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King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark won't be celebrating Christmas with His Majesty's younger brother this year. The Danish Royal House has revealed that Prince Joachim, his wife Princess Marie and their children, Count Henrik and Countess Athena, will be spending the holiday with the Princess' family. It's unclear if that will include Joachim's older sons, Count Felix and Count Nikolai, from his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.
© Patrick van Katwijk/Getty ImagesThe Danish King's brother has been living in the United States since last year. Prince Joachim, Princess Marie and their kids reside in Washington, D.C., where the royal dad of four works as the defence industry attaché at the Embassy of Denmark. Earlier this year, Joachim told The Washington Post: "We’ve lived here for seven months now, and very few people know who we are, Danes apart."
© Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty ImagesFrederik, Joachim and their respective families, with the exception of Count Nikolai, celebrated Christmas together last year with Queen Margrethe at Marselisborg Castle. While Prince Joachim will be with his in-laws this year, Frederik and Mary are set to celebrate their first Christmas as King and Queen at Marselisborg Castle with their four kids—Crown Prince Christian, who is returning to Denmark in December following an extended stay in East Africa, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine—and Frederik's mother, Queen Margrethe.
Mary's husband acceded to the throne in January following Queen Margrethe's abdication. Frederik and Joachim's mom announced her plan to abdicate during her 2023 New Year’s Eve address. Following the announcement, it was reported that Margrethe's two sons had been kept in the dark until a few days before New Year's Eve. King Frederik will deliver his first New Year's speech from Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg on Dec. 31.
