New and important changes in the European royal families do not stop happening.
The latest has been the decision of Margaret of Denmark - the only monarch in Europe, with the longest reign on the continent after the recent death of Elizabeth II - to withdraw the title of princes from four of her eight grandchildren.
As she published in a statement last Wednesday, Prince Joaquin's four children will no longer have the distinction as of January 1, 2023, but they will maintain the positions they occupy in the line of succession.
A decision that has not affected the children of the heir to the throne, Prince Frederick and Queen Margaret's eldest son.
It is an announcement that is part of the monarch's wish that her grandchildren Nicolás (23), Félix (20), Henrik (13) and Athena (10) can live a normal life without the obligations of having the title of prince: "With her decision, Her Majesty the Queen wants to create a framework for her four grandchildren to shape their own lives, without being limited by the special considerations and obligations that a formal affiliation to the Royal House implies as an institution" , explained the note released by the Danish royal house.
Even so, they will be able to continue using the titles that they already have of Counts and Countess of Monpezat.
“It is a consideration that I have had for quite some time and I think it will be good for them in their future.
That is the reason”, Queen Margaret of Denmark justified Wednesday afternoon, as reported by the magazine
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The discreet celebration of 50 years on the throne of Margaret of Denmark accompanied by her family
Prince Joachim has publicly responded to his mother's decision in the Danish medium
Ekstra Bladet
: “We are all very sad.
It's never nice to see your children being mistreated like this."
The youngest son of Queen Margaret has denied that the royal house had informed them four months ago, as some Danish media had stated: “They warned me five days in advance.
I heard they said it was in May, but that's not correct.
That month I was presented with a plan, which basically said that when my children turned 25, it would happen.
Athena turns 11 in January.”
Nicolás and Félix are the fruit of the first marriage of Prince Joaquín with Alejandra de Frederiksborg;
Henrik and Athena were born from his relationship with his current wife, Princess Marie.
The family, who did not expect this announcement, is mired in bewilderment, as reported by the ex-wife of Prince Joaquín and mother of Nicolás and Félix, Alejandra de Frederiksborg: “We are all confused by the decision.
We are sad and in shock.
Children feel marginalized.
They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away from them," the countess told the Danish media
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It is not the first cut made by the Danish royal house, already in 2016 it announced that only the direct heir to the throne, the eldest son of princes Federico and Mary, Christian, would benefit from his position with a payment from the State, while his siblings, Isabella, Vicente and Josephine would have to find their own source of income despite being princes.
"The queen's decision is in line with similar adjustments that other royal houses have made in recent years," the statement said.
And it is that it is not the first monarchy that has made cuts in terms of the members that are part of the royal family in recent years.
Queen Margaret has wanted to follow in the footsteps of other European monarchies.
After his coronation as king in 2014, Felipe VI decided to limit the members of the Spanish Royal Family, which was limited to the Kings, their two daughters and the emeritus.
In 2019, the royal house of Sweden decided to withdraw the title from the children of princes Magdalena and Carlos Felipe for the same reasons that have now led Queen Margarita to announce the news: greater freedom for them.
And the most controversial and well-known case is that of Prince Henry of England and Meghan Markle.
Two years ago they announced their desire to stop being members of the British royal house and move to the United States.
His children, Archie and Lilibet, were never granted the title of prince, as only the monarch's children and grandchildren can hold the distinction.
After the death of Elizabeth II, the situation has changed and it remains to be seen whether now with Charles III, as the new King of England, they will receive the honorary title or not.
