Count Nikolai shares 'sweet memories' ahead of grandmother's abdication© WireImage

Count Nikolai shares ‘sweet memories’ ahead of grandmother’s abdication

Queen Margrethe changed her eldest grandchild’s title over a year before abdicating


JANUARY 13, 2024 9:22 PM EST

 Count Nikolai  of Monpezat took a stroll down memory lane ahead of his grandmother  Queen Margrethe II  of Denmark’s abdication. On Friday, Her Majesty’s eldest grandchild shared a carousel of throwback photos featuring himself with his paternal grandmother and late grandfather, Prince Henrik of Denmark.

“Sweet memories,” he simply captioned the Instagram post.

Nikolai, 24, is the eldest of Prince Joachim’s four children. He shares his firstborn, and son Count Felix, with his first wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg. Joachim is also a father to Count Henrik and Countess Athena, whom he shares with his wife Princess Marie.

The Prince and Princess titles of Joachim’s children were discontinued at the start of 2023. In an interview with Weekendavisen last year, the Danish Queen said (via Billed Bladet and translated to English), “For me, it has been important that it should not be [her eldest son] Frederik’s lot to make such a decision,” adding, “It was better that it was me.”

Her Majesty made the decision to change their titles in 2022—over a year before announcing that she would be stepping down as Queen. Queen Margrethe will be succeeded by her son  Crown Prince Frederik . On Sunday, Jan. 14, at 2 p.m. local time, there will be a Council of State meeting at Christiansborg Castle during which Queen Margrethe will sign a declaration of her abdication.

According to Billed Bladet, Prince Joachim will be in Denmark for the historic day, while his wife Princess Marie and their children will be in Washington, D.C., where they have been living since last year.