New Titles for Queen Margrethe's Descendants: 2008 & 2022, 2024

[Tatiana Maria]

Business is a perfectly acceptable career for both children and grandchildren of the monarch in the Netherlands, all styled Princes. I don't know why Denmark would be any different in that regard.

I am not sure if you have seen this post by Muhler, but I think it explains it well.

To the general public who are not that well versed in titles, there is no real distinction between HH and HRH. - Nikolai is Prince ergo he is a full royal. That also applies to segments of the press, especially when they want to...

Nikolai can very much be compared to Princess Elisabeth I think.
She's never married or had any children, so that "issue" ends with her. And she had a career in the Foreign Ministry, sometimes being deployed abroad. That's an acceptable and safe career for an "inactive" royal. Not controversial and out of sight and out of mind.
And if need be I suppose all Joachim's children can be parked away safely like that. Beforehand younger royals had a career in the military or like Elisabeth became a civil servant or even went into the church or in some cases had a manor somewhere. - Pretty much the traditional career choices for younger siblings of the upper class.
But that does put limitations on their choice of careers.
Nothing that is remotely political. Nothing that brings him into conflict with Danish interests or with segments of the population is acceptable, so that may rule out him being a top executive in a private business. And so on.

The problem is also that the DRF has to neutral in almost every aspect. That also includes inactive members. Otherwise there is a very good chance of that detracting from the monarchy itself. - That sentiment is admittedly sometimes bordering on being hysterical here in DK, but it's there.
It's easier and simpler to renounce the title and just be a count. For Nikolai himself it won't make that big a difference in relation to the DRF. He'll still be invited for family events and such, but not standing with his cousins. I think he'll survive that. It's not like he's being kicked out of a palace or anything like that.

So if Nikolai and his siblings wish to retain their titles as royals and have a career of their own it's better if they settle and work outside DK.

That I think applies to the Nordic monarchies. They have different traditions in the Benelux countries, and yet, even there there have been controversies and scandals when secondary royals have messed things up.

So again: If Nikolai is inactive, it would IMO be simpler for him to officially opt out of the royal roadshow.

We debated something similar in regards to Madeleine when she married. I think she would get much less criticism and be much more free (and so would her husband BTW) had she renounced her royal title when she married.
Now she is criticized for not being active enough, for not being in Sweden enough and so on...

I am not sure the Netherlands is the best example to cite regarding business careers for princes. There has been abundant backlash over Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau's real estate career and lesser controversies over perceived or actual preferential treatment of other princes in their careers. Of course, it is clear the Dutch public still finds this much preferable to supporting all the princes with taxpayer money, but it is not a flawless model, and I assume similar concerns contributed to the Dutch cadet branches losing their princely titles in the next generation, beginning with Prince Constantijn's children.

 

[Toledo]

One question, if they are no longer princes and HRH after January, can they now refuse in protest to participate in any events that require the whole family to attend before and after 1/1/2023?

Now that one of the princes has spoken it hit me how hard this has to be for all four of them. It's not just a title but part of their family identity as members of the oldest royal house in Europe still on a throne. Very difficult to have Grandma kind of telling them after Christmas and New Year you are not one of us.

 

[Izzie]

I am not even sure I understand the argument of removing titles gives them freedom tbh. So magically on 1/2/23 for example Nikolai gets into a bar fight and ends up in jail...since he's been removed of his Prince title it shields the DRF? Is he being removed from their DNA as well? Of course it will bring the DRF into it. His father is a Prince a son of the Queen. So no one will be calling the DRF for comment. So the answer will be well we took his title we washed our hands of him. Good luck to him? I'm sorry maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Prinsara]

I am not even sure I understand the argument of removing titles gives them freedom tbh. So magically on 1/2/23 for example Nikolai gets into a bar fight and ends up in jail...since he's been removed of his Prince title it shields the DRF? Is he being removed from their DNA as well? Of course it will bring the DRF into it. His father is a Prince a son of the Queen. So no one will be calling the DRF for comment. So the answer will be well we took his title we washed our hands of him. Good luck to him? I'm sorry maybe I'm missing something.

Alex's spokesperson literally said "if they do something very stupid" of course it will come right back to the family.

 

[Somebody]

I am not sure if you have seen this post by Muhler, but I think it explains it well.



