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Not all members of the Danish royal family will be in Denmark when Crown Prince Frederik ascends the throne. According to Billed Bladet , the Royal House’s head of communications revealed that the future King’s sister-in-law Princess Marie will be in Washington, D.C. with her children Count Henrik and Countess Athena, but Frederik’s younger brother Prince Joachim will be present for the historic day.
Billed Bladetreported that the explanation “is that the change of throne is a formal ceremony, where Prince Joachim has a state legal role and in that capacity participates at the new king’s side during the proclamation. If it had been a family celebration, Princess Marie and also several other members of the royal family would have attended.”
Joachim and Marie moved last year to D.C., where the Danish Prince is working as the defence industry attaché at the Embassy of Denmark. Queen Margrethe ’s second son shares Count Henrik and Countess Athena with Marie, and his older sons Count Felix and Count Nikolai with his first wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.
It’s been over one year since Joachim’s children’s Prince and Princess titles were discontinued. Queen Margrethe made the decision to change their titles back in 2022. In an interview with Weekendavisen last year, Her Majesty said (via Billed Bladet and translated to English), “For me, it has been important that it should not be Frederik’s lot to make such a decision,” adding, “It was better that it was me.”
The Danish monarch is stepping down as Queen on Sunday after 52 years on the throne. Joachim and Frederik’s mother announced her plans to abdicate during her 2023 New Year’s Eve address. “I have decided that now is the right time,” Queen Margrethe said in her speech. “On 14th January, 2024 – 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father – I will step down as Queen of Denmark. I will hand over the throne to my son Crown Prince Frederik.”
