Queen Margrethe II of Denmark Strips Her Four Grandchildren With Prince and Princess Titles

Queen Margrethe II strips grandchildren of prince and princess titles

This is so unprecedented in the current European monarchy! Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who is celebrating her 50th anniversary on the Danish throne this year, just did a surprising decision that has not been heard in the reigning royal court in present-day Europe. Stripping her grandchildren of the prince and princess titles!

The official announcement was made by the Royal House of Denmark on September 28, 2022, Tuesday, that the four children of Prince Joachim, the second son, and youngest child of the Queen, will no longer bear the princess and prince titles effective immediately January 1, 2023. 

Queen Margrethe II strips grandchildren of prince and princess titles
Denmark's Prince Nikolai (in powder blue long sleeves), Prince /Felix (in navy polo), Prince Henrik (in forest green long sleeves) and Princess Athena. They are children of Prince Joachim of Denmark

Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix, the sons of Prince Joachim from his first marriage, and Prince Henrik, and Princess Athena, his children with his second wife, Princess Marie, who have courtesy styles as Their Highnesses (no "royal" because they are not in direct succession to the Danish throne) will be known as Count of Monpezat and Countess of Monpezat with the courtesy style of His or Her Excellency effective January 1, 2023.

Queen Margrethe II strips grandchildren of prince and princess titles

The stripping of the title is an effort of the Royal House of Denmark to reduce costs of the Royal Household, and cut the number of the official members of the House of Glucksburg. 

It was also emphasized in the statement that the stripping of titles will give the four grandchildren more freedom and independence to do things in their lives without restrictions of being royals. However, the four royal children retain their places in the line of succession.

Queen Margrethe II strips grandchildren of prince and princess titles

Unprecedented in the history of the Danish throne

This decision has never been done before. The only time that the Danish royals were stripped of their princely status in the past was when they did not seek the monarch and parliamentary approval of their marriages.

For instance, two of Queen Margrethe's first cousins, Prince Christian and Prince Ingolf of Denmark (sons of the former Hereditary Prince of Denmark, Prince Knud), were stripped of their princely titles and HRH styles when they did not seek the monarch's approval in marriage because they married commoners.

They were granted the title, Count of Rosenborg, with the style of His Excellency, upon marriage. Today, Count Ingolf of Rosenborg, still attends royal events and he is still receiving annual allowances for occasionally doing royal duties on behalf of his cousin, the Queen.

The Royal House of Denmark also announced that in the future only Prince Christian, the eldest son of Crown Prince Frederik, will receive allowances from the state when performing royal duties in his capacity as direct heir. 

Precedents

In October 2019, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, who is the first cousin of Queen Margrethe II, also reduced the members of the House of Bernadotte by stripping his grandchildren, who are not children of Crown Princess Victoria, of their HRH styles, to cut costs and royal household expenditures.

The big difference is, the Swedish king did not strip his grandchildren of the title of prince and princess. They retain their princely status along with their duke and duchess styles. And also retain their places in the line of succession.

Queen Margrethe II strips grandchildren of prince and princess titles

The decision of Queen Margrethe II to strip her four grandchildren of their princely status shocked the public because the children were born with such titles. Others commented that the Queen could have just retained the titles and just demote the kids to the status of non-working royals, in this way they would no longer receive allowances from the Royal Household. 

Totally stripping them of the prince and princess titles is somewhat harsh because they are still grandchildren of the reigning Danish monarch in the male line.

This surprising move of Queen Margrethe II might set a precedent to all reigning royal houses in Europe to disallow grandchildren of the sovereign, who are not in direct succession to the throne, to bear the title of prince and princess in the future.

Queen Margrethe with the family of Crown Prince Frederik

And this might give King Charles III the idea to never give his two grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, the title of prince and princess. Archie and Lilibet are also not in direct succession to the throne. Currently, His Majesty has not decided whether to grant the Sussex children the prince and princely titles and HRH styles.

King Charles III has been very vocal about his intention to reduce the number of members of the House of Windsor to cut costs, and to spare the British throne from further humiliation in case the extended members of the royal family will get involved in scandals and controversies. 

Queen Margrethe II with her grandsons, Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix

Back to Denmark. Well, it might take some time to get used to calling Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik, Their Excellencies The Count of Monpezat, and Princess Athena, Her Excellency The Countess of Monpezat.

But whatever the real reasons Queen Margrethe II for coming up with such decision, which most members of the public, even in Denmark, viewed as harsh, we are hoping it's for the benefit of the Royal House of Denmark.

Some royal commentators say that perhaps the Queen made the decision of stripping them of their princely status because the two sons of Prince Joachim who are already adults, Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix, are expressing their interest to come a fashion model, and it might restrict them from exploring their field of interest fully if they remain Prince of Denmark. 

From left: Prince Christian, Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Felix, and Prince Nikolai

This stripping of royal titles, or never granting the grandchildren the prince and princely titles, largely shaped the current European monarchy into a more businesslike organization rather than a royal court. 

It means that being born of royal blood is no longer a birthright or privilege but more regarded as a business. In the future, the world will see fewer princes and princesses, and royal highnesses. Royalty is rebranding its image into regular companies. Fairytale no more.

Here is the full statement from the Royal House of Denmark:

"In April 2008, Her Majesty The Queen bestowed upon her sons, their spouses and their descendants the titles of count and countess of Monpezat. In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of The Queen’s grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult.

As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that, as of 1 January 2023, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim’s descendants can only use their titles as counts and countess of Monpezat, as the titles of prince and princess that they have held up until now will be discontinued. 

Prince Joachim’s descendants will thus have to be addressed as excellencies in the future. The Queen’s decision is in line with similar adjustments that other royal houses have made in various ways in recent years.

With her decision, Her Majesty The Queen wishes to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.

All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession".

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