I am not sure the Netherlands is the best example to cite regarding business careers for princes. There has been abundant backlash over Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau's real estate career and lesser controversies over perceived or actual preferential treatment of other princes in their careers. Of course, it is clear the Dutch public still finds this much preferable to supporting all the princes with taxpayer money, but it is not a flawless model, and I assume similar concerns contributed to the Dutch cadet branches losing their princely titles in the next generation, beginning with Prince Constantijn's children.

Yes, indeed. And while Constantijn is a prince of the Netherlands (as well as a brother of the king and not a cousin - and therefore somewhat more restricted), all others are princes of Orange-Nassau. So, at least in title there is a very clear distinction - and because of that in their day-to-day life they do not use 'of the Netherlands' but 'van Oranje'. While of course people know that this surname is specific to the royal family, it is not the name of the country that is used in these instances.

In the cases of Nikolai, Felix, Henrik and Athena them using 'of Monpezat' will still make them recognizable descendants of the queen and prince Henrik (just like of Rosenborg did for previous generations) but they won't use the country's name any longer.

I am not even sure I understand the argument of removing titles gives them freedom tbh. So magically on 1/2/23 for example Nikolai gets into a bar fight and ends up in jail...since he's been removed of his Prince title it shields the DRF? Is he being removed from their DNA as well? Of course it will bring the DRF into it. His father is a Prince a son of the Queen. So no one will be calling the DRF for comment. So the answer will be well we took his title we washed our hands of him. Good luck to him? I'm sorry maybe I'm missing something.

Please read the post by Muhler quoted by Tatiana Maria. Of course, they will still be linked to the Danish royal family - they after all also remain in the line of succession. However, they will be freer in their career choices - especially private business careers open up as opportunities, which seems the direction Nikolai and Felix were taking...

 

[bekalc]

It is clear that Prince Joachim has no consideration for the reason of all this: the future of the monarchy itself and the functioning of the Royal House which is very much served with a limitation. The more Princes and Princesses of Denmark are walking around in this relatively small country, the more devaluation for this title.

Note that we may expect Prince Christian engage into marriage in the coming decade and he will have 3 children: this potentially means around 20 Princes and Princesses of Denmark (the spouses included). The fact that Joachim fails to see the wider spectrum shows Denmark may be happy with a more wise, subdued and rational appearing Margrethe and Frederik.

This is where I have to disagree with you. I personally don’t think Frederick and Margrethe get to be called rational when they are the ones who benefit the most from the monarchy.

Their titles aren’t being sacrificed They are doing everything to protect themselves.

There is no telling that if they were on the shoes of the spares that they would act as classy as Carl-Phillipe and Madeline.

The Queen since she was doing this to benefit herself and Frederick and she could have handled it better.

Given that she allowed her grand children to be Princes and Princesses she could have discussed it with her adult grand children.

This reeks absolutely of someone who has had servants her whole life and so never done anything unpleasant.

And Frederick’s future grand children should have been
Included in the prouncement.

She could have said she loved her grand children. The Swedish King 100 percent handled it better.

I am not saying she is doing wrong and yes very privileged people here but let’s not make her or Frederick into saints since neither of them have ever been treated as alsorans and less thens in their own family.

If she is going to strip them of their titles she should have had the guts to tell them.

 

[polyesco]

Indeed, and the fact that the "starting proposition" in May (which I imagine was QMII's side's first draft for an agreement on the titles) didn't go through back in May makes me think it was Joachim who objected to it. Both sides refusing to cave would explain the 5+ months during which nothing seemingly has changed.

I wonder if QMII's side awaited an alternative from Joachim's side but Joachim thought that if he dug his heels in long enough, QMII's side would budge? In any way, the apparent complete collapse in communication between the two sides is to blame for a lot of the mess they're in right now.

Agree.
I highly doubt May 5 and Spetember 23 were the only days that this was discussed.
Also to note, how much did Joachim discuss this with his sons? In May or until September?
I see discussion being years in the making.

 

[Prinsara]

Apparently 4/5 or so of the comments from the Facebook/Instagram posts of the announcements are supporting Joachim et famille. That will have to be verified by one of the Scandinavian-speaking posters.

If true, Denmark may not be so happy with this "wise rationality".

And even Elizabeth said she loved the Sussexes, and she would have been far more (not farmor) justified in not saying it!

 

[Sister Morphine]

One question, if they are no longer princes and HRH after January, can they now refuse in protest to participate in any events that require the whole family to attend before and after 1/1/2023?

Now that one of the princes has spoken it hit me how hard this has to be for all four of them. It's not just a title but part of their family identity as members of the oldest royal house in Europe still on a throne. Very difficult to have Grandma kind of telling them after Christmas and New Year you are not one of us.

