The Danish royal family is set to spend this Christmas apart following a controversial decision by Queen Margrethe to strip Prince Joachim’s four sons of their prince and princess titles.

In an interview during the annual Christmas bazaar at the Danish church in Paris, Prince Joachim shed light on the challenges his family is currently facing.

Queen Margrethe had earlier announced that her grandchildren, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik, and Athena, would no longer hold the titles Your Highness starting from January 2023.

The king justified this move by stating that it would allow the children more freedom to shape their lives without the constraints of special considerations and duties associated with their royal status.

However, Prince Joachim expressed his discontent with his mother’s decision, asserting that it had negatively impacted his children.

He later admitted that there had been a lack of communication within the royal family prior to the announcement, but assured that efforts were being made to address the issue.

“There’s a lot to work on.

Communication was the missing thing.

Now we met and we are on the right track,” he revealed in an interview with local news outlet BT.

As Christmas approaches, the Danish royal family has announced that they will be spending the holiday season separately this year.

Queen Margrethe will adhere to tradition and celebrate at Marselisborg Castle in Aarhus.

She will be accompanied by her younger sister, Princess Benedict, and a group of close friends.

On the other hand, Crown Prince Frederik, along with his wife Crown Princess Marie and their children, Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine, will be traveling to Australia.

The reason cited for this decision is that it has been five years since their last visit to the Crown Prince’s home.

Meanwhile, Prince Joachim and Princess Mary have planned a longer trip abroad with their children, although the destination has not yet been disclosed.

This decision comes in the wake of the controversy surrounding their children’s royal titles being revoked.

Prince Joachim had expressed his disappointment, stating that he was only informed of the decision five days before it became public knowledge.

Instead of being referred to as princes and princesses, his children will now hold the titles of counts and countess and be addressed as Your Excellencies.

The impact of this decision on the children has been evident, with Prince Joachim’s ex-wife Alexandra also expressing her concerns.

She revealed that her children felt excluded by the institution and were taken aback by the suddenness of the decision.

It was reported that Prince Joachim was initially informed of the decision in May, but he claimed to have received official notification only five days prior to the announcement.

“In May, she presented me with a plan that was, very much, when every kid turns 25, it will happen.

Now I only have five days to tell them.

Athena turns 11 in January,” he explained.

In response to the growing controversy, the royal family released a statement emphasizing that the decision had been a long time in the making and urging respect for the Queen’s wishes.

“We understand that there are many feelings at stake right now, but we hope that the Queen’s wish for a more independent future for the royal family will be respected,” the statement read.

As the Danish royal family prepares for an unconventional Christmas, the rift caused by the stripping of titles continues to dominate headlines.

The coming months will reveal whether efforts to improve communication within the family can bridge the divide and restore harmony among its members.