Denmark's Queen Margrethe said Saturday she was saddened by a rift that has emerged in the royal family following her decision to strip four of her grandchildren of their titles.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark with Prince Joachim and his wife Princess Marie and Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary. Photo: Per Morten Abrahamsen, Kongehuset
She has said the decision was intended to allow Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20—born from Joachim's first marriage—and Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, to live normal lives without royal obligations.with an enraged Prince Joachim seeing it as a snub. "Difficulties and disagreements can arise in any family, including mine. The whole country has witnessed this," she said.
After the queen's announcement in September, Joachim's first wife Alexandra told tabloid B.T. she was "shocked," while her eldest son Nikolai told media he was "very bewildered."