They were never HRH to begin with. They were HH. Also, they're still members of the family. She's not disinheriting them. They're still in the line of succession. Still invited to family events. Too many people are making this more melodramatic and woebegone than it is. QMII didn't handle this well, and it has made a mess of something that is rather simple and to the point.

 

[Somebody]

Agree.
I highly doubt May 5 and Spetember 23 were the only days that this was discussed.
Also to note, how much did Joachim discuss this with his sons? In May or until September?
I see discussion being years in the making.

According to Nikolai himself, he has known it for less than a week.

 

[Izzie]

Poor Mary tomorrow at her event...ironically ahout youth mental health. Hope she has sought guidance on how to handle the inevitable questions. Let's just hope she worked with her team and not the Communications Dept, esp
Lene B.

 

[auntie]

The lack of any personal family affection in the announcement is very striking, it doesn't help with a feeling that this was rather ruthless.

How ironic that in a bid to avoid a "British Royal Family situation" in the future they have potentially created one of their own right now.

yes' it does seem ruthless
there is a rule in psychology: when you take action to prevent something happening, you actually cause that thing to happen

 

[camelot23ca]

I have to say I would love to know what’s been going on behind the scenes here as not much of what’s happened in public so far makes sense to me. As I said in a previous post, I think this was the right call to make but the timing seems random and weird.

I don’t entirely believe the official DRF version that this has been in the works for months, shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, etc. But I also have a hard time believing that the news was a total surprise to Joachim, Marie and Alexandra. The truth is likely more complicated.

Unfortunately I can believe that the news really did come completely unexpectedly to the four children, especially if their parents truly didn’t think the change would happen so soon. They may have decided to not go into details with the kids for any number of reasons.

I think it’s unfortunate that at least Nikolai and Felix weren’t given the opportunity to discuss the change in person with their grandmother. I’m not entirely surprised - Queen Margrethe and both sons have alluded to the fact that she and Prince Henrik were loving but not necessarily overly hands on or warm and fuzzy parents. I’m sure she loves Joachim’s children dearly, but that doesn’t guarantee she’s magically learned how to really relate to children/very young adults.

But I also think it’s too bad that Joachim and his family gave in to the understandable impulse to express their anger and disappointment publicly. It would have been better to say nothing, and the adults should have modelled restraint for their children. Having these sorts of feuds play out in the media may be satisfying in the short term, but will hurt them all over time.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I have searched for the handling of the similar limitation of royal titles in my country and the rationale behind this (which I missed in the communication in Denmark).

Main reason for a review of the Royal House Act in my country was: according the Constitution the King is inviolable, the ministers are fully responsible and accountable for all acts of the King.

Strictly spoken this ministerial accountability is for the King only but it unavoidably stretches out to the King's House. By Constitution the King has the royal prerogative "to organize his House to his own will and pleasure". (But the ministers hold all responsibility).

Rationale: to limit the Royal House as much as is workable, exactly to limit the ministerial responsibility for it (and "to free" royals to pursue their own life and career).

Consequence of this rationale: the limitation of the Royal House is followed by a limitation of titles of said Royal House. Aim is that only (lifelong) members of the Royal House will be HRH Prince (Princess).

Effect of the reviewed Royal House Act: from then on grandchildren of a King born by junior cadets as well nephews, nieces, cousins and cousines will no longer have any title of the Royal House.

This was the explanation behind the limitation in my country and I missed this a bit in the Danish communication. I think the rationale behind it is very logic and understandable for anyone who wants to keep the hereditary monarchy sustainable in an ever faster changing world.

 

[LadyFinn]

Nikolai and Felix are adults. As their grandmother - and as the queen - queen Margrethe should have treated Nikolai and Felix as adults and spoken about this change in their titles in May at a meeting, where Joachim, Nikolai and Felix would have been present. All together at the same place.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Nikolai and Felix are adults. As their grandmother - and as the queen - queen Margrethe should have treated Nikolai and Felix as adults and spoken about this change in their titles in May at a meeting, where Joachim, Nikolai and Felix would have been present. All together at the same place.

Probably this did happen but the Monpezat trait (the one ear in, the other ear out) of Joachim and his two adults did not make them realize it was a serious plan?

 

[Kataryn]

Nobody likes to be downgraded, especially when you have done nothing wrong...I really think there are a lot of problems in that family that the public don't know about.

