Share a new photo of Athena
Tuesday is no ordinary day for the Danish royal family. Princess Marie (46) and Prince Joachim’s (53) daughter Countess Athena turning 11 years old.
Athena, whose full name is Athena Marguerite Françoise Marie, was born at Rikshospitalet in Copenhagen in the early morning of January 24, 2012.
Hard hit by grandma’s decision
She is the one tenth in the line of succession to the Danish throne – where grandmother Queen Margrethe (82) thrones at the top.
True to tradition, the royal house publishes a new picture of the young arrival, and on Instagram, congratulations pour in for the fresh 11-year-old in the comments section.
Naturally, Athena will probably be made extra proud today, but a huge party is not planned. The birthday is celebrated completely privately at home in Paris, writes Danes Picturemagazine.
The 11-year-old lives in the French capital with his parents, older brother Henrik (13) and dog Cerise.
New title
This is also the first birthday where she has her new title, Countess.
At the end of September came the news that Queen Margrethe had stripped any of the grandchildren of the prince and princess titles.
– Why must the children be punished?
It all came into force on 1 January, and Prince Joachim’s children Nikolai (23), Felix (20), Henrik and Athena were no longer princes and princesses. Instead, they have been given the titles Count and Countess of Monpezat.
For the picture where the royal house congratulates the 11-year-old on Instagram, the royal house uses Athena’s new title for the first time, writes BT.
However, it doesn’t seem like the Danish people are quite ready to give up the princess title just yet.
Complete confusion after title stripping
«Congratulations, finest Princess Athena. Here at home you will never be anything other than just that”, writes one, while another writes:
«Once a princess… always a princess. Happy Birthday”.
May lose a title
A countess is the unmarried daughter of a count. Athens’ father Prince Joachim was granted the title of Count in 2008.
If the 11-year-old marries one day in the future, she will according to the rules also lost the commercial title.
The title of count is inherited through the man, so if the prince’s sons marry, they will retain the title of count regardless of whether they marry or not. Their wives will also become countesses.
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