The Queen of Denmark 's decision to strip royal titles from four of her grandchildren has sparked a bitter royal row with junior members of the family and the monarch embroiled in a war of words in the press.
A few days after the announcement, Queen Margrethe apologised to her family for "underestimating" the impact of stripping the prince and princess titles from the children of her second son, Prince Joachim.
But she also stressed that her decision is final and Princes Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, and Henrik, 13, and their sister Princess Athena, 10, will be known as count or countess and be referred to as their excellencies from next year.
His mother's decision sparked anger from Joachim's camp, with the younger brother claiming the kids were upset over their "identities" being "removed".
Joachim told Danish outlet Ekstra Bladet: "We are all very sad. It's never fun to see your children being mistreated like that. They find themselves in a situation they do not understand."
While complaining about the ruling Joachim, 53, and his wife Princess Marie, 46, also confessed that not all was well in the royal household.
He revealed his relationship with his older brother and the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary, 50, is a "complicated" one.
Last week, Joachim criticised his mother's decision to remove his childrens' titles claiming he was only given five days notice to tell his three sons and one daughter.
In a statement earlier this week, the monarch admitted her decision "makes a big impression" - for which she apologised - but said it has been made as a "Queen, mother and grandmother".
It read: "In recent days, there have been strong reactions to my decision on the future use of titles for Prince Joachim's four children. It obviously affects me.
"My decision has been a long time coming. With my 50 years on the throne, it is natural both to look back and to look forward.
"It is my duty and my wish as Queen to ensure that the monarchy continues to shape itself in keeping with the times.
"It sometimes requires difficult decisions to be made, and it will always be difficult to find the right moment.
"Carrying a royal title entails a number of obligations and duties, which will in future be the responsibility of fewer members of the royal family.
"This adaptation, which I see as a necessary safeguard for the future of the monarchy, I want to make in my time.
"I have made my decision as Queen, mother and grandmother, but as a mother and grandmother I have underestimated how much my youngest son and his family feel affected.
"It makes a big impression, and I'm sorry for that."
She continued: "No one should be in doubt that my children, children-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 ourselves."
The note was signed 'Margrethe R.'
The statement was released in an Instagram post, which has received over 56,000 likes at the time of writing.
Speaking outside the Danish embassy in Paris where he lives, Prince Joachim had previously told news organisation Ekstra Bladet : "We are all very sad.
"It's never fun to see your children being harmed. They themselves find themselves in a situation they do not understand."
He added: "I was given five days' notice to tell them. In May, I was presented with a plan which, by and large, was that when the children each turned 25, it would happen.
"Now I had only five days to tell them. Athena turns 11 in January."
The move will not affect the children of Margrethe's eldest son and heir to the throne Crown Prince Frederik, who has two sons and two daughters with his wife Crown Princess Mary.
In her own statement to Danish media, Mary supported the Queen's decision, saying: "Change can be extremely difficult and can really hurt.”
“But this does not mean that the decision is not the right one.
“I can understand that it is a very difficult decision to have to make, and also a very difficult decision to receive.”