Both Nicolai and Felix study business administration at the reknown business school in Copenhagen. probably they will start their own business or enter one at an upper level. Imagine them being CEO one day. Can you imagine any interview where they won't be asked why they started out as princes and ended up as "Count" or just Mr. Monpezat? It is such an enormous loss of social prestige!!! Anyone will ask themselves what is wrong with these men! With the Counts of Rosenborg you knew why they lost their Royal titles and probably any Dane thought "Oh, l'amour" or how that sounds in Danish. It was a family orientated reason, something that fits in with Danish culture (be hygge at home with your wife instead of lonely in a marble palace as a prince). Or the Danes (if they thought about that at all!) pitied poor princess Elisabeth who didn't want to loose her Royal title, so did not marry her commoner lover.


But what to do in maybe 20 years with a princess who was stripped of her Royal titles and demoted to a mere Komtesse? Can you trust her to be a representative of your firm when she works for you? Must have been a good reason for her own grandmother to take away the title from the girl, right? Not that we remember why it happened but still, it's bad history.


QMII made their grandchildren into some sort of social pariahs, because when a monarch takes away titles it is considered by most people as some sort of punishment. Just think of the discussion in the Uk - how many papers/people have asked for the removal of the Royal titles of Harry and Meghan. People held in high regard by the monarch normally gain titles or orders, they don't loose them. That's the way humans think and no grandmother's love will change that perception. And even that is missing. While in the Swedish case the whole family stood there and agreed with the king and the Crown Princess and the (small) demotement went down well. In Belgium a Court of law decided that even an illegitimate daughter born to the king shares his Royal blood and thus should be known as a princess of Belgium.



Why did this happen and only to Joachim's children and not to the future children of the three spares of Frederick as well, when the announcement was made?Then it would be clear that it wasn't personally but done in general. Then Nicolai could answer the question in the interview with: well, it happened when the whole Royal family was slimmed down, so I just exchanged one title for the next. Any more questions? Not: "Well, I was a son of the second son of the then queen... " and that's the moment when the interviewer stops being interested because it's just so boring to listen to other people's family stories.... IMHO, of course.

 

[Izzie]

https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongeli...e-mary-sig-om-svaer-situation-i-den-kongelige

I'm wondering if Mary wishes she didn't have an event today. What an awkward position this has put her and Frederik in. There is literally no good way she can answer questions from the press that won't get her criticized. Tell me again how this was supposed to take the heat OFF Frederik and by extension Mary?

https://www.bt.dk/royale/kronprinsesse-mary-til-bt-vi-kommer-ogsaa-til-at-se-paa-vores-boerns-titler

There was seriously zero thought to reaction, consequences, fallout and ongoing collateral damage...a total disconnect.

(..)

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Both Nicolai and Felix study business administration at the reknown business school in Copenhagen. probably they will start their own business or enter one at an upper level. Imagine them being CEO one day. Can you imagine any interview where they won't be asked why they started out as princes and ended up as "Count" or just Mr. Monpezat? It is such an enormous loss of social prestige!!! Anyone will ask themselves what is wrong with these men! With the Counts of Rosenborg you knew why they lost their Royal titles and probably any Dane thought "Oh, l'amour" or how that sounds in Danish. It was a family orientated reason, something that fits in with Danish culture (be hygge at home with your wife instead of lonely in a marble palace as a prince). Or the Danes (if they thought about that at all!) pitied poor princess Elisabeth who didn't want to loose her Royal title, so did not marry her commoner lover.


But what to do in maybe 20 years with a princess who was stripped of her Royal titles and demoted to a mere Komtesse? Can you trust her to be a representative of your firm when she works for you? Must have been a good reason for her own grandmother to take away the title from the girl, right? Not that we remember why it happened but still, it's bad history.


QMII made their grandchildren into some sort of social pariahs, because when a monarch takes away titles it is considered by most people as some sort of punishment. Just think of the discussion in the Uk - how many papers/people have asked for the removal of the Royal titles of Harry and Meghan. People held in high regard by the monarch normally gain titles or orders, they don't loose them. That's the way humans think and no grandmother's love will change that perception. And even that is missing. While in the Swedish case the whole family stood there and agreed with the king and the Crown Princess and the (small) demotement went down well. In Belgium a Court of law decided that even an illegitimate daughter born to the king shares his Royal blood and thus should be known as a princess of Belgium.



