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While the Danish royals were apart for Christmas, they are pictured together in a new gala portrait that was released ahead of the New Year. The portrait featuring Crown Princess Mary , Crown Prince Frederik, Princess Marie, Prince Joachim and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark was shared on Wednesday to mark the end of Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee year.
The new group portrait shows the Danish Queen, 82, sitting next to her heir, Crown Prince Frederik, while his wife Mary stood next to him and Joachim and Marie stood behind the Queen. The image, along with one of just the Crown Prince Couple with the monarch, was taken at Christian IX’s Palace at Amalienborg. The portraits appear to have been taken back in September when a gala dinner was held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Queen Margrethe’s accession to the throne.
Less than three weeks later, the Royal House announced the Queen’s decision to change the titles of Joachim’s children: Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena. Starting Jan. 1, 2023, the Prince and Princess titles of Joachim’s kids will be discontinued.
“In April 2008, Her Majesty The Queen bestowed upon her sons, their spouses and their descendants the titles of count and countess of Monpezat. In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of The Queen’s grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult,” the Royal House said in a statement on Sept. 28. “As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that, as of 1 January 2023, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim’s descendants can only use their titles as counts and countess of Monpezat, as the titles of prince and princess that they have held up until now will be discontinued. Prince Joachim’s descendants will thus have to be addressed as excellencies in the future. The Queen’s decision is in line with similar adjustments that other royal houses have made in various ways in recent years.”
The Royal House added, “With her decision, Her Majesty The Queen wishes to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.”
Scroll to see the new gala portraits of the Danish royals...