Princess Marie of Denmark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Princess Marie |
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|---|---|
| Countess of Monpezat | |
Marie in 2013
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| Born | Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier 6 February 1976 Paris, France |
| Spouse |
Prince Joachim of Denmark
(m. 2008) |
| Issue |
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| Father | Alain Cavallier |
| Mother | Françoise Grassiot |
| Religion | Church of Denmark prev. Roman Catholic |
Princess Marie of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, was born Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier on February 6, 1976. She is a member of the Danish royal family. Princess Marie is married to Prince Joachim of Denmark. He is the younger brother of King Frederik X of Denmark.
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Growing Up
Marie Cavallier was born in Paris, France. She is the only child of Alain Cavallier and Françoise Grassiot. After her parents divorced, Marie moved to Geneva, Switzerland. She lived there with her mother.
Education and Work
Marie attended a boarding school in Switzerland called Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil. She then studied international business and economics at Babson College in the US. Later, she studied economics in Geneva. Marie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marymount Manhattan College.
During her college years, Marie gained work experience. She worked for companies like Estée Lauder and ING Numismatic Group SA. After graduating, she worked in advertising in New York and France. She also worked for Reuters, a financial news agency, in Switzerland. Before her engagement, she was an executive secretary at ING Numismatic Group SA.
Courtship and Marriage
Marie first became known to the public in August 2005. She was photographed with Prince Joachim during a holiday in France. In January 2007, Marie went on a ski trip with Prince Joachim and his children. Later that year, she met Queen Margrethe II, Joachim's mother, for the first time. Marie started visiting Denmark more often from Geneva in 2007.
On October 3, 2007, it was officially announced that Marie Cavallier and Prince Joachim were engaged. Their wedding took place on May 24, 2008, in Møgeltønder Church. When she married Joachim, Marie became a Danish citizen. She also changed her religion from Roman Catholic to the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Denmark.
Princess Marie's wedding dress was designed by Arasa Morelli. It was sewn by a Danish woman working for the company.
The couple has two children together:
- Count Henrik, born on May 4, 2009.
- Countess Athena, born on January 24, 2012.
Marie is also a stepmother to Joachim's two sons from his first marriage. Their names are Nikolai and Felix.
Public Life and Duties
As a member of the royal family, Princess Marie has many public duties. She represents Denmark at home and abroad.
Public Appearances
Princess Marie's first official trip abroad was to Morocco in October 2008. There, she gave Lego toys to children in an orphanage. She has also traveled with Prince Joachim to countries like Russia, Hong Kong, China, and Mexico. In April 2010, she visited the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. She did this as a patron for the organization.
Patronages
Princess Marie supports many organizations as a patron. A patronage means she helps bring attention to their work.
Some of her patronages include:
- Tønder Festival, an international folk music festival.
- The Annual Literature Prize for French-language literature.
- Syddansk Universitet (University of Southern Denmark).
- The Danish Ski Federation.
- The Danish National Commission for UNESCO.
- The Danish Epilepsy Association.
- Kattegatcentret (an aquarium).
- The AIDS Foundation.
- Autism Denmark.
- The Stop Wasting Food movement (Stop Spild Af Mad).
Hobbies and Interests
Princess Marie enjoys being active. She likes bike-riding, running, and skiing. She also shares a love for car racing with Prince Joachim.
Titles and Honours
Since her marriage, Marie has been known as "Her Royal Highness Princess Marie of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat".
She has received several important awards and honours.
National Honours
Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)
Knight of the Order of the Elephant (Denmark)
Foreign Honours
Princess Marie has also received honours from other countries, such as:
- Belgium: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II
- Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose
- Netherlands: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
- Norway: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav
- Spain: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit
See also
In Spanish: Marie de Dinamarca para niños
