The Danish royals came together for a fun family reunion this week, with Australian-born Queen Mary's sisters even flying from Down Under for their niece Princess Isabella's 18th birthday celebrations.
As well as Isabella's three siblings – Crown Prince Christian, 19, and 14-year-old twins, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine – her paternal cousins, Count Nikolai, 25, and Count Felix, 22, stepped out for the concert at the Royal Danish Theatre Copenhagen.
But four other family members were notably missing from proceedings – King Frederik's brother and aunt to Isabella, Prince Joachim, his wife Princess Marie and their two children, Count Henrik, 15, and Countess Athena, 13.
There's a logical explanation for their absence – Prince Joachim and Princess Marie now reside in Washington D.C.
The couple moved with their children to the US in September 2023 in order for Joachim to take up the role of defense industry attaché at the Danish Embassy.
The family previously lived in Paris for three years, where the prince worked as Military Attaché at the Royal Danish Embassy.
© Instagram / @detdanskekongehusFollowing their stateside move, Henrik and Athena were then enrolled in schools in the American capital.
Meanwhile, Joachim's sons, Nikolai and Felix, from his previous marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, are grown-up and are already establishing their own careers.
© ShutterstockNikolai graduated from Copenhagen Business School with a Master of Science in Merchandising degree last summer. The Danish royal, who is dating model Benedikte Thoustrup, has carved out his own modelling career and travels frequently to Australia, where he studied for a semester.
Felix is studying International Shipping and Trade education at Copenhagen Business School, and like his brother, has secured his own modelling contracts.
Royal relations
Joachim and Marie do frequently travel back to Denmark to see their family. While the couple spent Christmas with French-born Marie's family, they were among the guests as King Frederik and Queen Mary hosted their first New Year's galas at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.
© KongehusetAnd while Marie and her children could not attend Frederik's accession ceremony in Copenhagen in January 2024, Joachim was present to proudly witness the moment his brother was proclaimed king.
Queen Margrethe abdicated after 52 years on the throne in favour of her eldest son, Frederik.
The former Danish queen caused upset in 2022 when she stripped Joachim's four children of their royal titles.
© ShutterstockShe later publicly apologised to Nikolai, Felix, Henrik and Athena, stating: "Holding a royal title involves a number of commitments and duties that, in the future, will lie with fewer members of the royal family. This adjustment, which I view as a necessary future-proofing of the monarchy, I want to take in my own time.
© Getty"I have made my decision as queen, mother and grandmother, but, as a mother and grandmother, I have underestimated the extent to which much my younger son and his family feel affected. That makes a big impression, and for that I am sorry."
Since 1 January 2023, Joachim's children have been styled as Counts and Countess of Monpezat and addressed as his/her excellency.