Why did this happen and only to Joachim's children and not to the future children of the three spares of Frederick as well, when the announcement was made?Then it would be clear that it wasn't personally but done in general. Then Nicolai could answer the question in the interview with: well, it happened when the whole Royal family was slimmed down, so I just exchanged one title for the next. Any more questions? Not: "Well, I was a son of the second son of the then queen... " and that's the moment when the interviewer stops being interested because it's just so boring to listen to other people's family stories.... IMHO, of course.

When the two gentlemen seriously have studied business administration they will be able to make assessments and calculations for the longer term.

If a CEO already is upset and he can not make the assessment that -as a grandchild to Margrethe II, as a nephew to Frederik X, as cousin to Christian XI- he is far away into the very periphery of the monarchy, then he definitely is not up for an executive business job!

 

[Muhler]

Mary has given a statement:

https://www.bt.dk/royale/kronprinsesse-mary-til-bt-vi-kommer-ogsaa-til-at-se-paa-vores-boerns-titler


Video included.

A very quick translation of the quotes in the text:
"Change can be immeasurably difficult and it can be really painful. I think most have tried that/been through that.

But that doesn't mean that the decision isn't the right one. We will also have to look at the title of our children, when it's time for that."

Q: Does that also mean that Your (formal) children can also lose the titles of prince and princesses?

"We cannot see today how the DRF will look like when it's Christian's time or when Christian's time is approaching."

- Hmm.
No surprise that she comes out in a defense of the decision. Anything less would be an earthquake.
The last sentence is interesting. Is there a deeper meaning? In other words: Is Frederik's time approaching? Soon.

 

[Izzie]

Mary has given a statement:

https://www.bt.dk/royale/kronprinsesse-mary-til-bt-vi-kommer-ogsaa-til-at-se-paa-vores-boerns-titler


Video included.

A very quick translation of the quotes in the text:
"Change can be immeasurably difficult and it can be really painful. I think most have tried that/been through that.

But that doesn't mean that the decision isn't the right one. We will also have to look at the title of our children, when it's time for that."

Q: Does that also mean that Your (formal) children can also lose the titles of prince and princesses?

"We cannot see today who the DRD will look like when it's Christian's time or when Christian's time is approaching."

- Hmm.
No surprise that she comes out in a defense of the decision. Anything less would be an earthquake.
The last sentence is interesting. Is there a deeper meaning? In other words: Is Frederik's time approaching? Soon.

What an awkward no win situation Mary's been put in. Frederik even moreso. And it didn't habe to be that way. QMII did this in an echo chamber without the slightest thought to the fact that there were other people it would affect and the awkward position it was putting others in ..especially Frederik. Like I said...there was zero forethought to the consequences and reactions and fallout...and collateral damage.

Let's see how quick Mary gets dragged for her response. FB comments should be interesting given the level of negative reaction to the decision.

I'm more convinced that Fredrick was called in NYC to return home to try to mitigate this mess. It had zero to do with COVID or the Gov't dinner.

 

[iceflower]

A number of off-topic and insulting posts have been removed. And please note that any further speculations about mental or health conditions will be deleted without notice.

 

[Mbruno]

I have to say I would love to know what’s been going on behind the scenes here as not much of what’s happened in public so far makes sense to me. As I said in a previous post, I think this was the right call to make but the timing seems random and weird.

I don’t entirely believe the official DRF version that this has been in the works for months, shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, etc. But I also have a hard time believing that the news was a total surprise to Joachim, Marie and Alexandra. The truth is likely more complicated.

Unfortunately I can believe that the news really did come completely unexpectedly to the four children, especially if their parents truly didn’t think the change would happen so soon. They may have decided to not go into details with the kids for any number of reasons.

I think it’s unfortunate that at least Nikolai and Felix weren’t given the opportunity to discuss the change in person with their grandmother. I’m not entirely surprised - Queen Margrethe and both sons have alluded to the fact that she and Prince Henrik were loving but not necessarily overly hands on or warm and fuzzy parents. I’m sure she loves Joachim’s children dearly, but that doesn’t guarantee she’s magically learned how to really relate to children/very young adults.

But I also think it’s too bad that Joachim and his family gave in to the understandable impulse to express their anger and disappointment publicly. It would have been better to say nothing, and the adults should have modelled restraint for their children. Having these sorts of feuds play out in the media may be satisfying in the short term, but will hurt them all over time.

I believe the intention to strip Joachim's children of their princely titles has been in the works for months (at least since May), but Joachim never menttioned it to his sons, as he still hoped to reverse it. Alexandra was also probably out of the loop too.

Apparently there has been also a change in timetable, whose cause remains uncertain. Joachim may also be in the dark about the cause.

