It is a day of religious celebration for the Danish Royal Family: the 14-year-old Count Henrik of Monpezat, grandson of Queen Margrethe II, has been confirmed in the Frederikskirken, the Danish Church in Paris.
The young royal looked chic as she took command of a carriage at the event
Count Henrik is the eldest child of Prince Joachim of Denmark and his wife Princess Marie, who live in the French capital with their son and daughter, 11-year-old Countess Athena of Monpezat. Prince Joachim has two older sons with his first wife, Countess Alexandra: Count Nikolai of Monpezat, 23, and Count Felix of Monpezat, 20. All four children found themselves at the centre of a media storm in late 2022 when their grandmother Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced her plan to strip them of the prince and princess titles they had held since birth. The decision came into effect in January 2023.
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Count Henrik’s confirmation was led by royal confessionary bishop, Henrik Wigh-Poulsen, along with church priest, Malene Bendtsen. To mark the occasion, the Danish Royal family posted a touching video on Instagram of Count Henrik of Monpezat, taken on 26 July 2009, the day of Henrik’s christening, at Møgeltønder Church in Denmark. It shows him being carried in the arms of his mother, Princess Marie, as she walks out of the church next to her husband Prince Joachim.
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The prince’s name was not revealed until his Christening, in keeping with Danish tradition. In a separate Instagram post before the event, the Danish Royal Family wrote, ‘Tomorrow, His Excellency Count Henrik will enter the ranks of the adults, when the Count will be confirmed in Frederikskirken in Paris.’
Last September, shockwaves were sent across Denmark when Queen Margrethe announced her decision to strip Prince Joachim’s four children of their prince and princess titles, meaning that they lost their royal statuses and are now simply known as the Counts and Countess of Monpezat. The Royal Household stressed that the decision was taken in line with ‘the Queen’s wish to future-proof’ the monarchy.
Affectionately known as ‘Aunt Daisy’ in European royal circles, Queen Margrethe is a Cambridge graduate who has worked extensively within the arts
But the move was unpopular with Prince Joachim and his family. Princess Marie told a Danish tabloid that ‘there’s nothing modern about hurting children’s feelings’; while her husband lamented that such changes should ‘be done in a decent way’. Queen Margrethe later added that she was ‘sorry’ for having ‘underestimated how much my youngest son and his family feel affected.’
In March, Prince Joachim announced that he and Princess Marie will move to Washington DC this summer, in time for Prince Joachim to begin a new diplomatic role this September. The announcement confirmed long-rumbling rumours that suggested Prince Joachim would be seeking to leave Denmark in the wake of the title drama.
Despite rumours of a family rift, the Danish royal family have made a number of public appearances together in the months since. Most recently, they joined Queen Margrethe on the balcony of Amalienborg, the royals' official residence in Copenhagen, to mark her first public appearance since undergoing back surgery in February.
