Danish queen refuses to backtrack on stripping royal titles

Queen Margrethe described the decision as ‘a necessary future-proofing of the monarchy’ (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II has apologised for upsetting family members with a decision to strip the royal titles from four of her grandchildren, but has refused to change her mind.

The royal palace of Europe’s oldest monarchy announced last week that as of January 1, the four children of Margrethe’s youngest son, Prince Joachim, would no longer be called prince or princess but instead count or countess of Monpezat — the birth title of her late husband, French-born Prince Henrik. They should be addressed as “excellencies” and would maintain their places in the Danish order of succession.