Prince Joachim and Princess Marie announce return to Denmark after living in the US
King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark will soon have several key family members living much closer to home.
The monarch's brother Prince Joachim, 56, and his wife Princess Marie, and their two children, are returning to Denmark after living in the United States for the past three years.
The family will move back to Copenhagen in August, 2027.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark, with their two children Count Henrik and Countess Athena. The family will return to Denmark in August, 2027. Jakob Kirk
Princess Marie confirmed the change during an interview to mark her 50th birthday.
Official confirmation has yet to be made by the Royal House of Denmark.
Speaking to Danish magazine BILLED-BLADET, Princess Marie said: "The most important thing for me and my family are the years that lie ahead of us.
"Right now, as you know, we are staying in the US for another year and a half. Then the children can finish their schooling."
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Princess Marie of Denmark pictured at home in Vedbæk in January. Jakob Kirk
Count Henrik, 16, and his sister Countess Athena, 14, moved with their parents in September 2023.
The family has been living in Washington D.C. where Prince Joachim works at the Danish embassy as a defence attaché.
Prior to that, they spent three years in France while Prince Joachim was stationed at the Danish embassy in Paris.
Princess Marie said it was important the family remained in the US for another year for their two youngest children.
Count Henrik and Countess Athena will continue their education in Denmark, their mother has said. Jakob Kirk
"Henrik will finish high school, he will be 18, and then we will move back," she said.
"Athena will start high school here in Denmark. I think Henrik will want to continue his studies right away, but we will have to see.
"He loves chemistry, physics and mathematics. But he has to work hard."
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie are likely to increase their official duties, supporting King Frederik and Queen Mary's busy schedule.
Next month, King Frederik and Queen Mary will travel to Australia for their first ever state visit and their first joint tour of Mary's former homeland since 2013.
Prince Joachim and his family return to Denmark occasionally for important events and attended several of the New Year's galas at Amalienborg and Christianborg Palace in January.
Princess Marie said: "I'm looking forward to getting back to my work and my patronages. And getting back to Denmark.
"And what happens after that, time will tell. We are really looking forward to it. It has been really exciting to be out of the country and be able to support Denmark abroad."
Princess Marie and Prince Joachim returned to Copenhagen for Christmas and attended the New Year's events with the King and Queen. The Danish Royal House
A number of new photographs of the French-born royal were shared by the Royal House to mark her 50th birthday on February 6.
They were taken at the family's home in Vedbæk, on the coast north of Copenhagen, while they were back in Denmark during the Christmas period.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie also have apartments inside Christian VIII's Palace at Amalienborg. King Frederik and Queen Mary, and their children, live next door inside Frederik VIII's Palace.
Prince Joachim was greeted by his brother the King and Queen Mary at a New Year's gala inside Christiansborg Palace in January. The Danish Royal House
Princess Marie's birthday falls one day after that of her sister-in-law Queen Mary, who is born on February 5.
Recently, a special dinner was held at the Danish embassy in Washington D.C. for Princess Marie's milestone.
Photos shared by the embassy overnight show Danish ambassador to the US, Jesper Møller Sørensen, serenading Princess Marie with a guitar and a song he wrote for her.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie and their children pictured during a visit to Paris in 2023. Instagram/nikolaitildanmark
It is a Danish tradition for an 'occasion song' to be written and performed during special celebrations, with those in attendance invited to sing along.
Princess Marie said her 50th birthday would also be celebrated at some point in Denmark.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie have been married since 2008.
Joachim, who is the youngest son of Queen Margrethe II and the late Prince Henrik, has two other sons from his first marriage.
Count Nikolai, 26, and Count Felix, 23, both live in Copenhagen. However Count Nikolai often travels to Australia for work after spending a semester here on exchange in 2023.
King Frederik with his two nephews, Count Felix (left) and Count Nikolai on May 26, 2025. Danish Royal Household
Prince Joachim's four children were stripped of their prince and princess titles in 2022 by their grandmother when she was monarch.
The titles were changed to count and countess which Queen Margrethe II said was done to safeguard the monarchy's future.
The Queen said she wanted to give her grandchildren more freedom to forge their own careers outside of the confines of the Royal House.
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