Queen Margrethe of Denmark has made a significant announcement, stripping the titles and styles from four of her grandchildren as of 1 January 2023. However, four of her grandchildren will retain their titles.
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark have four children that follow their father in the Danish line of succession. They will continue to be known as Prince and Princess and will continue to use the HRH designation.
Prince Christian of Denmark was born in October of 2005 and is second in line to the Danish throne after his father. At 16, he is completing his secondary education in Denmark. In 2021, he completed one year of studies at the prestigious boarding school. Herlufsholm, but since left in 2022 after allegations of bullying and sexual misconduct at the school were made public.
Princess Isabella of Denmark was born in April of 2007 and is third in line to the Danish throne. The Danish parliament passed a new law of succession that abandoned absolute primogeniture in favour of allowing children to succeed in the order of their birth instead of gender. She was also meant to start at Herlufsholm in 2022 but did not.
Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine were born in January of 2011 and are respectively fourth and fifth in line to the throne.
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary will retain their titles and their styles. Prince Joachim and his wife, Princess Marie, will retain their titles and styles, as well. However, it is Joachim’s four children- Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik, and Princess Athena- who will no longer be known as Prince or Princess or use His or Her Highness. Instead, they will be known as “Count or Countess of Monpezat” and use the style of “His or Her Excellency”.
Princess Benedikte of Denmark, The Queen’s younger sister, remains a Princess of Denmark, as well as a Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg by marriage.
Queen Margrethe’s decision closely follows that of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden who removed the royal titles and styles of five of his grandchildren in 2019. This move to limit royal titles and styles to those royals who will be official working royals is becoming more popular.
