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Danish royal website updated as Queen Margrethe's removal of grandchildren's titles comes into effect

By Kahla Preston|

The title change that sparked a family furore within the Danish monarchy last year has now come into effect, with the royal website freshly updated to make it official.

In September, Queen Margrethe announced she would be removing the royal titles of four of her grandchildren, meaning they would no longer be known as prince and princess and would lose His/Her Royal Highness status.

The historic move came into effect on New Year's Day, and the children's profiles on Denmark's royal website have been updated to reflect the aristocratic titles they are still permitted to use.

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The profiles of Prince Joachim's four children on the Danish royal family website have been updated to reflect their new titles. (Danish Royal Family website)

Nikolai, Felix, Henrik and Athena จC the sons and daughter of Prince Joachim, the youngest of Queen Margrethe's two sons จC are now listed ?as Count or Countess of Monpezat, with HE, short for His/Her Excellency, used in place of HRH.

The Queen's decision affected only the children of Prince Joachim, and not those of his brother Crown Prince Frederik, who is heir to Denmark's throne, and wife Crown Princess Mary.

Though the monarch hoped the 'discontinuation' of the titles would allow her younger son's descendants "to shape their own lives" into the future, the news was met with shock and anger from Joachim, his children and their respective mothers.

"It's never fun to see your children being harmed. They have been put in a situation they do not understand," the prince said soon after the announcement in September.

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Prince Joachim with his four children, whose royal titles have now officially been removed, and wife Princess Marie. (Getty)

Princess Marie, Joachim's wife and the mother to Henrik and Athena, said their daughter has been "bullied at school" in the wake of the news.

"They come and say: 'Is it you who is no longer a princess?'?" she said.

When asked by BT journalist Jacob Heinel Jensen if they had spoken to the Queen after the announcement, the couple said they hadn't.

"We would have liked to have had time to talk about it," Princess Marie said.

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Queen Margrethe with her heir apparent Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary. (AP)

Prince Nikolai, Joachim's eldest son from his previous marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, also spoke out against his grandmother's decision.

The fashion model told Ekstra Bladet he was "very confused as to why it has to happen like this".

"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."

Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg also chimed in, saying the children could not understand "why their identity is being taken away".

Nikolai, Felix, Henrik and Athena no longer have HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) listed next to their names on the royal website. (Danish royal family website)

"This comes like a bolt from the blue. The children feel ostracised," she added.

In response to these comments from her family members, Queen Margrethe issued an apology for causing her family any distress, admitting she "underestimated" how much they would "feel affected".

However, the monarch ultimately defended her decision, calling it "a necessary safeguard for the future of the monarchy".

The original palace statement announcing her decision highlighted the move was in line with changes "other royal houses have made"?.

Crown Princess Mary and Danish royals celebrating Christmas 2022 in Hobart
Princess Mary's four children, pictured in Australia over Christmas 2022, are not impacted by the Queen's decision. (Instagram)

Sweden? made similar changes to its monarchy in October 2019, with King Carl XVI Gustaf?? revoking the royal status of five of his grandchildren, stripping them of the titles of 'royal highness' and freeing them from royal duties.

"With her decision, Her Majesty The Queen wishes to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves," the Danish palace statement explained.

Princess Mary voiced her support for Queen Magrethe's decree, telling reporters, "Change can be difficult and can really hurt, but this does not mean that the decision is not the right one."

However, the Australian-born princess added she and Crown Frederik would "look at [their] own children's titles when the time comes".?

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