Princess Madeleine surprised many royal watchers when the Swedish royal revealed that she was launching her own skincare line, MinLen.
The mother-of-three is following in Meghan Markle's footsteps, with the Duchess of Sussex launching her own As Ever brand, which stocks items like jams and tablecloths.
© Weleda via Getty ImagesIn an interview with German outlet, RTL News, Madeleine was asked about the new venture, with host Fauke Ludowig mentioning critics who said the royal's plans didn't "fit" with the life expected of a royal.
"I can understand their concerns and the criticisms that they have," Madeleine responded. "But a couple of years ago there was a big decision, that they're slimming down and focusing more on my sister, the Crown Princess [Victoria].
© Getty"And I think many monarchies in Europe are doing that, and with that they slimmed it down and said "okay, we're focusing more on the Crown Princess's family."
She continued: "So me and my brother [Carl Philip], it kind of gave us the opportunity to do other things. Nowadays, I don't have many official duties anymore, or I should not do that many. So then I said, 'Ok, I'll do it!'"
Loss of titles
Although Madeleine still has her Princess title, in 2019, her children, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and Princess Adrienne, lost their royal status following a decree from King Carl Gustaf XVI.
The loss of titles also affected Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia's children, Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel, Prince Julian and Princess Ines.
© Jonas Ekströmer/TT/ShutterstockThe change meant that the children lost their style of Royal Highness and, in the future, will not be expected to perform duties incumbent on the head of state.
Following the surprising announcement, Madeleine took to Instagram to address the news. "This change has been planned for a long time," she noted. "Chris and I think it is good that our children now have a greater opportunity to shape their own lives as individuals in the future."
Madeleine's announcement
Madeleine shared her business news last month, saying: "I'm excited to share that I'm launching 'MinLen' a natural skincare line, developed in collaboration with Weleda, a global leader in certified natural skincare.
"MinLen is the first natural, responsible, multi-generational skincare brand in Europe — created with the needs of both young and growing families in mind."
© Messe D¸sseldorf via Getty ImageIn her post, the royal confirmed that as the launch is a "private initiative", she will use the name Madeline Bernadotte instead of her royal title, Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland.
"Our product range will officially launch at the end of the summer and as this is a private initiative, I will use my name Madeleine Bernadotte in my work with MinLen. I look forward to sharing more with you very soon! @weleda," she shared.
