Count Nikolai of Denmark has taken to Instagram with some very rare family photos from a recent skiing holiday.
Nikolai, 23, is the eldest son of Prince Joachim and his first wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, and Queen Margrethe's oldest grandchild.
He shared four images showing the royals on the slopes as well as having fun after climbing on top of a ski chalet.
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Nikolai was there with his father and stepmother, Princess Marie. His younger brother Count Felix was also on the trip, as were Marie and Joachim's two children, Count Henrik and Countess Athena.
It's been a period of great change for Nikolai and his younger siblings. As of 1 January, they lost their royal titles, at the behest of their grandmother Margrethe, and are now instead styled Count or Countess.
Count Nikolai shared some holiday snaps on social media
When the decision was announced it caused a divide within the family with Nikolai – a successful model – choosing to publicly speak out to share his upset.
He told Ekstrabladet, "My whole family and I are of course very sad. 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."
© Photo: Getty ImagesNikolai and Felix with their mother, Alexandra
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 Joachim, his ex-wife Alexandra and Princess Marie also shared their disappointment, with Marie revealing that Athena was even being bullied as a result.
© Photo: Getty ImagesNikolai is a successful model
Speaking to BT alongside her husband, she said of the ten-year-old: "Athena is bullied at school. They come and say, 'Is it you who is no longer a princess?'"
Following the backlash, the Queen later took the step of issuing an apology to her loved ones.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince Joachim and Princess Marie with his four children
In a statement shared to the royal family's official Instagram page, the monarch said: "There have been strong reactions in recent days to my decision to the future use of titles for Prince Joachim's four children. Of course, it affects me. My decision has been long made. With my 50 years on the throne, it's only natural to look back and to look forward.
© Photo: Getty ImagesQueen Margrethe upset her younger son with her controversial decision
"It is my duty and desire as Queen to ensure that the Monarchy is forever forming in pact with time. It sometimes requires making difficult decisions, and finding the right time will always be difficult. To wear a royal title entails a number of obligations and tasks, which will in the future restrain fewer members of the royal family.
"This adjustment, which I see as a necessary assurance for the future of the Monarchy, I wish to make in my time. I have made my decision as a Queen, mother and grandmother, but as a mother and grandmother I have underestimated how much my youngest son and his family feel."
