The Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II, has officially apologized for having withdrawn the titles of nobility from four of her grandchildren, acknowledging that she upset the princes and princesses, but refused to go back on her decision, announced last Thursday (29). ).
The measure impacted the children of his youngest son, Joachim, 53. Nikolai, Félix, Henrik and Athena, aged between 10 and 23, must, from 2023, use the titles of counts and countess of Monpezat — without leaving the line of succession to the throne. According to a statement from the nobility last week, the intention is to guarantee successors a more normal life, uncoupled from the offices of royalty.
In a new note, Margrethe reinforced that the measure fits the need for the monarchy to shape itself according to the times. “That is my duty and my desire as queen. Sometimes that means difficult decisions have to be made — and it will always be difficult to find the right moment,” said Margrethe, 82.
“I see this adjustment as a necessary and future protection of the monarchy. I made my decision as queen, mother and grandmother. But as a mother and grandmother, I underestimated how affected my youngest son and his family would be. I’m sorry about that.”
Despite the apology, she kept withdrawing the titles. The queen’s other four grandchildren, sons of Crown Prince Frederik, 54, held their positions.
On the farm itself, Joachim’s family had expressed displeasure with the measure. The prince’s ex-wife and mother of his two eldest children, Countess Alexandra told a local newspaper that the news “came out of nowhere” and that the children felt excluded, as if they were “taking away their identities”. The youngest are Princess Marie’s children.
According to the Associated Press, Joachim himself complained about the Queen’s decision. “It’s never fun to see your children mistreated like that. They find themselves in a situation that they don’t fully understand,” he told the tabloid Ekstra Bladet in Paris, where he lives, not wanting to talk more about how it could affect his relationship with his mother.
Last week’s statement from Margrethe 2nd still argued that the decision is in line with other reigns, which have been drying up their monarchies. A similar measure was taken in Sweden.
The revocation of the titles reflects a movement that also took place in the British royal family, in 2020, when Meghan and Harry decided to officially leave their royal duties to work in the United States and achieve financial independence.
The couple’s abdication of royal obligations caused indisposition in the monarchy. On the British royal family’s website, the couple was demoted to the bottom of the page listing the members of the court. Now, photos of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appear at the bottom of the list.
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