The British royal family aren’t the only ones making changes these days. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark recently made a pretty big decision regarding her grandchildren’s titles, and their father, Prince Joachim, is opening up about his thoughts on the matter.
Prince Joachim Says His Children Are ‘Being Mistreated’
Earlier this week, the Danish Royal House announced that Joachim’s children—Nikolai, Felix, Athena, and Henrik—will all be stripped of their royal titles and will no longer be referred to as prince and princess or “His/Her Highness.”
“We are all very sad. It’s never fun to see your children being mistreated like that,” Joachim said of the decision. “They find themselves in a situation they do not understand. I was given five days’ notice.”
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The reporter he was speaking to replied that she thought he was aware of the queen’s plan to take away her grandchildren’s titles in May of this year. However, the prince explained that this was not the case.
“In May, I was presented with a plan, which basically stated that when the children each turned 25, it would happen,” Joachim explained. “Athena [his youngest child] turns 11 in January.”
The reporter asked how this has affected his relationship with Queen Margrethe. Joachim responded, “I don’t think I need to elaborate here.” While the prince maintains that he and his family had no idea this was coming, the Danish palace insists that they were open and upfront about stripping the four grandchildren of their prince and princess titles.
Queen: ‘I Think It Will Be Good For Them In Their Future’
“As the Queen stated yesterday, the decision has been a long time coming. We understand that there are many emotions at stake at the moment, but we hope that the Queen’s wish to future-proof the Royal Palace will be respected,” a spokesperson for the Danish Royal Palace said in response to Joachim’s claims.
The prince doubled down, though, saying, “I was given five days’ notice of this. To tell my children that … their identity will be taken from them. I am very, very sorry to see them uncomprehending about what is happening over their heads.”
Queen Margrethe has given a brief statement about the situation, saying, “It is a consideration I have had for quite a long time, and I think it will be good for them in their future. That is the reason.” It looks like the Danish royal family is dealing with just as many complications as the UK’s royals are now.
