A Danish prince is moving to the US after his mother, the queen, stripped his children's titles. Meet Denmark's royal family.

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Erin McDowellApr 6, 2023, 21:43 IST
A Danish prince is moving to the US after his mother, the queen, stripped his children's titles. Meet Denmark's royal family.

Members of the Danish royal family wave from the balcony of Amalienborg Palace on April 16, 2018.Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

  • The Danish royal family is the oldest monarchy in Europe.
  • Queen Margrethe, who has reigned for over 50 years, is currently the longest-serving monarch.
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Queen Margrethe II is the current monarch of Denmark.

Queen Margrethe II is the current monarch of Denmark.
Queen Margrethe II.Elisabetta Villa/Getty Images

After the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2021, Queen Margrethe became the longest-serving current head of state in Europe and the longest-serving current female head of state in the world. She has reigned for over 50 years.

Margrethe was born on April 16, 1940. She is the daughter of Frederik IX, the former king of Denmark, and Queen Ingrid, born Princess of Sweden. Margrethe became queen on January 14, 1972, after the death of her father.

Like the United Kingdom, Denmark has a constitutional monarchy that disallows monarchs and members of the royal family from taking part in politics or independently performing political acts. However, the queen must sign all acts of parliament after they have already been cosigned by a cabinet minister.

In September 2022, Queen Margrethe announced that four of her grandchildren would have their prince and princess titles changed to count and countess, starting in January 2023. According to a statement from the Danish royal household, the decision, which it said was similar to recent decisions made by other royal families, was made so the children can "shape their own lives to a much greater extent."

However, it created a rift with the children's father, her youngest son, Prince Joachim. He criticized the effect it had on his four children. The queen later apologized but did not reverse her decision.

"I have made my decision as Queen, mother, and grandmother, but, as a mother and grandmother, I have underestimated the extent to which much my younger son and his family feel affected," Margrethe said in a statement. "No one should be in doubt that my children, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren are my great joy and pride. I now hope that we as a family can find the peace to find our way through this situation."

The Danish royal household did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

Margrethe was married to Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark, for 50 years before his death in 2018. He was open about his desire to be called king consort, rather than prince consort.

Margrethe was married to Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark, for 50 years before his death in 2018. He was open about his desire to be called king consort, rather than prince consort.
Queen Margrethe with her husband, Prince Henrik of Denmark, attend her 77th birthday celebrations at Marselisborg Palace on April 16, 2017, in Aarhus, Denmark.Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

Before they were married, Henrik held the title of Henri Marie Jean André, Count of Laborde de Monpezat. The couple was married on June 10, 1967, in a 20-minute ceremony that followed Danish traditions.

Margrethe wore a silk wedding dress designed by Danish dressmaker Jorgen Bender. The gown also featured lace that once belonged to her grandmother, Princess Margaret of Connaught, the former Crown Princess of Sweden.

When Margrethe became Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, her husband took on the title of Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark. However, he was open about the fact he preferred to be known as king consort.

"It is no secret that the prince for many years has been unhappy with his role and the title he has been awarded in the Danish monarchy," the Royal Danish House's director of communications, Lene Balleby, told the newspaper BT in 2017, according to The New York Times. "This discontent has grown more and more in recent years."

Henrik's discontent with his title and, for a period of time, lack of salary, was so great that he requested not to be buried alongside his wife following his death.

They were married for 50 years before his death on February 13, 2018, at the age of 83. He was buried on February 20, 2018, at Fredensborg Palace, in Fredensborg, Denmark.

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Queen Margrethe's youngest sister is Princess Benedikte of Denmark.

Queen Margrethe's youngest sister is Princess Benedikte of Denmark.
Princess Benedikte of Denmark in September 2022.Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

Princess Benedikte of Denmark, 78, is currently 11th in line to the throne of Denmark. She was married to Richard, Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, until his death in 2017.

They share three children: Princess Alexandra, Princess Nathalie, and Prince Gustav.

As the second-eldest child of King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, Princess Benedikte often attends official royal events in the place of her elder sister, Queen Margrethe, and may even act as regent of Denmark when the queen is abroad.

