Last year, in a shocking revelation, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark stripped Prince Joachim’s four children of their prince and princess titles.
The 82-year-old royal revealed the reason behind her move to remove burden to Crown Prince Frederik as the future King in an interview with Danish publication Ekstra Bladet, via Daily Mail.
She shared, “It’s been important to me that this should never be Frederik’s lot to make that kind of decision.”
She added, “It’s better that I did. Because then it’s the old lady that made the decision. I am not keen to get into it to be honest. I could mention some things, but you shouldn’t have to tell everything. But it is still a little bit too private to talk about.”
Prince Joachim’s children Athena, 11, Prince Felix, 20, Prince Henrik, 13, Prince Nikolai, 23, are now Counts and Countess and referred to as Their Excellencies after their former prince and princess titles.
In her New Year’s address, Margrethe admitted that her relationship with Prince Joachim and his wife Princess Marie has “run into difficulties” and it “hurts [her].”
“Difficulties and disagreements can arise in any family, including mine. The whole country has witnessed this.” She added that she was “sure that the family can enter the new year together with confidence, understanding and new courage.”