The Danish royal family has been rumbling since Queen Margrethe decided to ax the family titles. Heir to the throne Frederik has so far remained silent on the matter. But now he too is taking a stand for the first time.
In the family dispute over the titles of the children of Danish Prince Joachim, his older brother, Crown Prince Frederik, spoke up for the first time. The 54-year-old sided with his mother, Queen Margrethe II.
“My mother made a decision that is hers alone, and I understand that,” said the heir to the throne on Danish television channel TV2 on the sidelines of a visit to a school in Copenhagen. “Sad” makes him see how much the title withdrawal has affected his younger brother and his family. “Of course that makes an impression on his only brother.”
At the end of September, Prince Joachim expressed surprise and dismay at the Queen’s decision to strip his four children, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik and Athena, of the titles of prince and princess. In a press release, the Danish royal family had previously announced that their children would only be called the Count or Countess of Monpezat from the turn of the year. From January 1, 2023, they will only bear the title “Excellencies” and no longer “Royal Highnesses”.
Despite all the public discussion, the removal of the title did not affect the brothers’ relationship, says Frederik. “I’m in constant contact with my brother, I always have been,” the crown prince told the TV station. However, he admitted that there was a “disagreement in my family” about the titles. But that is a family matter.
Frederik’s wife, Crown Princess Mary, had already spoken out about the title dispute and also backed her mother-in-law. “In due course” the crown prince couple also wanted to look at the titles of their own children. The crown prince reiterated this: “I myself am interested in the Danish monarchy remaining slim in the long term, so I support my mother’s decision.”
