Nicolás de Monpezat, formerly Prince Nikolai of Denmark, has spoken publicly about the impact of losing his princely title. Queen Margrethe II announced the change on 28 September 2022, while she was still Denmark’s reigning monarch. It took effect on 1 January 2023. Nikolai and his siblings, Felix, Henrik and Athena, became Count or Countess of Monpezat. Their titles and public royal status changed, but not their dynastic descent or places in the Danish line of succession.
The Danish Royal House framed the decision as part of a broader effort to reduce the number of working royals and give younger descendants more scope to live independently. The children kept their Monpezat titles instead of their former titles of prince and princess. The distinction reflects the Danish monarchy’s dynastic structure: the royal house is associated with the House of Glücksburg, while Monpezat appears in titles for descendants. Prince Joachim, Nicolás’s father, openly expressed dissatisfaction with the decision. His children were not consulted before their titles were removed, and the resulting family tensions showed the personal cost of changes to royal institutions.
In the documentary series “Nikolai,” produced by Danish public television, cameras follow him over a year as he adjusts to his new reality. He describes the experience as unsettling, saying decisions made on his behalf left him feeling powerless. Still, he emphasizes his ongoing connection to Denmark and its values, regardless of his official status. His position shows the distinction between public title and dynastic standing: he is now Count Nikolai of Monpezat and remains in the line of succession.
Nikolai has focused on building a career beyond the royal sphere. Since 2018, he has become a prominent figure in the Scandinavian fashion industry, appearing in campaigns for international magazines such as Vogue Ukraine, Elle, Numéro and Euroman. Alongside modeling, he completed a master’s degree in economics and business administration, specializing in sales management. He recently explored acting with a role in the Danish series “Doctor Glas.”
The documentary also reveals how his modeling career began unexpectedly: an agency director noticed his photogenic qualities during a chance encounter with his mother, Alexandra. In his early years, his parents took care to shield him from excessive media attention, especially while he was still part of the royal family.
The change in the Danish monarchy reflects a broader effort to reduce the number of active members and concentrate institutional duties. King Frederik X has continued the approach, reinforcing the streamlined model his mother initiated. The strategy echoes developments in other royal families, including the Belgian monarchy, where Princess Elisabeth's developing role has also drawn public attention to generational change and the redefinition of royal duties.
Nikolai says he has gradually come to understand some of the reasoning behind the decision, although he never felt restricted by his former title. He says the promised greater freedom came at the cost of a role he had not chosen to give up. Recent gestures, including King Frederik X awarding Nikolai and his brother Felix the Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog, suggest efforts at family reconciliation and recognition of their place within the royal circle, despite the loss of their princely status.
The Danish monarchy is among Europe’s oldest and has a tradition of adapting to social change. Limiting royal titles is part of a wider effort by royal families to balance tradition with modern expectations and public scrutiny. Nikolai de Monpezat’s experience shows the personal challenges that can arise as centuries-old institutions evolve.
