Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix’s mother ‘in shock’ after decision to strip them of their titles

By William On Sep 29, 2022

The mother of Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix is ”in shock” after Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced yesterday that her grandchildren – Prince Joachim’s sons and daughter – would be stripped of their titles.

Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, 58, claimed the decision came “like a bolt from the blue”, adding that the children now feel “banished”.

According to a statement from her press adviser Helle von Wildenrath Løvgreen to the Danish outlet Se og HorAlexandra – who is Prince Joachim’s ex-wife and shares Nikolai and Felix with the royal family – said she was “saddened” by the choice.

She added: ‘We are all confused by the decision. The children… can’t understand why their identity is being taken from them.’

The 82-year-old queen announced the move in a statement yesterday, saying she hoped it would enable her grandchildren to “shape their own lives without being constrained by the special considerations and duties” associated with a formal connection with the Danish royal family.

The mother of Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix (pictured with her sons) is ‘in shock’ after Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced yesterday that her grandchildren would be stripped of their titles

The Queen, 82 (pictured with Felix and Nikolai in 2021), announced the move in a statement yesterday, saying she hoped it would allow her grandchildren to “shape their own lives.”

Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, will have Prince and Princess removed from their titles and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness.

The children of Prince Joachim, 53, the younger of Margrethe’s two sons, will be known as either His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat from January 1, 2023.

In the meantime Joachim has said his four children were “harmed” by their grandmother’s decision when he spoke for the first time since the bomb’s announcement.

The children of Prince Joachim, 53, the younger of Margrethe’s two sons, will be known as His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat from January 1, 2023. Pictured, Nikolai

‘We are all very sad. It’s never fun to see your kids being hurt. They are put in a situation that they do not understand,” he said in an interview with the Danish news channel Extra Bladet Today.

Joachim, sixth in line for the throne behind his brother and his children, spoke outside the Danish embassy in Paris, where he lives with his second wife Marie and their children Henrik and Athena.

Nikolai and Felix, both models, are the product of his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.

The Queen’s decision is seen as a step to streamline the monarchy – echoing King Charles’s desire for the British royal family and those of other European royal households.

Nikolai, 23, (far right) Felix, 20, (far left) Henrik, 13, (second from right) and Athena, 10 (third from right) (all pictured with Prince Joachim (third from left) and Princess Marie (second from left)) Prince and Princess will be removed from their titles and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness

Queen Margrethe defended her decision last night, saying at an event in Copenhagen: “It’s a consideration I’ve had for a long time and I think it will be good for them in their future. That’s the reason.’

It was reported that Prince Joachim was first notified of the decision in May, but he claimed this morning that he was only notified of the decision five days ago.

“I was given five days’ notice to tell them. In May, I was presented with a plan that was basically that when the kids turned 25 each, it would happen.

“Now I only had five days to tell them. Athena will be 11 in January,” he clarified.

Prince Joachim (back right), 53, the younger of Margrethe’s two sons, said he was given just five days’ notice that Nikolai (left), 23, Felix (second from left), 20, Henrik (far right), 13, and Athena (second from right), 10, will have the Prince or Princess removed from their titles and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness. Pictured with their grandmother Queen Margrethe (center) and Princess Isabella (behind Princess Athena)

Alexandra’s spokesperson Helle von Wildenrath Løvgreen told another news organization that Joachim had been informed of the fate of his children through an assistant.

Queen Margrethe has allegedly spoken neither to her sons nor to her grandchildren.

“The children have been notified that they are losing their titles, delivered by their father, just as Countess Alexandra was told by Prince Joachim,” the spokesperson added.

Despite being stripped of their titles, the Prince’s children will retain their positions in the order of succession.

Nikolai and Felix, both models, are the product of his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg (pictured)

From a Title: The Four Grandchildren Who Will No Longer Be TRHs

Nikolai of Denmark, 23: The Copenhagen Business School student and model regularly tops the list of the world’s most eligible singles. He lives in Denmark, but has flown all over the world to walk for designers in Paris and London. Nikolai has also appeared on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia.

Felix of Denmark, 20: Following in his brother’s footsteps, Prince Felix has also had success as a model and starred in an advertising campaign for Georg Jensen. He had a short stint at the Royal Danish Military Academy, but dropped out after two months because it was ‘not 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.

They are currently seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, but would go down if one of Crown Prince Frederick’s children had children.

The bomb threat was made in a statement released yesterday by the Danish royal family.

It read: ‘In April 2008, Her Majesty the Queen awarded the titles of Count, Countess and Count of Monpezat to her sons, their husbands and their descendants.

In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, the only one of the Queen’s grandchildren, is expected to receive a state annuity as an adult.

As a logical follow-up to this, Her Majesty has decided that from January 1, 2023, the descendants of His Royal Highness Prince Joachim may only use their titles as Count and Countess of Monpezat, as their previous titles as Prince and Princess of Denmark. will expire.

‘The descendants of Prince Joachim will henceforth have to be addressed as Excellencies.

‘The Queen’s decision is in line with similar adjustments that other royal houses have made in different ways in recent years.

With her decision, Her Majesty the Queen wants to create the framework for the four grandchildren to shape their lives much more without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark entails as an institution.

“All four grandchildren retain their place in the order of succession,” the statement said.

Margrethe, who is the world’s longest-serving queen and is celebrating her Golden Jubilee this year, is affectionately known as “Aunt Daisy” by European royals because of her close personal ties to many reigning monarchs.