Prince Christian and Princess Isabella of Denmark's relationship under threat amid reports of sibling rivalry
In recent months, both Crown Prince Christian and Princess Isabella have increasingly stepped up their public presence.
But a new report suggests that the young adult Danish royals could find themselves increasingly at loggerheads as they grapple with their varying reception levels from the public.
A palace insider told Woman's Day that Crown Prince Christian, 19, was allegedly taken aback following the outpouring of attention afforded to his younger sister Princess Isabella after she turned 18 last month.
The palace source explained: 'It's normal for princesses to have more emulators than princes, so Christian's right to feel a little left out on the cold. But he's going to have to get used to it.'
'It was only a matter of time before Isabella would eclipse them all in terms of media attention,' the insider added.
Royal watchers have now pegged the teen princess as one to watch.
In just a short few weeks following her birthday on April 21, royal pundits quickly declared that Isabella was the 'ultimate modern princess'.
All eyes were on the royal at a succession of celebratory events for her milestone birthday, with the princess applauded for her 'fresh approach, youthful energy and the modernity she brings to the royal family'.
The accolades particularly began pouring in for Isabella after one memorable celebration moment.
At her first birthday event held at Aarhus Hall on 11 April, Isabella took to the podium to give her first official royal address.
Much to the surprise of attendees, a confident Isabella kicked off her speech with a funny and self-deprecating quip.
'Almost four years ago I found out that your words can be overheard when you least expect it,' Princess Isabella said, as the room erupted in laughter. 'Today I have no doubt that the microphone is on.'
The comment referenced a terse moment in 2021 when Princess Isabella was caught on camera saying the words 'are you completely confused' to her mother, Queen Mary.
At the time, Isabella's frustrated statement to Mary was made as the Danish royal family tried to arrange themselves for a photo op - with the candid mother-daughter exchange captured in a viral video.
Isabella's bold decision to address her biggest public scandal head-on was praised by royal watchers, including Danish publication BT's entertainment editor, Fie West.
'Princess Isabella shows great initiative by starting her very first official speech with a joke,' Fie said, adding that Isabella had proved herself to be 'extremely charming'.
The positive reception only continued in the following days when Isabella took centre stage at a black tie gala performance held in her honour at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen.
As the royal family graced the red carpet, Isabella stood dead centre flanked by her parents King Frederik and Queen Mary. Next to them were 14-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine – and finally Crown Prince Christian.
With his predestined future as heir to the throne, the latest Woman's Day report suggested it may be difficult for the Prince to fathom seeing a sibling shine.
'As much glory as it will be to sit on a throne, at the tender age of 19 watching as his sister is literally festooned with new opportunities, from profile interviews to modelling and speaking gigs is difficult for Christian,' said the palace insider.
Meanwhile, as Princess Isabella enjoyed her recent moment in the spotlight, her older brother Prince Christian has been more quiet of late.
The Prince is currently away embarking on months of military training with the Guard Hussar Regiment in Slagelse - returning only briefly for the recent birthday events for his sister and grandmother, Queen Margrethe.
Prior to that, the teen prince spent several months off the grid in remote East Africa undertaking a "gap year" holiday in late 2024.
While the latest report suggests there could be a brewing rivalry between the two eldest Danish royal siblings, it also addressed the extent to which their mother Queen Mary, 53, would be actively attempting to quash any sign of tension.
Rather than seeing each other as adversaries, the report suggested that Mary will be advocating for her two eldest children to be each other's greatest support and allies.
It's understandable that the royal mother of four would be on the front foot with any potential royal sibling rivalry issues, particularly given her husband Frederik's own personal history.
Reports of tension, jealousy and sibling rivalry have been well reported for years between King Frederik, 56 and his younger brother, Prince Joachim.
Joachim and Frederik are said to have endured a strained relationship since childhood, allegedly due to the now King being shown favouritism.
That tension is said to have continued into adulthood, eventually culminating in the decision by Joachim and his wife Princess Marie to relocate their family overseas in 2019. The royal family still live abroad in Washington DC where Prince Joachim, 55, is military attaché to the Danish Embassy in America.
The family rift spilled into the open in January 2023 when then monarch Queen Margrethe, 85, made the surprising move to strip Joachim's four children of their royal titles.
Unable to bite his tongue, Joachim and his family unleashed a torrent of statements about the unfair treatment of his family. Margrethe later conceded that the situation was not well handled, but stood firmly by the decision to remove her grandhcildren's titles.