 

[stellam]

It took me more than an hour to read all the comments and I have to agree with Mbruno. Joaquin was told in May month about the queen's decision and who knows the Queen may have given him a date by which he had to reply to her decision and also tell his children about this. He could have delayed thinking the Queen will change her mind and when he realized that the queen was sticking by her decision, he hurriedly told his children 5 days ago. As for him, Nicholai and Alexander speaking out publically, sorry but in my opinion, not appropriate. If they were unhappy go and speak to the Queen face to face. There could be more to it than meets the eye with the family dynamics that the public are not aware of.

 

[suztav]

Sorry but Joachim and Alexandra are acting like spoiled children and not setting a good example for their children to follow.

Should the Queen have held a family meeting to explain her rationale? Perhaps. But, this isn't out of character for a Queen who herself has admitted that she isn't the warm and fuzzy type.

Frankly, Alexandra has alot of guts complaining -- the Queen gave her a title, treated her very well --- especially considering the circumtances surronding her divorce.

 

[Blog Real]

Princess Benedikte was also asked about the loss of titles for Prince Joachim's children:
"I think of course it's difficult for them at first, that's pretty clear, but my sister makes wise decisions, also as a queen and thinks about the future and not here and now, and I think that's the most important thing."

https://www.bt.dk/royale/nu-reagerer-prinsesse-benedikte-ogsaa-paa-bortfaldne-royale-titler

 

[Minister of Court]

Princess Benedikte was also asked about the loss of titles for Prince Joachim's children:
"I think of course it's difficult for them at first, that's pretty clear, but my sister makes wise decisions, also as a queen and thinks about the future and not here and now, and I think that's the most important thing."

https://www.bt.dk/royale/nu-reagerer-prinsesse-benedikte-ogsaa-paa-bortfaldne-royale-titler

The voice of reason.

 

[bekalc]

It took me more than an hour to read all the comments and I have to agree with Mbruno. Joaquin was told in May month about the queen's decision and who knows the Queen may have given him a date by which he had to reply to her decision and also tell his children about this. He could have delayed thinking the Queen will change her mind and when he realized that the queen was sticking by her decision, he hurriedly told his children 5 days ago. As for him, Nicholai and Alexander speaking out publically, sorry but in my opinion, not appropriate. If they were unhappy go and speak to the Queen face to face. There could be more to it than meets the eye with the family dynamics that the public are not aware of.

I would absolutely agree that the children and their parents don’t look good complaining.

Some of it is on the parents who should have drilled into them they were not in the same situation as their cousins.

I got to say Madeline and Carl-Phillipe look like complete class acts.

You also have to admire Prince Edward and Countess Sophie and Princess Anne who kept their kids away from those types of titles. It’s like they saw the writing on the wall.


All of this being said you cannot complain about others making things public when you, yourself don’t handle things privately.

The Queen allowed her grandkids to be Prince and Princess all this time and owed them a conversation about it. Herself. The idea that it was her son’s responsibility isn’t correct.

Yes she is monarch her choices and yes it’s probably the right one. But Frederick future grand chicken should have been mentioned in this and well she could have emphasized they were still her family who she loved.

 

[Prinsara]

Frankly, Alexandra has alot of guts complaining -- the Queen gave her a title, treated her very well --- especially considering the circumtances surronding her divorce.

Why shouldn't Alexandra protest considering Her Majesty arbitrarily changed the rules and is now treating her sons and their minor siblings a lot worse?

 

[Catharina]

I am in the minority here but I don't like the downsizing. What's the point? If we're not talking about public money being handed out, why should those born with a title lose it at some specific point, unless they commit serious crime or act in a way that puts the title into shame? I don't like the new idea of having titles that are valid for a few years only. Why would there be any need for monarchy at all if these titles are temporary? The whole point of monarchy is continuance and people being able to devote their whole lives to the duty of representing the title, whether it is by being a full time working member of a royal house or simply representing the title given to them otherwise. It's tricky I know, the demands for royals to be more like ordinary people but at the same time it is stripping the whole thing of the essence of it. I am from a republic but I do not want to see monarchies gone. There's various negative consequences from it which people cannot see most of the time. All systems have negatives and positives but I don't see why symbolic titles have to be taken. If Margrethe thinks titles do not matter, she should try giving up hers and then try to get a table at that fancy restaurant being a regular Mrs Monpezat. And as for the Count of Monpezat title, it's really not a title anyone takes seriously. Sounds like the numerous Counts of Sealand running around.