Queen Margrethe II gives a New Year’s speech at Amalienborg Castle, Christian IX Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark. Keld Navntoft/Getty Images
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has announced her intention to abdicate from the throne after 52 years.
The news comes more than a year after the Queen stripped four of her grandchildren of their royal titles.
Meanwhile, Denmark’s future king, Prince Frederik, faced rumors of an affair last year.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has announced plans to step down from the throne after 52 years.
Sharing the news in his customary New Year’s Eve speech on Sunday, the monarch said he intended to hand over the throne to his son, Crown Prince Frederick. The abdication will be officially announced on January 14, the 52nd anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne.
Margrethe underwent back surgery in February, which she said influenced her decision to step down.
“Thanks to the talented medical professionals who cared for me, everything went well. Inevitably, this surgery made me think about the future. Now is the time to pass the responsibility on to the next generation. Is it the right time?” the king said. He said.
Margrethe’s decision comes at a tumultuous time for the Danish royal family. In September 2022, the Queen announced her intention to strip four of her grandchildren of their royal titles, a decision that was met with backlash from several members of her family.
Recently, the relationship between Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary came under scrutiny after a Spanish tabloid reported that Prince Frederic was having an affair with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova.
Genoveva Casanova publicly denied the rumors, but the couple declined to comment.
Here’s a complete timeline of recent family dramas:
In September 2022, Queen Margrethe announced plans to strip four of her grandchildren of their royal titles.
Members of the Danish royal family wave from the balcony of Amalienborg Palace on April 16, 2018. Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images
Queen Margrethe has two sons, Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark (eldest son and heir to the throne, born in 1968) and Prince Joachim of Denmark (born in 1969).
In a press release issued by the Danish royal family on September 28, 2022, it was announced that Prince Joachim’s four children will be stripped of their titles in 2023.
This decision affected Count Nikolai, who was born in 1999. Count Felix, born in 2002. Count Henrik, born in 2009. And Countess Athena, born in 2012.
According to Royal Central, Joachim shares Nikolai and Felix with his first wife, Countess Alexandra, to whom he was married from 1995 to 2005. He shares Henrik and Athena with his current wife Princess Marie, whom he married in 2008.
The children, previously known as Prince and Princess, will instead be able to use the titles Count and Countess of Mompezat from January 1, 2023, the press release states. A press release said the four young royals would be able to “shape their own lives more broadly” without being tied to the royal family.
This decision did not affect Crown Prince Frederick’s four children. Princess Isabella was born in 2007. And twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine were born in 2011.
Prince Joachim seemed dazzled by the news.
Prince Joachim of Denmark and his wife Princess Marie in May 2018. Ole Jensen/Corbis/Corbis/Getty Images
Following the announcement, several members of the royal family, including Prince Joachim, spoke to the press.
“We are all very sad. It’s never fun to see children being abused like that,” Joachim told Danish media. Extra Bladet September 28, 2022.
“They’re in a situation they don’t understand,” he added.
Joachim told the outlet that he was given just five days’ notice before the Queen’s decision was made public. He added that this came as a surprise, as children had previously been told that their titles would be revoked once they turned 25.
According to Danish news agency BT, Royal Press Secretary Leanne Väleby said in a statement that Joachim had known about the decision since May 2022. Mr. Joachim and Mr. Murray denied Mr. Valleyby’s comments when they spoke to the station on October 1.
Joachim’s ex-wife, Countess Alexandra, told local media that the family was “embarrassed” and “saddened” by the announcement.
Countess Alexandra photographed in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2022. Ole Jensen/Getty Images
“We are all baffled by this decision. We are saddened and shocked. This is like a bolt out of the blue,” Alexandra told BT on September 28, 2022.
“Children feel left out. They don’t understand why their identity is being taken away,” she added.
Joachim and Marie said their relationships with other family members had become complicated.
Queen Margrethe, Princess Marie and their daughter Athena photographed in 2022. Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images
Joachim and Marie told BT on October 1 that they have had no contact with Margrethe, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary since the announcement.
When asked how Frederick’s relationship with Mary was, Marie replied, “It was complicated.”
Later in the interview, Marie said that her youngest child, Athena, was being bullied at school because of this decision.
“Athena is being bullied at school. They come up and say, ‘Are you not a princess anymore?'” Marie told the magazine.
The Queen issued a public apology in October 2022.
