The Danish royal family celebrates Princess Marie's 48th birthday with an Instagram tribute – after missing her brother-in-law King Frederik's proclamation following the fallout from her children losing their royal titles

The Danish royal family has celebrated Princess Marie's birthday after the royal family failed to travel back from the US to celebrate King Frederick's proclamation.

The royal mother of two – who moved to Washington DC with Prince Joachim and their two children last year – is celebrating her 48th birthday today.

To mark the occasion, the Royal House's official Instagram account shared a portrait of Princess Marie, Prince Joachim's second wife.

In the image, Princess Marie looks effortlessly chic in a gray checked blazer and black top.

The mother opted for minimal jewelry and wore a pair of elegant diamond earrings and a silver necklace.

On the occasion of the 48th birthday of the royal family, the official Instagram account of the Royal House shared a portrait of Princess Marie, the second wife of Prince Joachim.

To complete her look, Marie opted for a brown smokey eyeshadow and nude lipstick.

The Danish Royal House captioned the post: “Her Royal Highness Princess Marie has a birthday and turns 48 years old today.”

The post comes a few weeks after the accession of King Frederick and Queen Mary, for which Princess Marie and her children Count Henrik and Countess Athena were noticeably absent.

Instead, Prince Joachim traveled back to Denmark alone to watch his mother abdicate the throne. This made her the first Danish monarch in more than 900 years to do so.

In January 2023, Queen Margrethe officially stripped Prince Joachim's four children of their HRH titles. She later justified her decision by saying that she did not want to leave the burden to her son Frederik.

Tensions first arose in the Danish royal family after the monarch decided to strip four of her grandchildren of their HRH titles in 2022. She subsequently apologized for the timing of the announcement, but stood by the measure.

Joachim had spoken out against his mother's decision in the days that followed – claiming that his two children, Counts Nikolai, 24, and Felix, 21 – born from his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg – and Henrik and Athena , 'damaged thereby'.

Months later, the sixth in line to the throne said there was a “lack of communication” within the royal family ahead of the shock announcement.

Princess Marie and Prince Joachim of Denmark pictured in January 2020, before their move to Washington DC

Count Felix, Princess Marie, Prince Joachim, Countess Athena, Count Henrik and Count Nikolai pictured in September 2022

The Danish queen (pictured with her sons and their wives) has said the decision was aimed at giving Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20 – born from Joachim's first marriage – and Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, a normal life to lead without a royal family. obligations

Prince Joachim's children, Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, all lost their titles on January 1, 2023

Joachim told Danish tabloid BT: 'There is a lot to work on. Communication was what was missing. Now we have met and we are on the right track.'

In February 2023, Queen Margrethe gave a rare interview in which she shed light on her decision to strip Joachim's children of their titles.

In an interview with the Danish publication Ekstra Bladet she said: 'It has been important to me that this would never be Frederik's fate to make such a decision.

'It's better that I did. Because then it is the old lady who made the decision. I don't feel like going into it to be honest.

'I could mention a few things, but you don't have to say everything. But it's still a bit too private to talk about.'

They are now Earls and Countess and are referred to as Their Excellencies – and in January this year the Danish Royal Family updated their website to reflect the new status.

In her New Year's speech on television in 2022, Margrethe admitted: 'It hurts me that the relationship with Prince Joachim and (his wife) Princess Marie has gotten into trouble.

'Difficulties and disagreements can arise in any family, including mine. The whole country has witnessed this.”

She added that she was “confident that the family can enter the new year together with confidence, understanding and new courage.”

Shortly after his children were stripped of his titles, Joachim claimed he was given only five days' notice before the news was made public.

After the queen's announcement, Joachim spoke to Danish publication Ekstra Bladet outside the Danish embassy in Paris, where he lived with his French-born wife Princess Marie and his two youngest children, and said his four children were “hurt” by their grandmother's decision.

Ahead of yesterday's proclamation, a palace spokesperson said: “Prince Joachim will be present, but the children will go to school, there is no special reason.”

Elsewhere in the statement, the Palace confirmed that Joachim will return to the US later today.