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Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Prince Joachim have both arrived at Copenhagen City Hall to celebrate the monarch’s 50-year reign in the first public show of unity since the Royal Family’s row over titles.
Joachim, 53, who is Margrethe’s youngest son, was joined at the event by his second wife Princess Marie, 46, as well as his sister-in-law Crown Princess Mary, 50, and his older brother Crown Prince Frederik, 54.
It marks the first time the Danish Queen, 82, her sons and their wives have all been seen at the same occasion after Joachim criticised his mother for stripping his four children of their royal titles.
In September, Margrethe ruffled feathers by announcing Prince Nikolai, 23, Prince Felix, 20, Prince Henrik, 13, and Princess Athena, 10, would no longer be known as princes or princess nor as His or Her Royal Highnesses from 1 January 2023. Instead, they will be Counts and Countess and be referred to as Their Excellencies.
Following her announcement, Joachim spoke to Danish publication Ekstra Bladet outside the Danish Embassy in Paris, where he lives with his French-born wife Princess Marie and his two youngest children, and said his four children had been ‘hurt’ by their grandmother’s decision.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (pictured left) and Prince Joachim (pictured right, with second wife Princess Marie) have both arrived at Copenhagen City Hall to celebrate the monarch’s 50-year reign in the first public show of unity since the Royal Family’s row over titles
Joachim, 53, who is Margrethe’s youngest son, was joined at the event by his second wife Princess Marie, 46, as well as his sister-in-law Crown Princess Mary (pictured right), 50, and his older brother Crown Prince Frederik (pictured left), 54
Queen Margrethe (pictured in blue) made the decision to strip princely titles from Prince Nikolai (left), Prince Felix (second from left), Prince Henrik (right) and Princess Athena (second from right). Also pictured: Prince Joachim and Princess Marie
The Danish Royal Family tree. Prince Joachim’s children Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, will all be losing their titles on January 1 2023
But during today’s outing, the Royal Family appeared to put the row over titles behind them as they posed for pictures prior to the Golden Jubilee celebrations in Copenhagen.
However, while each member appeared to smile for the camera, Joachim and Marie arrived separately from the Queen. Frederik and Mary, dressed in a statement blue coat and matching polka dot frock, also arrived on their own.
Margrethe commanded attention in a purple ensemble, while Marie opted for a sophisticated monochrome look, complete with white trousers and a black top featuring an eye-catching bow.
Looking equally dapper, Joachim and Frederik both opted for navy suits for the occasion, with the former sporting a light blue shirt and tie, and the heir-to-the-throne opting for a crisp white shirt.
While the Royal Family members made sure to smile for the crowds gathered in front of the City Hall, local publication BT reported that none of them made a comment about the recent drama to the press as they walked past.
In October, the Royal Danish Household confirmed Margrethe and Joachim had sat down for peace talks to smooth tensions that had arisen from the monarch’s announcement.
Margrethe commanded attention in a purple ensemble, while Marie opted for a sophisticated monochrome look, complete with white trousers and a black top featuring an eye-catching bow
However, while each member appeared to smile for the camera, Joachim and Marie arrived separately from the Queen. Frederik and Mary, dressed in a statement blue coat and matching polka dot frock, also arrived on their own
In October, the Royal Danish Household confirmed Margrethe and Joachim had sat down for peace talks to smooth tensions that had arisen from the monarch’s announcement
While the Royal Family members made sure to smile for the crowds (pictured) gathered in front of the City Hall, local publication BT reported that none of them made a comment about the recent drama to the press as they walked past
Following the meeting, the palace confirmed that the monarch and Joachim want to ‘look forward’ and are trying to ‘find their way through’ their differences – however, Frederik did not attend the meeting at Fredensborg.
Danish publication B.T. reported: ‘According to the Royal House, the Crown Prince was not part of the meeting’, with a statement from the palace reading: ‘The Queen and Prince Joachim have spoken together at Fredensborg. 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.’
Elsewhere, Frederik recently spoke publicly for the first time since his mother announced that she would be stripping the prince and princess titles from Prince Joachim’s four children.
Heir to the throne Frederik had remained quiet since the announcement in September, but broke his silence to say: ‘It is sad to see how affected he has been by the decision.’
Speaking to Danish publication B.T. the father-of-four denied his brother’s claims that they’re not speaking and insisted that they have been in ‘constant’ communication.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie have, on the other hand, previously claimed that they have not spoken to the Crown Prince or his wife Princess Mary during the crisis and that the relationship with them is ‘complicated.’
In October, Frederik appeared for the first time at a public event since his mother announced her decision and according to the Danish news outlet, he repeated several times that he supported the Queen and has had ‘lots of communication’ with his younger brother.
He said: ‘I am in continuous contact with my brother, I have always been funnily enough, so there is nothing new in whether I have been in contact with him. I am in continuous contact with him.’
Yet, he could not avoid addressing the ‘discrepancy’ in the royal family regarding the titles of Prince Joachim’s children, which he labelled a ‘family matter.’
Frederik said: ‘It is sad to see how affected he has been by the decision.’ But he went on to back the Queen’s wishes, despite understanding his brother’s position.
The Crown Prince explained to the publication that he is invested in the Danish monarchy remaining ‘lean over time,’ and so backed his mother’s decision.
Frederik explained that the monarch made the decision alone because it is what she wants. He said: ‘She thought now was the time to make a decision that I also support and see as the right thing to do.’
The Crown Prince did reflect on the effect that this has had to his younger brother and insisted that they had been in contact, but said that this was a family matter to be kept private.
However, Joachim and his family publicly disagreed with the Danish Queen’s decision to strip his children’s titles; both he, Marie and Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg, who is Joachim’s first wife and mother to Nikolai and Felix, told the press that their children were ‘upset’ by the Queen’s decision.
The decision does not affect Frederick’s children with his wife Mary; Prince Christian, 16, Princess Isabella, 15, and twins Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent, 11.
Queen Margrethe initially explained that the decision had been taken for her children’s own sake but later said that it was also about securing the future of the royal house
Prince Joachim (pictured) speaking after his mother’s announcement said that his children were upset and that he was only given five days notice regarding the decision
Earlier this month, speaking to B.T., Joachim and Marie, the mother of Joachim’s youngest children, spoke about how the decision had affected their youngsters, revealing that their daughter Athena was being bullied at school after the news was publicly announced.
‘They come and say (to Athena): Is it you who is no longer a princess?,’ she said, adding that her children were put under the public spotlight and so she feels the need to defend them.
Meanwhile, Joachim hit out at his mother’s decision, saying it ‘punished’ his children, as well as claiming he had only been told the news five days before it was made public – despite the Royal Household insisting the move ‘has been a long time coming’.
As tensions brewed within the Danish royal family, Queen Margrethe released an unprecedented statement in which she apologised for her announcement – however she insisted her decision was the right one.
The monarch admitted she had ‘underestimated’ the impact of her actions but said was ‘a long time coming’ and it had been made as ‘a Queen, mother and grandmother.’
The statement read: ‘In recent days, there have been strong reactions to my decision on the future use of titles for Prince Joachim’s four children. It obviously affects me.
‘My decision has been a long time coming. With my 50 years on the throne, it is natural both to look back and to look forward. Carrying a royal title entails a number of obligations and duties, which will in future be the responsibility of fewer members of the royal family.
It added: ‘This adaptation, which I see as a necessary safeguard for the future of the monarchy, I want to make in my time.’
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