Prince Joachim with his wife, Princess Marie, and four children.Photo: MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images
The children of Denmark’sPrince Joachimare no longer princes or a princess.
On Jan. 1, Joachim’s four kids — sons Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, and Henrik, 13, and daughter Athena, 10 — lost their prince or princess titles and “His/Her Highness” styling, appellations which they inherited at birth as the grandchildren ofQueen Margrethe II. As seen on the updated website of the Danish Royal House, the siblings are now styled as His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat.
Nikolai, Felix, Henrik and Athena retain their places in the order of succession; they are currently seventh through to the tenth in line to the throne behind their father.
In September 2022, the palaceannounced via press releasethat Prince Joachim’s four children would lose their royal titles on the first day of 2023.
Danish Royal Family
Five days after the news broke, she issued anapologysaying she “underestimated” how greatly the shock of the news would affect the family dynamic and calling the change “necessary future-proofing of the monarchy.”
The shakeup does not affect the four children ofCrown Prince FrederikandCrown Princess Mary. Unlike their first cousins,Prince Christian, 17,Princess Isabella, 15, and 11-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine remain in the royal house for the foreseeable future as the children of the Crown Prince couple. The eldest son of Queen Margrethe and the latePrince Henrik, Frederik, 54, is first in line to the Danish throne.
Queen Margrethe, 83, spoke about the situation in her annualNew Year Addressover the weekend. Much like the British monarch’s annual Christmas speech, whichKing Charles IIItook over this year following the death ofQueen Elizabeth II, the Danish Queen has addressed her country each year of her reign with a televised broadcast on New Year’s Eve.
“For most of us, our family is one of the most important things in life. We see how our children develop, and how they tackle life’s challenges each in their own way. We are happy for them, we worry about them, and we wish for them to do well,” the Queen said.
Ole Jensen/Getty Images
“I always feel great love for my entire family. Difficulties and misunderstandings may arise in any family, also in mine. The whole country has witnessed that,” she continued. “That the relationship with Prince Joachim and Princess Marie has run into difficulties makes me sad.”
“We have now had a quieter period and time for reflection, and I am sure that our family can embark on the new year together with confidence, understanding and new courage,” she added. “After the coronavirus has released its grip on society, the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess have had plenty to do once again with a full program. They have looked forward to this and have thrown themselves into the task with great enthusiasm.”
PHOTO: Ole Jensen/Getty ImagesPHOTO: Ole Jensen/Getty Images
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Towards the close of her address, Queen Margrethe spoke about the joy her grandchildren bring her and the big year ahead for Prince Christian, who will inherit the Danish throne one day.
“All my eight grandchildren are a source of great joy to me. How they have grown, how time flies! Next October, Prince Christian will turn 18. It will be a special day, which we are all looking forward to,” she said, before pivoting to well-wishes for the new year.
LISELOTTE SABROE/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty
On Sunday, the day after the speech aired, Prince Joachim attended the Queen’s New Year’s levee and banquet at Amalienborg Royal Palace in Copenhagen. He was seen arriving alone. Also in attendance at the annual banquet were his mother Queen Margrethe, his brother Crown Prince Frederik and his sister-in-law Crown Princess Mary.
Joachim was not pictured at the New Year’s reception for the diplomatic corps at Christiansborg Palace on Tuesday, which Queen Margrethe, Prince Frederik and Princess Mary attended together.
source: people.com
