These Swedish Royals' Kids Were Stripped of Their Titles, Parents Shrug

It's a fickle business being nobility in Sweden, especially when you're under the age of five.

The Swedish royal palace announced on Monday the children of Princess Madeleine and Chris O'Neill and the children of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia were stripped of their official HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) titles.

The five grandchildren of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia -- Princess Leonore, 5, Prince Nicolas, 4, Prince Alexander, 2, Prince Gabriel, 2 and Princess Adrienne, 1 -- will remain part of the royal family, but cannot perform official royal duties.

"His Majesty The King has decided on changes to The Royal House. The purpose of these changes is to establish which members of The Royal Family may be expected to perform official duties incumbent on the Head of State or related to the function of the Head of State," a palace statement read.

Princess Madeleine -- who married British-born American financier Chris in 2013 -- took to Instagram to convey her family's feelings on the decision. "Earlier today, the court announced that Leonore, Nicolas and Adrienne will no longer belong to the royal house. This change has been planned for a long time. Chris and I think it's good that our children are now getting a greater opportunity to shape their own lives as private individuals in the future," she shared alongside a photo of the family.

And Madeleine's younger brother, Prince Carl Philip -- who wed Swedish reality television contestant Sofia in 2015 -- followed with a response on his Instagram. "Today, the King announced the decision that our children no longer hold the Royal Highness position. We see this as positive as Alexander and Gabriel will have freer choices in life," he explained.

But the cousins of the demoted children -- Princess Estelle, 7, and Prince Oscar, 3 -- retained their royal status. The offspring of Crown Princess Victoria, who is heir to the throne, and her husband Prince Daniel will remain part of the royal house.

And the repercussions were swift. On the Swedish royal family's official website, a photo of the entire royal family was replaced by a snap of King Gustaf next to Crown Princess Victoria and her daughter Princess Estelle.