Queen Margrethe also has another younger sister, Queen Anne Marie of Greece.

Queen Margrethe also has another younger sister, Queen Anne Marie of Greece.
Queen Anne Marie of Greece in January 2023.Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

Queen Anne Marie, 76, is best known as the last queen of Greece.

She was the consort of King Constantine II from the time of their marriage on September 19, 1964, until the abolition of the Greek monarchy on June 1, 1973.

King Constantine II passed away on January 10, 2023.

They shared five children: Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece; Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark; Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark; Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark; and Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark, an actress who goes by her stage name Theodora Greece.

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Queen Margrethe's eldest son and heir to the crown is Crown Prince Frederik.

Queen Margrethe's eldest son and heir to the crown is Crown Prince Frederik.
Crown Prince Frederik waves to crowds in November 2022.Sergei Gapon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Prince Frederik, 54, is first in line to the throne and also the first member of the Danish royal family to earn a master's degree. He also served in all three divisions of the Danish military over three decades: the Royal Danish Army, the Royal Danish Navy, and the Royal Danish Air Force.

He married Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, in 2004. They share four children — Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Princess Josephine, and Prince Vincent — who are all in line for the throne.

Frederik voiced support for his mother's decision to change the titles of his brother Joachim's four children from prince and princess to counts and countesses, which caused a rift in the family.

"My mother has made this decision alone, because it is what she can do and it is what she wants, and she thought now was the time to make a decision that I also support and see as the right thing to do," Frederik said outside of a Copenhagen school where he attended an event in October 2022, People reported.

"I myself am interested in the Danish monarchy staying lean over time, so I, therefore, support my mother's decision, which she has chosen to make," he added.

Crown Princess Mary will become Queen consort of Denmark when her husband ascends the throne.

Crown Princess Mary will become Queen consort of Denmark when her husband ascends the throne.
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark attend a reception in June 2022.Patrick van Katwijk/WireImage/Getty Images

Princess Mary of Denmark, 51, was born Mary Donaldson in Tasmania, Australia. Her father was a professor, and her mother worked as the executive assistant to the vice chancellor of the University of Tasmania.

Mary was working as an advertising executive in Australia when she met Prince Frederik at a bar in Sydney in 2000. At the time, she did not know who he was, since he introduced himself simply as "Fred," according to People.

"Something clicked," Princess Mary said in a 2005 interview. "It wasn't the fireworks in the sky or anything like that, but there was a sense of excitement."

Mary and Frederik continued to date long-distance, going under the radar of the world press, while Mary moved to Copenhagen, converted to the Lutheran Church, and began learning Danish. In 2003, the couple announced their engagement.

The pair were married on May 14, 2004, at Copenhagen Cathedral.

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Prince Christian of Denmark is Mary and Frederik's oldest child.

Prince Christian of Denmark is Mary and Frederik's oldest child.
Prince Christian of Denmark arrives at the Royal yacht Dannebrog for a lunch during the 50 years anniversary of Her Queen Margrethe II of Denmark's accession to the throne on September 10, 2022.Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

At 17 years old, Christian is second in line to the throne of Denmark, a role he has held since his birth in 2005.

In Denmark, each king alternates between the names Frederik and Christian — a tradition that's been around since 1513. If he ever has a son of his own, Prince Christian would likely follow the royal tradition of naming his son Frederik.

In 2020, Christian began a 12-week program at the Lemania-Verbier International School in Switzerland. However, after the pandemic hit, Christian and his siblings returned to Denmark. He began attending Herlufsholm Boarding School in Næstved, a town in Denmark, in August 2021.

Princess Isabella is the couple's second oldest child.

Princess Isabella is the couple's second oldest child.
Princess Isabella of Denmark in September 2022.IDA MARIE ODGAARD/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/Getty Images

Princess Isabella, 15, is third in line to the throne.

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Mary and Frederik also have twins: Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent.

Mary and Frederik also have twins: Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent.
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Prince Christian of Denmark, Princess Isabella of Denmark, Princess Josephine of Denmark, and Prince Vincent of Denmark during the confirmation of Princess Isabella of Denmark on April 30, 2022.Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine turned 12 years old on January 8, 2023. Prince Vincent, who was born 26 minutes before his sister, is fourth in line to the throne. Princess Josephine is fifth in line to the throne.

