Queen Margarethe of Denmark made a surprise decision on Wednesday to strip her grandchildren of their royal titles in order to have a slimmed-down monarchy. The move will come into effect on 1 January 2023.
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Although the move will not affect the lineage of succession, it has sent shockwaves through the family, and Prince Nikolai, who will lose his title next year, has broken his silence. Speaking to Ekstrabladet the Danish royal expressed his sadness over the move alongside how quick the move came.
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"My whole family and I are of course very sad," the 23-year-old said. "We are, as my parents have also stated, in shock at this decision and at how quickly it has actually gone. I don't understand why it had to happen this way."
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When asked about how the decision has affected his relationship with his grandmother, he said: "I don't think I need to elaborate on that."
Prince Nikolai also confirmed that he had known about the plans before they were made public, but the announcement made it all real for him.
Queen Margarethe announced the decision on Wednesday
When asked by reporters about the move, Queen Margarethe explained: "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."
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When questioned as to whether it was for their "sake" she said: "Yes, of course."
And when responding to claims that her grandchildren had felt "ostracised" by the move, she replied: "Well, you have to see how you ... I haven't seen it myself, I must say."
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The monarch's son, Prince Joachim, was not impressed with the move, saying the family was very "sad" and added: "It's never fun to see your children being mistreated like that. They themselves find themselves in a situation they do not understand."
The royal house had previously stated that Joachim had been informed of the decision in May – but he contested that.
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"I was given five days notice," he stated. "I heard you were told back in May. Is that not correct?" the journalist enquired.
"In May, I was presented with a plan, which basically stated that when the children each turned 25, it would happen. Athena turns 11 in January," he responded, clearly emotional.
