The Queen responds to criticism about the titles

  

Of: 

 

Jenny Alexandersson 

 

Published: Today 11.37 

 

Queen Margrethe

 

Prince Joachim had tears in his eyes in front of the camera. 

Countess Alexandra called the Queen's decision shocking. 

 

The row over the royal titles is still going on in Denmark and now Queen Margrethe has put her foot down with a press release. 

 

- I'm sorry, says the queen. 

 

The press release came after Queen Margrethe and the royal house were showered with criticism in recent days. 

 

Her decision to remove the titles of prince and princess from the children of youngest son Prince Joachim came as a surprise to both the family and the Danes. The royal family's social media was quickly filled with angry comments, many believing the queen to be too harsh. 

 

Prince Joachim, his wife Marie and ex-wife Alexandra have shown strong emotions in interviews with Danish media. They believe that removing the titles is the same as removing the identity of the children. In addition, they have not had time to prepare the children for the change and the reactions of the environment. 

 

The children feel very bad. 

 

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The princely family from left: Prince Felix, Princess Marie, Prince Joachim, Princess Athena, Prince Henrik and Prince Nikolai. All the children lose their titles on January 1, 2023. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen / Ritzau Scanpix 

 

"We are in shock over the decision"

 

- Athena is already bullied at school so it's not so funny, said Princess Marie to B.T. 

 

- My whole family and I are of course very sad about it. We are, as my parents also said, in shock over this decision and how quickly it has really gone, said eldest son Nikolai to Ekstra Bladet. 

 

As of January 1, he and his siblings will lose the prince and princess titles and they will be allowed to use a count and countess title instead. 

 

The Queen writes in the press release that the strong reactions of Prince Joachim and his family have affected her. 

 

She also writes that the decision was made a long time ago and that it is natural for her to want to shape and modernize the monarchy after 50 years on the throne. 

 

 

Queen Margrethe made the decision to remove the prince and princess titles of Prince Joachim's children. As of January 1, 2023, they will only retain their Count and Countess titles. Photo: Ida Marie Odgaard / AP 

 

“It has affected me a lot” 

 

"It sometimes requires making difficult decisions and it will always be difficult to find the right time for it". 

 

Margrethe believes that she made the decision as queen, mother and grandmother. 

 

"But as a grandmother, I have underestimated how much my youngest son and his family have felt affected. It affects me a lot and I'm sorry for that”. 

 

"No one should doubt that my children, daughter-in-law and grandchildren are my great joy and pride. I now hope that we as a family can find peace to get through the situation ourselves". 

 

 

The relationship between Prince Joachim and the rest of the family is strained. The queen has not heard back, and neither have the crown prince couple Frederik and Mary. Photo: Ida Marie Odgaard / Ritzau Scanpix 

 

A deep rift between mother and son 

 

The criticism against the queen has also been about the lack of communication between Margrethe and her son. It revealed a deeper rift between the family members that had not been known before. Throughout the crisis, the Queen has neither called nor contacted Prince Joachim in any other way. 

 

The relationship with Crown Prince Frederik and Mary is also infected. When Joachim and Marie were asked what the relationship looks like between them and the crown prince couple, Marie replies that "it is what it is. It's complicated". 

 

According to the court, the reason for the queen's decision is that it is in line with "similar adaptations that other royal houses have carried out in different ways in recent years".