Queen Margrethe of Denmark has issued a public statement apologizing to her family for stripping her grandchildren of their royal titles, the Mirror reports.

In a statement last night, the monarch acknowledged that her decision made a great impression on everyone, for which she apologizes, but noted that she made it consciously.

“In recent days, there have been strong reactions to my decision about the future use of titles for Prince Joachim’s four children. That affects me, of course,” the monarch said in the statement. “My decision has been a long time coming. With my 50 years on the throne, it is natural both to look back and to look ahead. It is my duty and my desire as Queen to ensure that the monarchy always shapes itself in keeping with the times. Sometimes, this means that difficult decisions must be made, and it will always be difficult to find the right moment,” she added.