Prince Frederik was not Queen Margrethe’s ‘favorite’ until pretty recently

Just a few weeks after Queen Elizabeth II passed away, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe made international headlines for suddenly removing the royal titles from four of her grandchildren. Prince Joachim’s four children all had their royal titles removed and he was super-upset about it, as was his ex-wife and his current wife. He gave several interviews about how hurt he was by his mother’s decision, and he and his wife even indicated that they were basically exiled to France several years ago, pushed out of the royal court, and it was not their decision. Joachim also seemed to suggest that there was a deeper estrangement not only with his mother, but with his brother Frederik, the crown prince. A short time later, Queen Margrethe offered a stunning public apology to Joachim and his children, but she did not reverse her decision. Still, the apology seemed to work, as did a sort of informal summit between mother and son. It’s been pretty quiet in the “trashy” House of Glücksburg ever since.

Well, Vanity Fair did an in-depth article about the history of Queen Margrethe’s reign, her f–ked up marriage and her relationships with her two sons. You can read the full piece here, there’s tons of gossip about her marriage, but I wanted to excerpt some stuff about her relationships with Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim. Some highlights:

Margrethe favoritism towards Frederik: With her husband gone, Queen Margrethe II has been increasingly focused on securing the monarchy in Denmark and the smooth accession of her son Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, Princess Mary, an affable, photogenic duo with four children, known to the public as the “bicycling royals.” Meanwhile, her second son, Prince Joachim, has become less of an asset as a public figure. “She has seen how enormously popular her oldest son and his family have become, whereas Joachim has had a more volatile relationship with the Danish public,” Villemann says. Royal reporter Kenth Madsen told the Daily Mail last month that he had been informed by palace sources that Prince Joachim has “felt humiliated and ignored for a long time.”

Frederik & Joachim used to be close: “The brothers were each other’s best friends,” Villeman says. They also appeared to be well-matched. Queen Margrethe seemed assured that Joachim would be an ideal spare to help the heir. “Joachim’s nature makes him very good at being a younger brother, he simply can’t bear a grudge,” she said in Queen in Denmark, adding, “He has always backed up his elder brother. Frederik can be quite introspective, and…very impatient with himself—Joachim could always mediate between Frederik and whatever was bothering him.”

Why did the brothers grow apart? “Joachim was described by his mother as the perfect number two, because of how well he coped with knowing that Frederik was going to be king and he was the spare,” says Villeman. But the dynamics changed when the brothers married, especially when Frederik married the Tasmanian-born Mary Donaldson, and the brothers grew apart.” Things came to a head in 2019, when Joachim and his second wife, Princess Marie, moved temporarily to Paris with their children so he could participate in a military training program. However, he has yet to return and is now an attaché to the Danish Embassy. In an extraordinary July 2020 interview with Se og Hør, Princess Marie made it clear she was not happy with the move, saying it had not been their choice. “It is not always us who decide,” she said, and declined to explain further. “I think that’s important to know.”

Frederik wasn’t always his mother’s favorite: While this decision [to strip royal titles] may seem to point to personal favoritism on the queen’s part, Villemann does not believe this is the case. “Frederik certainly was not the queen’s favorite growing up. She never understood his sensitive nature and the fact that he quite openly resented his fate. He wanted to be anything but king,” she says. “But old age is beginning to catch up with her and she wants to put her house in order. If that means sidelining Joachim and his family, then so be it. As the queen and the head of state, she sees her main duty now as securing the dynastic future of her family.”

Denmark isn’t big enough for two princes: “Denmark is a small country and not big enough for the two brothers and their—by Danish standards—large families. There simply aren’t enough royal duties for so many full-time royals,” Villemann says. “In 2016 the royal palace announced that only Crown Prince Frederik’s oldest child, Prince Christian, is expected to receive public funding. The key word here is expected. I am told that the palace is pursuing a plan whereby Frederik’s second-oldest child, Princess Isabella, also gets public money, and that removing the titles from Joachim’s children is part of that plan because the palace can argue that the monarchy is slimming down. The irony here is that none of Joachim’s children were ever expected to receive public funding, and their titles would have disappeared if and when they marry a commoner.”

[From Vanity Fair]

Well, this piece has me disliking Frederik a bit? I never really formed an opinion about him other than my vibe that he seemed easy-going. But it sounds like Frederik is all “woe is me, heavy lies the head that wears the crown” all while encouraging his mother to make these machinations to exile Joachim. It’s sort of an open question, from what I can see, as to just why Joachim and Marie have been exiled to France for three-plus years and who ordered what. Marie and Joachim say it wasn’t their call. Was it solely Queen Margrethe’s call? Or did Frederik have a say in the matter too? I wonder what else Margrethe has in store for “putting her house in order” too, because it feels like there are shoes left to drop.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.

