Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark aren't leaving the United States just yet. The Danish Royal House revealed on Sept. 26 that the royal couple and their teenage children have extended their stay in Washington, D.C., where King Frederik's younger brother works as the defense industry attaché at the Danish Embassy.
"The Ministry of Defense announced this morning that HRH Prince Joachim will be extended in his position as Defense Industry Attaché and Deputy Defense Attaché in Washington DC until the end of August 2027," the Royal House said in a statement (translated to English). "HRH Prince Joachim, together with HRH Princess Marie and their two children, HRH Count Henrik and HRH Countess Athena, will therefore remain living in Washington DC, where the children also have their daily schooling."
"As defense industry attaché and deputy defense attaché, Prince Joachim reports to the Ministry of Defense and in his daily work to the ambassador in Washington, DC," the statement continued. "Prince Joachim took up the position of Defense Industry Attaché on September 1, 2023 at the Danish Embassy in Washington, DC."
Prior to the United States, Joachim, Marie and their two kids, Count Henrik, 16, and Countess Athena, 13, lived in France, where the Prince and the Princess were assigned to the Danish Embassy in Paris as defense attaché and special cultural representative, respectively. The family then moved to D.C. in 2023.
The Danish Ministry of Defense noted in March of 2023 that the Prince's position was for three years with the possibility of an extension. At the time, Joachim said (translated to English), “I am proud that I continue to have the opportunity to represent Denmark internationally in the area of security and defence. Transatlantic cooperation is a high-priority area, and I am honored that they have found me qualified for the task."
© DPPA/Sipa USAJoachim, who has two older sons—Count Nikolai and Count Felix—from his first marriage, admitted in June that he has a "desire" to return home to Denmark. In an interview with TV 2, the Prince revealed (translated to English): "We have a desire to come home. But we also do not rule out the possibility of staying abroad. Now we have to see. For now, it is on our radar, when the post here stops, we will return home."
Joachim also shared that he, his wife, and younger children are "each busy in" their own way. He said, "The kids are at school, where they enjoy being challenged and have an ever-growing social circle, and I have my job. We are our little nuclear family and enjoy it, and we make sure as much as possible that we also have time for each other. That it doesn't always get in the way of work, school and homework."
Though he pointed out that Denmark is where they have their "largest social base." Joachim said, "Overall, we can all feel it, and we can also feel it in the children, that it is at home in Denmark that we have our largest social base. We can't travel back and forth, after all, there is a six-hour time difference and an entire ocean in between. We take our time when we are home and enjoy it to the fullest. Perhaps that is the band-aid for being far away from home."