Queen Margrethe waves to the crowd. Luca V. Toicman/Getty Images
Queen Margrethe addressed the family’s comments in an official statement shared to the Danish Royal Family website on October 3.
“I made this decision as a queen, a mother and a grandmother, but as a mother and grandmother I underestimated how much it affected my second son and his family,” the monarch said. Ta.
“It makes a big impression, and I’m sorry about that,” she continued.
Her Majesty concluded her statement by saying that she hopes the family “can find peace to overcome this situation.”
The Queen’s eldest son Frederick publicly supported his mother.
Crown Prince Frederick and Crown Princess Mary, photographed in 2022. Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images
Since Frederik is first in line to the throne, his children were not affected by Margrethe’s decision to strip her grandson of some of his titles.
According to People, Frederick did not comment publicly when the announcement was made in September 2022. But speaking to BT ahead of the royal engagement on October 27, 2022, Frederic said he supported his mother’s decision.
He added that he has been in “constant contact” with Joachim since the news broke, which seemed to contradict previous comments about Joachim and Marie’s relationship.
Joachim, Marie, and their two youngest children immigrated to the United States in September 2023.
Princess Marie of Denmark and Prince Joachim of Denmark. Pascal Le Segretin/Getty Images
In a statement shared to the Danish Royal Family website on March 17, it was announced that Prince Joachim and his family will be moving from Europe to Washington, DC.
“On September 1, 2023, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Joachim will take up a new position at the Ministry of Defense as Defense Industry Attaché at the Danish Embassy in Washington, D.C. The Crown Prince will serve as Denmark’s representative and strengthen Denmark in the coming years. “Defense industry cooperation with the United States and Canada will contribute to defense industry cooperation,” the statement said.
The family moved on September 1, less than a year after the Queen’s announcement.
The family previously lived in France, where Joachim attended a top-ranking military education course before taking up a post at the Danish embassy in Paris, according to the royal family website.
Meanwhile, Joachim’s eldest son, Count Nikolai, emigrated to Australia to attend university.
Prince Nikolai walked the runway at the Dior Homme Menswear Fall/Winter 2020-2021 collection show during Paris Fashion Week 2020. Stefan Cardinale – Corbis/Getty Images
Count Nikolai moved to Australia in August 2023 to spend an exchange semester at the University of Technology in Ultimo, Sydney.
Immediately after the transfer, Nicolai gave an interview to Australian media outlet 9Honey and talked about what it was like to lose the title.
“It’s still a pretty sensitive subject, but I mean, I’m still the same person I’ve always been,” he said.
Asked if he was hurt by his grandmother’s decision, Nikolai said: “I wouldn’t say I was hurt, and I didn’t mean to stir the pot. I still think it’s a little strange. I still have to get used to it.” that. “
He added that he is close to his grandmother.
In November, socialite Genoveva Casanova denied rumors that she was having an affair with Prince Frederick.
Genoveva Casanova photographed in Madrid, Spain in 2022. Pablo Cuadra/Getty Images
The relationship between Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary came into the spotlight in November 2023 when a tabloid newspaper reported that Prince Frederic had been having an affair with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova.
spanish outlet lecture A photo of Casanova and the prince walking together in El Retiro Park in Madrid was released. The paper also claimed that the two spent the night together at Casanova’s apartment.
“I categorically deny any claims suggesting a romantic relationship between Prince Frederick and me. Such statements are not only completely false, but also maliciously distort the facts,” Casanova said in a statement. Stated. Hello Translated into English by BI on November 7th.
“This is already in the hands of my lawyers, who will take the necessary steps to protect my honor, truth, and privacy rights,” she added.
“We do not comment on rumors or innuendo,” a spokesperson for the Danish royal family previously told BI about the allegations.
Meanwhile, Frederick and Mary continue with their business as usual.
Crown Princess Mary and Prince Frederik attended a gala dinner to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Queen of Denmark’s accession to the throne in 2022. Ole Jensen/Getty Images
Mary and Frederick have been photographed together several times since Casanova’s statement. The couple joined the Spanish royal couple in Copenhagen in November and most recently attended the Queen’s New Year reception at Amalienborg Palace on Monday.
The two were reunited with Joachim and Marie and were photographed arriving at the same reception. The couple have not yet commented publicly on the news of Margrethe’s abdication.
Frederick and Mary are set to become King and Queen of Copenhagen on January 14th, when Margrethe abdicates, and their eldest son Prince Christian will be the heir to the throne.