Certainly, Queen Mary along with the Danish royal family would be keen to avoid any kind of history repeating when it comes to warring siblings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Jessie J shares major health update and admits the worst thing about breast cancer surgery is not being able to hold her son - four weeks after undergoing a mastectomy
Jessie J insists she's 'feeling good' and 'getting better each day' after undergoing crucial breast cancer surgery. The singer is currently in the early stages of recovery after having a mastectomy in June, and admits she's already seeing signs of improvement. Reassuring fans with a health update on Sunday, Jessie, 37, detailed her progress while convalescing at home, little more than a month after having the operation. She wrote: 'It will be 4 weeks since my breast cancer surgery on Saturday. I am feeling good. Some days are harder than others. 'My movement is good, still very sore but I am getting more like myself everyday. Mentally it's all catching up with me. So giving myself a little space to feel it all.' The singer revealed she was being tended to by her immediate family while two-year old son Sky visited relatives in Denmark with his father, basketball player Chanan Colman. She added: 'Sky has gone away for 2 weeks with his Dad to his Danish fam, but also so I can rest and do physio. (And re organise the whole house with my Mum and my sister as my body). My adhd and ocd still going strong. 'I'm not allowed to pick Sky up for a few months and that has been a difficult adjustment, I just want to hold him like this and spin around. But in the bigger picture it's a small sacrifice to have my health and to still be here. 'The day will come I can lift him up for a cuddle. I can't wait for that day. That day is what gets me through these days. These days are weird. 'I love being your Mum Sky. I miss my boys.' Jessie accompanied the post with a series of affectionate black-and-white photos in which she cradles her young son while working in the studio. The singer previously admitted she went into 'survival mode' upon learning of her diagnosis, but is now letting herself feel angry and sad in equal measure. Sharing an Instagram post in June, she wrote: Jessie wrote: '2 weeks post surgery. Had my drain out 2 nights ago. She said breathe in and take a hard breathe out. She whipped that thang out so quick. Woii oii. Weirdest feeling. But so nice to have it out after 12 days. 'Now it's just me and my wonky boobs trying to figure out how to dress until I match them up. The left one is looking at me like "you ok babe?"' Reassuring fans with a health update on Sunday, Jessie detailed her progress while convalescing at home, little more than a month after having the operation She continued: 'Also my experience was when I was diagnosed I went into survival mode. 'There was so much going on with appointments and in my mind esp with a toddler I had just moved and was about to start this campaign after 8 years away. Mad. 'I didn't really have a lot of time to process what was happening or what was going to happen. So I'm currently experiencing some delayed sadness and frustration by having time to process what IS happening. 'A little disappointed in myself I didn't say goodbye to my old boob enough. Sounds silly but that's where I'm at. Again that's my journey. I'm sure others feel different. 'But for me I didn't think beyond the surgery. I was just being strong. Well now I'm here and letting myself be angry and sad and all the things. Just for a few days. 'Then I will sew some padding in a bra to even them out order some t-shirts and crack tf on'. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and affects more than two MILLION women a year Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Each year in the UK there are more than 55,000 new cases, and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it strikes 266,000 each year and kills 40,000. But what causes it and how can it be treated? What is breast cancer? It comes from a cancerous cell which develops in the lining of a duct or lobule in one of the breasts. When the breast cancer has spread into surrounding tissue it is called 'invasive'. Some people are diagnosed with 'carcinoma in situ', where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule. Most cases develop in those over the age of 50 but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can develop in men, though this is rare. Staging indicates how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means the cancer has spread to another part of the body. The cancerous cells are graded from low, which means a slow growth, to high, which is fast-growing. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after they have first been treated. What causes breast cancer? A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply 'out of control'. Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are some risk factors that can increase the chance, such as genetics. What are the symptoms of breast cancer? The usual first symptom is a painless lump in the breast, although most are not cancerous and are fluid filled cysts, which are benign. The first place that breast cancer usually spreads to is the lymph nodes in the armpit. If this occurs you will develop a swelling or lump in an armpit. How is breast cancer diagnosed? Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They may do tests such as a mammography, a special x-ray of the breast tissue which can indicate the possibility of tumours. Biopsy: A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer. If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to assess if it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound scan of the liver or a chest X-ray. Treatment options which may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments are used. Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or the removal of the affected breast depending on the size of the tumour. Radiotherapy: A treatment which uses high energy beams of radiation focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells, or stops them from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery. Chemotherapy: A treatment of cancer by using anti-cancer drugs which kill cancer cells, or stop them from multiplying. Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the 'female' hormone oestrogen, which can stimulate the cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments which reduce the level of these hormones, or prevent them from working, are commonly used in people with breast cancer. How successful is treatment? The outlook is best in those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still small, and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumour in an early stage may then give a good chance of cure. The routine mammography offered to women between the ages of 50 and 71 means more breast cancers are being diagnosed and treated at an early stage. For more information visit or call its free helpline on 0808 800 6000
