Problems with Danish royals: Princess Mary defends Queen Margrethe

Anger at Danish Royals
Princess Mary defends Queen Margrethe

30/09/2022, 4:50 PM

Denmark’s Queen Margrethe revokes the titles of her youngest son and his family. From 2023 they can no longer call themselves prince and princess. While the decision leads to the dismay of those affected, Crown Princess Mary reinforces her mother-in-law.

After the Danish royal family announced Queen Margrethe II’s decision on Wednesday that some members of the royal family would have to give up their titles in the future, Crown Princess Mary is now supporting her 82-year-old mother-in-law.

“Change can be very difficult and really hurt. I think most people have experienced it. But that doesn’t mean the decision is wrong,” Mary told the assembled press in the pouring rain in front of an exhibition building in Copenhagen with a serious look. expression.

As the Danish newspaper “Ekstrabladet” further reports, the Australian-born wife of the heir apparent, Crown Prince Frederik, was on hand to attend a conference on youth mental health entitled “Re-imagine Youth Mental Health” in the building. .

“Change really hurts”

However, the representatives of the media did not let Mary escape so easily. When asked if this meant she and Frederick’s children could lose their titles as well, Mary remained vague: “We cannot know today what the royal family will be like when Christian’s time comes or when Christian’s time approaches. she explained. , referring to her firstborn son and next heir to the throne, Prince Christian (16).

When asked again, the Crown Princess repeated: “Change really hurts, but like I said, it doesn’t mean the decision isn’t right. And I understand it’s a very difficult decision to make, and one too bad. difficult decision to have been told.”

Mary was also asked what she thought of the fact that there has been so much disagreement in the family since the decision. “That’s the way it is with the changes,” she said, and “it has to be worked on.”

“We are shocked”

On Wednesday, the palace announced the Queen’s decision to change the titles of some family members as of January 1, 2023. Those affected reacted very emotionally to this. Joachim, the second son of Queen Margrethe, his ex-wife and the children are said to be shocked and confused.

“Of course my whole family and I are very sad. As my parents said, we are shocked by this decision and how quickly it really happened,” 23-year-old Prince Nikolai, the eldest of Joachim’s four children, told “Ekstrabladet” reporters. on Thursday in Copenhagen.

In addition to Nikolai, his brother, Noch-Prinz Felix (20), is also affected by the revocation of the title. The two stem from the 1995 marriage to the former Princess Alexandra, who has held the title Countess of Frederiksborg since their divorce in 2005. Alexandra was the first to respond on Wednesday. In an interview with the Danish newspaper “BT” she was surprised. “We are sad and in shock,” she quoted the newspaper as saying. She continued: “The children feel left out. They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away.”

Succession to the throne is not affected

It also features Joachim himself and his current wife, Princess Marie, whom he has been married to since 2008. From the turn of the year they are only the Count and Countess of Monpezat – this title was awarded to them and the family of Frederik by Margrethe in 2008. The two children of Joachim and Marie, Henrik, born in 2009 and Athena, born in 2012, will only be “Excellencies” and no longer “Royal Highnesses” from 2023. And they too are called only Count and Countess Monpezat.

In her publication, the Queen explicitly emphasizes that the succession to the throne will not be affected by the removal of the title. “All four grandchildren will retain their places in the line of succession,” it said.

Prince Joachim was third in line to the Danish throne at birth. From his mother’s coronation 50 years ago to the birth of his cousin, Prince Christian, in 2005, he was number two. After Frederik and Mary had a total of four children, Joachim has now slipped to sixth in the line of the Danish throne. His three sons are in seventh, eighth and ninth place, baby Athena is tenth.