La Princesse Marie et le Prince Joachim du Danemark NEWS : Foreign Heads of State and Government received at the Ely,Image: 538443329, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Stephen Caillet / Panoramic / Panoramic / Avalon

HM THE QUEEN?S ADDRESS TO THE DANISH PEOPLE In connection with HM The Queen?s address to the Danish people on 17 March 2020 Queen Margrethe EDITORIAL USE ONLY! / MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED IN BOOKS AND ILLUSTRATED BOOKS! Please note: Fees charged by the agency are for the agency?s services only, and do not, nor are they intended to, convey to the user any ownership of Copyright or License in the material. The agency does not claim any ownership including but not limited to Copyright or License in the attached material. By publishing this material you expressly agree to indemnify and to hold the agency and its directors, shareholders and employees harmless from any loss, claims, damages, demands, expenses (including legal fees), or any causes of action or allegation against the agency arising out of or connected in any way with publication of the material.,Image: 563992590, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: UK, USA and AUS ONLY – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stella Pictures / Stella Pictures / Avalon

Her Majesty The Queen Margrethe turns 80 on April 16, 2020. In connection with her birthday, the Royal House will publish a new art portrait series by photographer Per Morten Abrahamsen. Past, present and future. The portrait of the Queen, Crown Prince and Prince Christian is taken in the Red Salon in Christian IX’s mansion in Amalienborg. In the background of the picture on the left stands a bust of Frederick 9, so in fact four generations of past, present and future regenter gathered. EDITORIAL USE ONLY! / MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED IN BOOKS AND ILLUSTRATED BOOKS!,Image: 564236769, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: UK, USA and AUS ONLY – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stella Pictures / Stella Pictures / Avalon

Her Majesty The Queen Margrethe turns 80 on April 16, 2020. In connection with her birthday, the Royal House will publish a new art portrait series by photographer Per Morten Abrahamsen. Past, present and future. The portrait of the Queen, Crown Prince and Prince Christian is taken in the Red Salon in Christian IX’s mansion in Amalienborg. In the background of the picture on the left stands a bust of Frederick 9, so in fact four generations of past, present and future regenter gathered. EDITORIAL USE ONLY! / MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED IN BOOKS AND ILLUSTRATED BOOKS!,Image: 564236773, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: UK, USA and AUS ONLY – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stella Pictures / Stella Pictures / Avalon

Queen Margrethe II The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen, Service, West Door, Westminster Abbey, London, UK – 19 Sep 2022,Image: 724158816, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: James Veysey/Shutterstock / Avalon

** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND ** Paris, FRANCE – Prince Joachim of Denmark, Princess Marie of Denmark, Prince Frederik of Denmark, and Princess Mary of Denmark attend a dinner event at the City Hall of Paris in honor of the Princely Couple of Denmark. Pictured: Prince Joachim of Denmark, Princess Marie of Denmark, Prince Frederik of Denmark, Princess Mary of D BACKGRID USA 8 OCTOBER 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND ** Paris, FRANCE – Prince Joachim of Denmark, Princess Marie of Denmark, Prince Frederik of Denmark, and Princess Mary of Denmark attend a dinner event at the City Hall of Paris in honor of the Princely Couple of Denmark. Pictured: Prince Joachim of Denmark, Princess Marie of Denmark, Prince Frederik of Denmark, Princess Mary of D BACKGRID USA 8 OCTOBER 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND ** Paris, FRANCE – Prince Joachim of Denmark, Princess Marie of Denmark, Prince Frederik of Denmark, and Princess Mary of Denmark attend a dinner event at the City Hall of Paris in honor of the Princely Couple of Denmark. Pictured: Prince Joachim of Denmark, Princess Marie of Denmark, Prince Frederik of Denmark, Princess Mary of D BACKGRID USA 8 OCTOBER 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

Copenhagen, DENMARK – Crown Princess Mary of Denmark at the Copenhagen University in Copenhagen. The Crown Princess opens a new knowledge center, which will wear the name Crown Princess Mary Center – solving problems through research and partnerships, on the occasion of the Crown Princess’s 50th birthday. Pictured: Crown Princess Mary of Denmark BACKGRID USA 2 FEBRUARY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

Cahors, FRANCE – Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, accompanied by Rachel Amalric, director of the museum and Jean-Marc Vayssouze-Faure mayor of Cahors, inaugurates her exhibition “Margrethe, artist-Queen”, which brings together all of her artistic work presented at the Henri-Martin museum in Cahors, France, on August 17, 2022, a neighboring town to the Château de Caïx, property of the Danish royal family. Pictured: Queen Margrethe II of Denmark BACKGRID USA 17 AUGUST 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark attending a Gala dinner at Christiansborg Palace for the Queen her 50th Jubilee of Government in Copenhagen. Where: Copenhagen, Denmark When: 11 Sep 2022 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark attending a Gala dinner at Christiansborg Palace for the Queen her 50th Jubilee of Government in Copenhagen. Where: Copenhagen, Denmark When: 11 Sep 2022 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**