Overview

• King Frederik X presented the Grand Cross of the Order of Dannebrog to Count Nikolai and Count Felix at a private ceremony before his May 26 birthday breakfast at Amalienborg Palace.
• Nikolai and Felix, stripped of their royal titles by Queen Margrethe II at the start of 2023, will have personal knight shields installed in the Knight Chapel at Frederiksborg Castle.
• The award is widely seen as an olive branch to Prince Joachim’s family following public criticism over the 2022 announcement to remove his children’s princely designations.
• Count Nikolai journeyed from Australia, where he lives with his girlfriend Benedikte Thoustrup, underscoring his continued ties to the royal household despite his changed status.
• Recent joint appearances, including the counts’ attendance at Princess Isabella’s 18th birthday, point to a thaw in relations within the Danish Royal Family.