by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014
Prince Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, is the younger son of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Henri Laborde de Monpezat. He was born on June 7, 1969, at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark.
He was christened on July 15, 1969, at Aarhus Cathedral in Aarhus, Denmark. His godparents were:
- Princess Benedikte of Denmark, his maternal aunt
- Princess Christina of Sweden, his mother’s first cousin
- Jean Baptiste de Laborde de Monpezat, his paternal uncle
- Crown Prince Harald of Norway, his mother’s second cousin (the future King Harald V of Norway)
Prince Joachim has one brother:
- King Frederik X of Denmark (born 1968), married Mary Donaldson, had four children
Prince Joachim began his education privately at Amalienborg Palace before attending the Krebs School in Copenhagen. He spent a year at L’École des Roches, a boarding school in Normandy, France before graduating from the Øregård Gymnasium, in Hellerup, just north of Copenhagen, in 1986.
Following a gap year spent working on a farm in Australia, Prince Joachim began his military training in 1987, as a recruit in the Queen’s Own Regiment. After becoming a Lieutenant in 1989, he served as a Platoon Commander in the Prince’s Own Regiment until 1990. From 1996 to 2004, with the rank of Captain, he commanded a tank squadron in the Prince’s Own Regiment. He was promoted to Major in 2005, and then Lt. Colonel in 2001. He served as chief of the Liaison Officers Group in Total Defence Region Fyn, Syd, and Sønderjylland. (source: The Danish Royal House). In addition, during this time he studied agricultural management from 1991-1993, and worked at the A.P. Møller Maersk Group, in Hong Kong and France, to further his business education, from 1993-1995.
photo: Order of Sartorial Splendour
It was while working in Hong Kong that Prince Joachim met his first wife, Alexandra Manley. After a whirlwind romance, their engagement was announced in May 1995. They married on November 18, 1995, at the Frederiksborg Palace Chapel in Hillerød, Denmark and took up residence at Schackenborg Castle in Møgeltønder, South Jutland.
They had two sons:
- His Excellency Count Nikolai of Monpezat (born 1999)
- His Excellency Count Felix of Monpezat (born 2002)
Joachim and Alexandra separated in 2004 and were divorced the following year. Alexandra retained her title Princess of Denmark, with the lower style of Her Highness until her remarriage in 2007. In addition, the Queen had granted her the personal title of Countess of Frederiksborg with the style of Excellency, and Alexandra is now known as Her Excellency Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg. Alexandra still occasionally attends events with the Danish royal family.
Queen Margrethe II decided that as of January 1, 2023, the four children of Prince Joachim would no longer hold the style and title of His/Her Prince/Princess. Instead, they will hold the title Count/Countess of Monpezat, with the style of His/Her Excellency. This slimming down is in keeping with recent changes in other royal families and will allow Prince Joachim’s children to pursue more independent lives and careers. The Monpezat titles come from the Queen’s late husband, Prince Henrik, who was Count of Monpezat. In 2008, Queen Margrethe granted the title to her sons and their descendants as well.
photo: Order of Sartorial Splendour
In October 2007, Prince Joachim announced his engagement to Marie Cavallier. The couple was married on May 24, 2008, at the Møgeltønder Church (link in Danish) in South Jutland, Denmark.
They had two children:
- His Excellency Count Henrik of Monpezat (born 2009)
- Her Excellency Countess Athena of Monpezat (born 2012)
Prince Joachim and his family celebrating his son Felix’s 18th birthday on July 22, 2020; Photo Credit – Danish Royal House Instagram
Prince Joachim has had a military career since 1988. During the summer of 2019, Prince Joachim, Princess Marie, and their two children moved to Paris, France, where Joachim began studies in France’s highest-ranking military leadership education at École Militaire. In September 2020, Prince Joachim started work as the defense attaché at the Danish Embassy in Paris. With the appointment, Joachim received the permanent rank of brigadier general. During the summer of 2023, Joachim and his family moved to Washington, DC in the United States where he will work as the defense attaché at the Danish Embassy.
This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.