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Princess Charlene of Monaco joins husband Prince Albert and their children, Jacques and Isabella, to celebrate his 20-year reign
The Prince and Princess of Monaco were pictured beaming alongside their two children during a ceremony to mark the Head of State's 20-year reign. Prince Albert, 67, and his wife Charlene, 47, were accompanied by their 10-year-old twins, Crown Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, as the royal family celebrated the joyous occasion at the Palace Square in the principality. The royal couple looked to be in good spirits despite ongoing speculation about the state of their marriage, including how the glamourous mother-of-two sought solace from the French president's wife, Brigitte Macron, following whispers of marital misery. Yesterday the glowing couple appeared to put all controversy behind them as they posed lovingly in a series of sweet snaps to commemorate the day he was bestowed power following the death of his father, Prince Rainier III in July 2005. In one image, the Prince could be seen leaning over to plant a sweet peck on his wife's face, while in another the doting father made the same gesture towards his young daughter. Princess Charlene looked elegant in a baby pink dress and the stylish royal teamed the look with a pair of dazzling white pointed heels, while her make-up was pared back with only a touch of eye shadow and a rose pink lip. Meanwhile her blonde hair was delicately coiffured with a middle parting and tucked behind her ears. Equally impressing was her mini-me Prince Jacques who was the spitting image of his mother in a sharp navy blue suit and matching tie. He perhaps took a style note from his powerful father, who also donned a full blue suit. The prince looked exceedingly sharp in a royal blue blazer with matching trousers, a pressed white shirt, stripy red tie and polished black leather loafers. Princess Gabriella looked as marvellous as her mother in a white dress and matching slippers. Her hair was styled with a thick plait and a gorgeous white flower ornament which was pinned above the right side of her forehead. The happy family were also accompanied by members of the Princière family who joined them for a series of photos to mark the prestige occasion. Prince Albert also addressed the people of Monégasque during a speech of thanks, of which the large crowd captured the memorable moment using camera phones. In one image the family stood together to cut a grandiose red and white cake, which they offered to happy guests. In another, the family of four could be seen walking around the square to greet the excited crowds. Earlier this month, Prince Albert celebrated his 14th wedding anniversary - when he tied the knot with the then Charlene Wittstock in two lavish wedding ceremonies that cost a combined total £53million. With a glittering 850-strong guest list that included Sir Roger Moore and Prince Edward, the religious ceremony on July 2 followed the civil nuptials a day earlier. But even on their wedding day, the controversies that tend to follow the Monegasque Royal Family appeared. The couple's uneasy kiss - and the fact that at one moment Charlene was in tears - perhaps betrayed the trouble that had already taken place and the further angst that was to come. Days before the big day, rumours began to circulate that Charlene had tried to flee the country on three occasions with a one-way ticket to Johannesburg. A Parisian news magazine reported that Charlene had been stopped at Nice airport after allegedly learning a 'distressing' revelation about her future husband's private life. A senior Monaco detective claimed at the time: 'Charlene had her passport confiscated so that the Prince's entourage could persuade her to stay.' The rumour mill in France went into overdrive. Charlene had, it was suggested, heard talk of an illegitimate child, allegedly conceived when she was dating Prince Albert in 2005. But the Princess would go on to dismiss the 'hilarious' rumours. She said: 'Why would he go through all this effort to have our dearest friends come join us, for us to be reluctant?' And they spent the first night of their honeymoon in South Africa - the nation that Zimbabwe-born Charlene represented at the Olympics during her swimming career - in separate hotels. Prince Albert has also fathered several love children - two of which the prince has acknowledged. Meanwhile, Princess Charlene has been known to disappear from the public eye on multiple occasions, reportedly due to 'deep fatigue'. The princess took a prolonged medical hiatus in South Africa which saw her spend most of 2021 away from her husband and children. This meant she missed the seventh birthdays of her twins - Jacques and Gabriella - and her tenth wedding anniversary. Charlene also travelled to a Swiss clinic that allegedly specialises in mental health and addiction issues. In May, the royals joined other Catholic monarchs including the King and Queen of Spain and Belgium for an audience with Pope Leo XIV. Princess Charlene along with Queen Letizia of Spain and Queen Mathilde of Belgium are allowed to wear white in front of the Pope because of their faith. They are each one of only seven women in the world who have 'the privilege of the white'. Called 'le privilege du blanc' in French or 'il privilegio del bianco' in Italian, the special tradition is extended solely to designated Catholic queens and princesses and is reserved for important events at the Vatican, such as private audiences, canonisations, beatifications, and special masses. Normal protocol for papal audiences requires that ladies wear a long black dress with a high collar and long sleeves and a black mantilla.
