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COPENHAGEN, Denmark—The popular Danish monarch, Queen Margrethe II, has apologized for upsetting her family over her decision to strip her four grandchildren of their royal titles, but has changed her mind. refused.
Last week, the royal family of Europe’s oldest royal monarchy said that from January 1, the four children of Margrethe’s youngest son, Prince Joachim, would be called counts or countesses of Monpezat instead of princes or princesses. Announced. Her late husband, French-born Prince Henrik. They should be treated as “excellent” and will retain their place in the Danish line of succession.
“It is my duty and my desire as Queen to ensure that the monarchy is always shaped with the times. It’s always hard to find the timing,” Margrethe, 82, said in a statement issued by the royal family on Monday.
“This adjustment…I see it as a necessary future guarantee for the monarchy,” said Europe’s longest-reigning monarch. She hasn’t changed her own decision.
“I made a decision as a queen, as a mother, as a grandmother. But as a mother and grandmother, I have underestimated how much my younger son and his family are affected. It makes a big impression.” and I’m sorry,” Margrete said in a statement.
Hours after the palace announced on September 28, a visibly moved Joachim told Extrabladet in Paris, where he lives and works, that “everything is very sad.”
“It’s never fun to see your child being abused like that. They find themselves in a situation they don’t understand,” said Joachim, 53.
This change affects four children: Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena. When asked how this decision affected his relationship with his mother, Joachim replied, “I don’t think it’s necessary to elaborate here.”
Nikolai and Felix’s mother, Joachim’s first wife Alexandra, Countess Frederiksborg, said they were confused, saddened and shocked.
“Children feel excluded. They don’t understand why their identity is being taken away,” Alexandra said.
Joachim married Princess Marie in 2008 and is the mother of two children, Henrik and Athena.
Margrethe’s younger son, who has been a defense attaché at the Danish embassy in Paris since September 2020, said he received a five-day warning about the change. He said he was originally presented with a plan in May to remove the title when the children reached the age of 25.
Margrethe’s decision was in line with moves other royal families have made in different ways in recent years. announced that the children would lose their royal titles. His eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, is the heir to the throne, followed by her children. they keep the title.
In Denmark, a constitutional monarchy, the heir to the throne is Crown Prince Frederik. His eldest son, Prince His Christian, is next in line, followed by his three young children Frederick.
Margrethe was crowned Queen on 15 January 1972, the day after her father, Frederick IX, died.
Jan M. Olsen
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