Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Danish royal family confirms socially distanced Christmas plans

Queen Margrethe usually spends the festive period with her two sons

danish royals xmas 2020
Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
Share this:

The Danish royal family has revealed their Christmas plans amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, the palace said that Queen Margrethe will celebrate Christmas at Schackenborg Castle in Tønder with her youngest son Prince Joachim, his wife Princess Marie and their children, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena, as well as Joachim's sons, Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix, from his first marriage.

READ: Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark share stunning photo to mark new milestone

WATCH: How the British royal family traditionally celebrates Christmas

Queen Margrethe's eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, and his wife Crown Princess Mary will spend the festive period at Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg with their four children, Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.

The Danish royals usually celebrate Christmas all together at Marselisborg Palace in Aarhus, but this year they will be apart due to COVID-19 restrictions.

In October, it was announced that the queen has cancelled the New Year's galas. She will deliver her traditional New Year's address on 31 December at 6pm.

MORE: Dressed-down Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi spotted shopping in London

marie joachim© Photo: Getty Images

Princess Marie and Prince Joachim

On Tuesday, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie celebrated their 12.5 year wedding anniversary, a tradition known as the copper anniversary in Denmark.

The Danish royal palace shared a stunning new portrait of the couple taken by their eight-year-old daughter Princess Athena.

MORE: The Queen's boozy Christmas pudding recipe revealed by royal chefs

margrethe cp frederik© Photo: Getty Images

Queen Margrethe with Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary in January 2020

The family moved to Paris last year so the prince could undertake military training, and he started his new role as Defense Attaché at the Danish Embassy in the French capital in September

Joachim underwent emergency surgery in July for a blood clot on his brain and was discharged from hospital on 3 August, nine days later.

The prince stayed at the Danish royal family's French residence Château de Cayx in south west France during his recovery.

Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.