Prince Joachim, Queen Margrethe's second son, publicly called out his mother's decision to change his children's titles.

Prince Joachim, Queen Margrethe's second son, publicly called out his mother's decision to change his children's titles.
Prince Joachim.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Prince Joachim, 53, is sixth in line to the throne after his brother and his brother's children.

He was previously married to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, in 1995, before their divorce in 2005. They share two children: Count Nikolai and Count Felix. He then married French-born Marie Cavallier in 2008. They share Count Henrik and Countess Athena.

Queen Margrethe announced in September 2022 that she would be taking away his four children's prince and princess titles and they would instead receive the titles of counts and countesses.

His mother's decision apparently came as a surprise to Joachim, who claimed he was only given notice of the change five days before it was made public.

"My kids don't know which leg to stand on. What they should believe," he said in a 2022 press statement, according to Town & Country. "Why should their identity be removed? Why must they be punished in that way?"

For her part, the queen has said it was something she had been considering for a while.

In October 2022, Joachim met with his mother to discuss the issue, Danish newspaper BT reported, according to People magazine.

"It is correct that the Queen and Prince Joachim have spoken together at Fredensborg," a spokesperson for the royal household told BT. "Everyone agrees to look forward, and as the Queen herself has expressed, she and Prince Joachim want calm to find their way through this situation."

Joachim lives in Paris with his family and, later this year, they will be taking a page out of Prince Harry's book by moving stateside.

In March 2023, the Danish royal palace wrote on Instagram, "On 1 September 2023, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim will take up a new position under the Ministry of Defense as defense industry attaché at the Danish Embassy in Washington D.C., where the Prince, as Denmark's representative, will in the coming years help to strengthen the defense industry cooperation with the USA and Canada."

The Danish royal household did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

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Princess Marie of Denmark is Joachim's second wife and the mother of his two youngest children.

Princess Marie of Denmark is Joachim's second wife and the mother of his two youngest children.
Prince Joachim of Denmark and his wife Princess Marie in May 2018.Ole Jensen/Corbis/Corbis/Getty Images

Prince Joachim married Princess Marie on May 24, 2008, after dating for several years. Unlike many other royal weddings, it was not considered a state occasion but nevertheless had a formal white-tie dress code.

During the summer of 2019, Prince Joachim, Princess Marie, and their two children moved to Paris, France. Nikolai and his brother Felix continued to live in Copenhagen.

In the aftermath of her children losing their prince and princess titles, Marie told a Danish news outlet that their daughter Athena, 11, is being bullied at school by kids ridiculing her because she is "no longer a princess."

Count Nikolai, Prince Joachim's oldest son, has a blossoming career as a model.

Count Nikolai, Prince Joachim's oldest son, has a blossoming career as a model.
Prince Nikolai of Denmark walks the runway in January 2020.Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Corbis/Getty Images

Count Nikolai, 23, is the eldest son of Prince Joachim and his first wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg. He is also the eldest grandchild of Queen Margrethe II and is seventh in line to the throne of Denmark.

Nikolai is signed with Scoop Models, a modeling agency based out of Copenhagen. He has walked the runway for Dior and has had spreads in Vogue Czechoslovakia and Vogue Scandinavia.

In regards to the decision to strip him and his siblings of their prince and princess titles, Nikolai said in an interview with Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet that he was "in shock" and "very confused as to why it has to happen like this," according to an English translation shared by the New York Post.

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Prince Joachim's three children are still in line for the throne despite being stripped of their prince and princess titles.

Prince Joachim's three children are still in line for the throne despite being stripped of their prince and princess titles.
Count Nikolai, Count Felix, Count Henrik, and Countess Athena in September 2022.MARTIN SYLVEST/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/Getty Images

Count Felix, Joachim's second-eldest son at 20 years old, is eighth in the line to the Danish throne. Count Henrik, 13, is ninth in line, and Countess Athena, 11, is 10th in line.

It is unlikely that Joachim or any of his children will ever ascend the throne.

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