now we have found each other and we are on the right path.’

Shortly after his sons were stripped of their titles, Joachim claimed he had only been given five days’ notice before the news broke.

Following the queen’s announcement, Joachim spoke to Danish publication Ekstra Bladet outside the Danish embassy in Paris, where he lives with his French-born wife Princess Marie and their two youngest children, saying their four children had been “hurt” by his grandmother’s decision. .

Prince Joachim’s children Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13 and Athena, 10, lost their titles on January 1, 2023.

Prince Felix of Denmark, Princess Marie, Prince Joachim, Princess Athena, Prince Henrik and Prince Nikolai in September

They gave me five days notice to tell them. In May, they presented me with a plan which, broadly speaking, was that when the kids turned 25, it would happen. Now she only had five days to tell him. Athena turns 11 in January,” he clarified

Off a title: The four grandchildren who are no longer TRHs

Nikolai from Denmark, 23: The Copenhagen Business School student and model regularly tops lists of the world’s most eligible bachelors. He lives in Denmark but has traveled the world to walk for designers in Paris and London. Nikolai has also graced the cover of Vogue Scandinavia.

Felix of Denmark, 20: Following in his brother’s footsteps, Prince Felix has also found success as a model and has starred in a Georg Jensen ad campaign. He had a brief stint at the Royal Danish Military Academy, but resigned after two months as “it wasn’t for him”.

Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, from Denmark: The youngest of Prince Joachim’s four children, Henrik and Athena, are the product of his second marriage to Princess Marie. They live with their parents in Paris.

Meanwhile, his ex-wife Alexandra, 58, who was married to Joachim for 10 years until 2005, said their sons Nikolai and Felix had felt “pushed out” from the institution and that the decision had come as a ” jump”. of the blue’.

The Royal Household issued a further statement, saying: “As the Queen said yesterday, the decision has been a long time coming.”

“We understand there are a lot of emotions at play at the moment, but we hope that the Queen’s wish to prepare the Royal House for the future is respected.”

Last year, Joachim and his family were said to be moving to the US after he got a new job in the defense industry in Washington, according to local media reports.

The 53-year-old Danish royal has decided to move to Washington DC with his wife and two young children, Henrik and Athena, Danish daily. BT informed.

The royal couple is currently based in Paris, where the prince has worked as a defense attaché since 2020. However, that job is expected to end in June, meaning the sticks are likely to rise. in the second half of the year.

The communications department of the Danish Royal Court did not confirm Joachim’s next reported move.