The Danish royal family have entered a transitional period, with Queen Margrethe II preparing to abdicate this month. Prior to the announcement – made in her traditional New Year's address – the monarch had already shocked the world with another major change earlier in 2023. .
Why Queen Margrethe stripped Prince Joachim's children of their titles
In September 2022, The Queen revealed that she would be stripping her youngest son Prince Joachim's children of their royal titles. Among them – Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena were initially upset by their grandmother's decision.
© Patrick van Katwijk"My whole family and I are of course very sad," Nikolai, 24, told the Danish publication, Ekstrabladet, shortly after. "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."
Prince Joachim, 54, echoed this sentiment, telling reporters: "It's never fun to see your children being mistreated like that. They find themselves in a situation they do not understand."
© Robin Utrecht/dana press/ShutterstockAsked if he'd received prior notice, Joachim replied: "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."
According to Queen Margrethe, the decision to strip her grandchildren of their royal titles, and slim down the monarchy, was made so they could "shape their own lives" without being "limited" by their titles.
© GettyAs of January 1 2023, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik and Athena are all styled as Count/Countess of Monpezat, and they've begun the process of charting their own paths. Keep reading to find out what they've been up to…
What Queen Margrethe's grandchildren are doing now
Count Nikolai of Monpezat
With fewer royal engagements on the agenda, Count Nikolai of Monpezat has been busy working on his modelling career. Already well established in the industry after walking for Dior in 2018; last year the 24-year-old fronted the covers of Wish Magazine, Numéro Netherlands and Vogue Scandinavia.
© GettyAside from modelling, Nikolai – who is also enrolled at Copenhagen Business School – spent much of 2023 travelling. As well as touring New Zealand and Fiji, in autumn, the royal and his girlfriend Benedikte Thoustrup, transferred to Australia for a semester study at the University of Technology in Sydney.
After voicing his initial reaction to his title change, Nikolai joined Australian publication, 9Honey for an interview in September, where he explained that he and his grandmother are on good terms.
"It's still quite a touchy subject but, I mean, I am the same person as I've always been," he said of Queen Magrethe's decision. "It's more just a formality or sort of change of belonging, in a way. 'I am the same person I have always been, it's weird having to settle for another surname now. Or another… not surname, another call sign."
Asked about his relationship with The Queen, Nikolai replied: "We have a nice relationship, yeah, she wished me happy birthday, we have a fine relationship," he said. "We saw her for her birthday as well, that was really nice to get together."
READ: What Prince Joachim was doing when his mother Queen Margrethe delivered abdication news
Count Felix of Monpezat
Now 21, Count Felix of Monpezat prefers to keep a low profile. Nonetheless, he was in attendance at Prince Christian of Denmark's birthday gala in October.
© GettyMore recently, Felix was also pictured alongside his father, Prince Joachim, and stepmother Princess Marie of Denmark, as they headed into High Mass at Aarhus Cathedral, Denmark, on Christmas Day.
Count Henrik of Monpezat and Countess Athena of Monpezat
Count Henrik, 14, and Countess Athena, 11, moved with their parents to Washington D.C. in September 2023. The family's change of scenery was first announced in March, after Prince Joachim was given the role of Defense Industry Attaché in the Capital's Danish Embassy. The Prince has previously worked at the Danish Embassy in Paris.
© Robin Utrecht/dana press/Shutterstock
