Prince Joachim of Denmark and his wife, Princess Mary, went through a mature process of change after Queen Margaret decided to strip their four children of their royal titles.
In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Prince Joachim and Princess Mary spoke candidly about their feelings about the matter, expressing an attitude of acceptance and tenacity.
Looking back, Prince Joachim, 54, said: "We are in the past. ”
Meanwhile, Princess Mary, 48, acknowledged the complexity of the situation, "We are not happy with the way things are happening, but it is a family issue. It's complicated. ”
Their remarks underscore the emotional burden of the change on their children, including Count Nikolai, Count Felix, Count Henrik and Countess Athena, formerly known as Prince and Princess.
"That's their name, too. It's who they have been since birth. So it's not just the title that people see. Princess Mary said.
The couple's decision to move from France to Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2023 marks an important chapter in their journey. Prince Joachim began a new career in the Ministry of Defense at the Danish Embassy in the United States, demonstrating their readiness to embrace change and embark on a new journey across the Atlantic.
Nearly a year ago, Queen Margaret stripped Joachim of his eldest sons, Nikolai, 24, and Felix, 21 (a royal title he shared with his ex-wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg) and young children Henrik (14) and Athena (12), who lived with Princess Marie.
Queen Margaret, 84, announced the decision in September 2022, and the change officially came into effect on January 1, 2023.
Although Joachim's children retained the line of succession, they renounced the title of prince or princess and the title of "Your Highness".
The siblings are now known as His Excellency the Comte de Montpezzate or His Excellency the Countess of Montpezzat, titles conferred by their late grandfather, Prince Henrik.
Queen Margaret's decision, aimed at giving her grandchildren more autonomy to shape their own lives, has sparked praise and criticism.
She later apologized for any harm caused by the sudden announcement of the decision, but she believes the move is essential for the future resilience of the royal family. This initiative is similar to one decided by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden in 2019, but the title is reserved in a different way.
In the changes that followed, Queen Margaret announced her abdication in December 2023, becoming the first Danish monarch in nearly 900 years to voluntarily relinquish the throne. Crown Prince Frederick was promoted to King Frederick X, and King Frederick's wife became Queen Mary.
At the same time, their 18-year-old son became Crown Prince Christian, and 17-year-old Princess Isabella and 13-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine were both promoted in the line of succession.
Among these changes, Prince Joachim attended the enthronement celebration alone, reminiscent of Prince Harry's brief visit to the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in 2023. His supportive embrace of his brother, who would soon become Frederick X, symbolizes the strength of family unity in the changing dynamics of the royal family.
A few months after settling in the United States, Prince Joachim reflects on their family's new life in a free life without notice. Their relatively low-key lifestyle in Washington, D.C. allowed them to focus on their personal pursuits, with Nikolai focusing on modeling, Felix studying in business school, and Henrik and Atina attending an international school.
"We have been living here for seven months, and few people know who we are, except for the Danes," said Prince Joachim. ”