Princess Marie and Prince Joachim with their children Prince Felix,Princess Athena,Prince Henrik and Prince Nikolai in September.

Princess Marie and Prince Joachim with their children Prince Felix,Princess Athena,Prince Henrik and Prince Nikolai in September.Credit:AP

He is currently working as a defence attaché in Paris,a post he has held since 2020. He is expected to cross the Atlantic in the second half of the year.

Margrethe said her decision to remove the titles was intended to ensure the country’s monarchy was “keeping with the times”.

Her grandchildren Nikolai,23,Felix,20,Henrik,13,and Athena,10,now all go by the title of Count or Countess of Monpezat.

Denmark,Sweden and Belgium have all made moves to slim down their royal families and King Charles III is reportedly considering plans to follow suit.

Voicing his anger at the time,Joachim said:“We are all very sad. It’s never fun to see your children being harmed.

“They have been put in a situation they do not understand,” he toldEkstra Bladet.

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Marie said their youngest child,Athena,had been bullied at school.

“They come and say:‘Is it you who is no longer a princess?’,” Nine reported.

The children of Australia-born Crown Princess Mary,wife to heir to the throne Crown Prince Frederik,were not affected by the Queen’s decision to strip titles.

At the time of the announcement,Mary said:“Change can be difficult and can really hurt. But this does not mean that the decision is not the right one.”

The move was also attacked by Joachim’s first wife,Alexandra,58,who is the mother of Nikolai and Felix. She said her sons felt “ostracised” by the decision which came like a bolt from the blue.

Prince Joachim and Princess Marie arrive at the gala banquet at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen in September.

Prince Joachim and Princess Marie arrive at the gala banquet at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen in September.Credit:AP

The Queen’s spokesman said the move was a natural extension of her desire to slim down the monarchy down.

“We understand that there are many emotions at stake at the moment,but we hope that the Queen’s wish to future-proof the royal household will be respected.”

Danish Crown Princess Mary,Crown Prince Frederik and Queen Margrethe.

Danish Crown Princess Mary,Crown Prince Frederik and Queen Margrethe.Credit:AP

Margrethe added:“No one should be in doubt that my children,daughters-in-law and grandchildren are my great joy and pride.

“I now hope that we as a family can find the peace to find our way through this situation.”

The Telegraph,London

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