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Meghan Markle's 'worrying' plans to 'outshine' royals that left Palace terrified
The Duchess of Sussex has openly admitted her struggles when adjusting to royal life, but one royal author says her plans when operating as a working royal left Buckingham Palace worried Meghan Markle's life changed overnight when she met Prince Harry, and it's no secret that she struggled to adjust to royal life before the couple's self-exile to the States. And she's not the only one who found life inside palace walls a heavy cross to bear. The late Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, famously resented playing "second fiddle" her whole life, and Prince Philip's world was upended when Elizabeth II suddenly became monarch. Princess Diana 's painful divorce led to her suffering with depression, for which she claimed she got no support from the royal family. Despite struggling with the contraints of royal life at times, few would try to break the mould in an establishment that prides itself on tradition. But not only did the Duchess of Sussex try to map out her own personal career as a working royal, she also tried to 'outshine' other royals - including the late Queen - according to a royal author. Tom Quinn, writing in his royal biography Yes Ma'am, claims that Meghan sparked panic in the Palace during her short stint as a working royal when she indicated that she wanted to operate separately from the Queen. The author penned: " Buckingham Palace became really worried when they became aware that Meghan had plans for her life as a working royal that were not going to be part of a general strategy agreed with the staff – she just wanted to do her own thing. "Which is fair enough if you're not a member of a tightly controlled institution, but it was never going to be acceptable that Meghan should outshine Princess Anne, Prince Charles [as he then was] and Elizabeth the Queen." Speaking to the author, a former courtier for the late Queen said: "Elizabeth always had to be the centre and focus of everything the Royal Family did and I don't think Meghan understood why that had to make her do things she didn't want to do. "She didn't understand that when you join the Royal Family, you don't do as you please, you do as you're told. In a sense, you become a servant of the family." According to insiders quoted in the book, Meghan found it hard to get her head around the many protocols and traditions associated with the Firm - and she allegedly had a scathing assessment of the senior members. Quinn writes: "Meghan really disliked the hierarchy," a member of her former team said. "Many of the rules do seem pretty pointless and exist only so that the relative status of each senior royal is protected. And the senior royals are such a sensitive bunch — if one gets a gold pen or a new car, they all want one. Meghan thought they behaved like babies." The Sussexes recalled Meghan's introduction to royal life in their six-part Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, and discussed her first meeting with the late Queen after they began dating in 2016. "My grandmother was the first senior member of the family that Meghan met," Prince Harry said in the docuseries. "She had no idea what it all consisted of. So it was a bit of a shock to the system for her." Meghan then shared that while they were on their way to meet the Queen, Prince Harry asked her if she knew how to curtsy. "We were in the car, driving and he's like: 'You know how to curtsy right?' and I just thought it was a joke," the Duchess admitted. Prince Harry acknowledged the difficulty of explaining royal protocol to his American girlfriend, saying: "How do you explain that to people? How do you explain that you bow to your grandmother? And that you would need to curtsy, especially to an American. That's weird." Meghan also compared curtsying to Medieval Times, Dinner and Tournament, a dinner theatre featuring medieval-style games, and joked that "Americans will understand this". She then recreated the deep curtsy she gave to the Queen, bowing her head dramatically and spreading her arms wide. "It was like that. Like, I curtsied as though I was like… pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty," she said. Her reenactment drew some criticism from viewers who claimed that the Duchess was being "disrespectful" towards tradition.
