The Queen of Denmark has apologised to her family after stripping four of her grandchildren of their royal titles.

However, Queen Margrethe II stopped short of reversing her decision to remove the titles of prince or princess from the children of her second son, Prince Joachim.

In a statement released in English on the Danish royal family website, the monarch said she was “sorry” for the extent to which the decision had affected her son and his family.

Explaining her decision, Queen Margrethe wrote: “Holding a royal title involves a number of commitments and duties that, in the future, will lie with fewer members of the royal family. This adjustment, which I view as a necessary future-proofing of the monarchy, I want to take in my own time.

“I have made my decision as queen, mother and grandmother, but, as a mother and grandmother, I have underestimated the extent to which much my younger son and his family feel affected. That makes a big impression, and for that I am sorry.”

She went on to say that her grandchildren were her “pride and joy” and hoped that the family could now “find the peace” to get through the situation.

The decision which caused the rift in the family was announced on 28 September and affected her grandchildren Prince Nikolai, 23, Prince Felix, 20, Prince Henrik, 13, and 10-year-old Princess Athena.

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As of 1 January 2023, all four will cease to be styled as prince or princess, and stop being addressed as his/her royal highness.

They will instead be going by their titles as the Counts and Countess of Monpezat and be addressed as his/her excellency.

The move sparked a controversy in Denmark with several members of the family publicly expressing their shock at the decision.

Prince Joachim accused his mother of “mistreating” his children while his ex-wife and mother of Nikolai and Felix, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, said there was “no good reason” for the decision and her children felt “ostracised”.

Prince Nikolai also said he and his siblings were “very sad” about losing their titles.

The move did not affect the children of the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Frederik, who all retain their titles, nor did it impact the line of succession.

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