Royal Family Tea Spilled: All About the Drama Within Denmark, Norway, Spain and Japan's Monarchies

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Prince Harry's sweeping memoir Spare may have cast his family onto front pages around the world, but the British royals aren't the only ones whose tensions have made recent headlines.

As monarchies modernize to survive, the royal families of Denmark, Norway, Spain and Japan all have made changes to meet the times. Read on for a royal roundup of all the latest court intrigue.

Denmark

The start of 2023 began with great change for the Royal House of Denmark, as four of Queen Margrethe II's grandchildren were officially stripped of the prince and princess titles they inherited at birth. As of Jan. 1, the children of Prince Joachim — sons Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, and Henrik, 13, and daughter Athena, 11 — are now styled as His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat.

Queen Margrethe announced that the change was coming in September 2022, saying that the shakeup would "create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent," without the affiliation of the crown. The news was announced in a press release from the palace, which the 82-year-old Queen was quickly criticized for. Prince Joachim and his wife, Princess Mary, also spoke out in the press, saying they felt blindsided by the bombshell and their family was hurt all around.

Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Queen Margrethe with Prince Joachim and his family

Queen Margrethe soon issued an apology stating she "underestimated" how the shock of the news would affect her second son and his family. The monarch maintained, however, that the plans had been in motion for a while and argued that the decision was made in the best interests of her grandchildren.

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Patrick van Katwijk/Getty

Norway

The Royal House of Norway began the new year a bit smaller after Princess Märtha Louise relinquished her royal role in November 2022. Courtiers said Märtha Louise stepped back in order to more freely pursue other interests, and the decision came five months after her engagement to Shaman Durek was announced. The only daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja retains her princess title, and she and her fiancé will continue to be included in family events, the statement said.

In a heartfelt Instagram post on Jan. 1, Märtha Louise acknowledged that "2022 was a challenging year for me in many ways. It was also a year filled with joy, happiness and love."

LISE AASERUD/AFP via Getty Crown Prince Haakon, Princess Martha Louise, King Harald and Queen Sonja

"Life has its challenges. No one can escape them, but it is up to each and everyone of us how to meet those challenges," she wrote, voicing her hopes for a bright 2023.

The royal is perhaps looking forward to an upcoming wedding, though she and Durek, a Los Angeles-based "spiritual guide and gifted healer," have yet to announce a date.

LISE ASERUD/NTB/AFP via Getty

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Spain

The funeral of King Constantine II of Greece was somewhat of a royal reunion, and Juan Carlos, the former King of Spain, came to pay his respects. Juan Carlos, 85, and his wife, Queen Sofia, attended the somber service, as did their son King Felipe and daughter-in-law Queen Letizia.

The two couples were notably not photographed together during the funerary events, though Hello! reports the father and son embraced at the cemetery.

Raul Terrel/Europa Press via Getty; Raul Terrel/Europa Press via Getty

The funeral was only one of a few times Juan Carlos has appeared at the same event as Felipe and Letizia since leaving Spain under a cloud of scandal amid allegations of tax fraud and money laundering. The former Spanish monarch, who was once revered for his role in his country's transition to democracy, abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son, who has since strategically distanced himself from his father.

Today, Juan Carlos lives in Abu Dhabi.

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Japan

SHIZUO KAMBAYASHI/AFP via Getty Images Kei Komuro and Princess Mako

The year 2022 was a time of transition for the Imperial House of Japan after the former Princess Mako left the royal family to marry a commoner. Because Japanese law requires a princess to "leave the imperial family upon marriage to a commoner," Mako gave up her royal titles to marry her boyfriend, Kei Komuro, in October 2021. She also turned down a $1.3 million payout from the Japanese government that is traditionally paid to royal women who lose their royal status when they marry.

As the niece of Emperor Naruhito and her husband make a new life for themselves in New York City, her younger sister Princess Kako has stepped up and embraced a heavier royal workload.

Imperial Household Agency of Jap/AFP via Getty

The Imperial Household Agency released special birthday portraits of Princess Kako for her 28th birthday in December, and The Japan Times published a rundown of her many engagements and new patronages, picking up key causes in her sister's stead.