Count Nikolai documented the day with photos that he shared on Instagram. The birthday boy received cupcakes (decorated with a small Danish flag) and a host of gifts, including a Vegemite t-shirt in honor of his new home. The group played on the beach, watched the sunset, and enjoyed the natural beauty of Boomerang Point.
He may not be as famous as his cousin Prince Christian, the future King of Denmark, but Count Nikolai has been attracting some attention in recent months thanks to the royal title drama involving the Danish royal family. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announced in late 2022 that she intended to strip four of her grandchildren (Nikolai and his three brothers) of the titles of prince and princess they had held since birth.
Only the descendants of his heir, Prince Federico (including Prince Christian), may bear the title of Prince or Princess. The descendants of his youngest son, Prince Joachim (formerly Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik, and Princess Athena), would be known as the Counts of Monpezat.
The announcement caused a shock in Denmark and made headlines around the world. Her supporters praised Queen Margaret for her moves to streamline the monarchy, and some even went so far as to suggest that King Charles III could follow this example in the future. Others, however, like Joaquin and his wife, Princess Marie, criticized the way the Queen had handled the situation.
Despite the uproar, Queen Margaret stood by her decision, and in January, Nikolai and his brothers lost their royal titles. Shortly thereafter, Prince Joachim announced that he would be moving to Washington, DC, with Marie and their two children, Henrik and Athena. Nikolai then made his plan public: to move to Sydney for a semester abroad.
Whatever the reasons behind Count Nikolai de Monpezat’s move to Australia, it’s clear the move does him great good. Luckily for fans of royalty, you can now share every step of your new adventure on your Instagram account (which went public after losing the title of prince).
