Princess Marie of Denmark

## Marie

*Princess of Denmark*
*Countess of Monpezat*

*2019*

## Media

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English

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**Princess Marie of Denmark** (*née Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier;* born 6 February 1976) is the second wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark, with whom she has two children, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena.

## Early Life

Marie was born on 6 February 1976 in Paris, France.

She has two older, maternal half-brothers, Benjamin and Gregory Grandet. She also has two younger, paternal half-brothers, Charles and Edouard Cavallier.

## Education

Marie's parents divorced, and she was sent to the Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil boarding school in Switzerland. She attended Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts to study international business and economics, and then went on to study economics in Geneva. Marie earned a Bachelor of Arts at Marymount Manhattan College.

In addition to French, Marie speaks English, Spanish, Italian, and Danish.

## Career

In 1994, while still in college, Marie worked for Estée Lauder as the assistant to the public relations manager. She also worked as an assistant to the managing director of ING Numismatic Group SA in Geneva.

After graduating, Marie started working as an international marketing coordinator for DoubleClick Inc, an international advertising agency in New York. Back in France, she worked for advertising agency Media Marketing. Marie then worked for Reuters' financial news agency Radianz in Switzerland, took a position with REInvest in Geneva, and worked as executive secretary in ING Numismatic Group SA until her engagement.

## Danish Royal Family

* **The King**
The Queen
	+ The Crown Prince
	+ Princess Isabella
	+ Prince Vincent
	+ Princess Josephine

* Queen Margrethe II
	+ Prince Joachim
	**Princess Marie**
		- Count Nikolai
		- Count Felix
		- Count Henrik
		- Countess Athena

* Princess Benedikte
* Queen Anne-Marie

## Extended royal family

* The Crown Prince of Greece
The Crown Princess of Greece
	+ Princess Maria-Olympia
	+ Prince Constantine-Alexios
	+ Prince Achileas-Andreas
	+ Prince Odysseas-Kimon
	+ Prince Aristidis-Stavros

* Queen Anne-Marie
	+ Princess Alexia
	+ Prince Nikolaos
	Princess Tatiana
	+ Princess Theodora
	+ Prince Philippos
	Princess Nina

* Queen Sofía of Spain
* Princess Irene

* Prince Michael

### Marriage

Dating
In August 2005, Marie first came to public attention when she was photographed on a private holiday in Avignon, France, with Prince Joachim of Denmark.

She celebrated the 2006/2007 New Year with Joachim, his former wife Countess Alexandra, and their sons Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix, as well as close friends.

In January 2007, Marie accompanied Joachim and his children on a skiing holiday in Switzerland. Later that year, she joined the royal family for Easter at Marselisborg Palace, where she met Joachim's mother, Margrethe II, for the first time. Marie then started making weekend visits to Denmark from Geneva.

Engagement
*Main article: Engagement of Prince Joachim of Denmark and Marie Cavallier*
On 3 October 2007, the Danish Royal Court officially announced that Marie and Joachim were engaged.

Wedding
*Main article: Wedding of Prince Joachim of Denmark and Marie Cavallier*
On 24 May 2008, the couple were married at Møgeltønder Church in Møgeltønder.

In connection with the marriage, Marie became a *Princess of Denmark* and *Countess of Monpezat.* She also gave up her French citizenship and changed from Roman Catholic to Lutheran.

### Children

Marie and Joachim have two children, Count Henrik, born 4 May 2009, and Countess Athena, born 24 January 2012.

Marie is also stepmother to Joachim's sons from his first marriage, Count Nikolai and Count Felix.

### Godchildren

Marie has multiple godchildren.

1. Tanguy Peretti, born 2000. Son of Marie's cousin Sonia Dollfus Peretti and her husband Gabriel Peretti.
2. Sofie Agnete Davidsen Siesbye, born 2009. Daughter of Oscar and Britt Davidsen Siesbye.
3. Agathe Anna Steenstrup, born 2009. Daughter of Peter and Henriette Steenstrup.
4. Nicholas Christian Iuel Bendtner, born December 2010. Son of Caroline Fleming and Nicklas Bendtner.
5. Princess Josephine of Denmark, born 8 January 2011.

### Interests

Marie is an avid sportswoman and has a passion for biking, skiing, and racing.

## Public Life

### Activities

* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2016

**28 October:** Marie's first offical visit abroad was to Morocco, where she handed out Lego toys to orphanage children in Rabat.

Marie made an official visit to Russia with Joachim.
**November:** Marie made an official visit to Hong Kong and China with Joachim.

**March:** Marie made an official visit to Mexico City with Joachim.

**April:** Marie made a working visit to the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris as patron for the organization.
**August:** Marie attended Copenhagen Pride, becoming the first member of the Danish royal family to do so.

### Patronages

* Tønder Festival, 2009
	+ An international folk music festival near Marie and Joachim's official residence, Schackenborg Castle.
* Annual Literature Prize, 2009
	+ Awarded for French-language literature in Copenhagen. Marie took over this patronage from the then-Prince Consort.
* Syddansk Universitet, September 2009
* Danish National Commission for UNESCO, 17 November 2009
* Danish Ski Federation, January 2010
* The AIDS Foundation
* Autism Denmark
* Danish Epilepsy Association and Kattegatcentret

## Titles, Styles, & Arms

* **6 February 1976 - 24 May 2008:** *Miss* Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier
* **24 May 2008 - present:** *Her Royal Highness* Princess Marie of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat

Coat of armsMonogram
## Honours

* National
* Foreign

Orders
* **Denmark**
	+ Knight of the Order of the Elephant (24 May 2008)
	+ Member of the Royal Family Order of Margrethe II

Medals
* **Denmark**
	+ 75th Birthday Medal of Henrik, Prince Consort (11 June 2009)
	+ 70th Birthday Medal of Margrethe II (16 April 2010)
	+ Ruby Jubilee Medal of Margrethe II (14 January 2012)
	+ 75th Birthday Medal of Margrethe II (16 April 2015)
	+ 50th Anniversary Medal of Margrethe II and Prince Henrik (10 June 2017)
	+ Prince Henrik's Commemorative Medal (11 June 2018)
	+ 80th Birthday Medal of Margrethe II (16 April 2020)

Orders
* **Belgium**
	+ Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II

* **Finland**
	+ Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose

* **France**
	+ Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour

* **Greece**
	+ Grand Cross of the Order of Beneficence

* **Iceland**
	+ Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon

* **Mexico**
	+ Sash of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (8 April 2016)

* **Netherlands**
	+ Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (17 March 2015)

* **Norway**
	+ Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav

## References

1. ↑ Official list of honours (Danish). Kongehuset.
2. ↑ Official list of honours (Danish). Kongehuset.
3. ↑ Official list of honours (Danish). Kongehuset.
4. ↑ Press release regarding the Order of the Aztec Eagle (Spanish) (8 April 2016).
Template:Danish princesses by marriage