Covid-19 restrictions mean families around the world are facing difficult decisions over how to spend Chrsitmas and royalty is no different.
It’s been announced that in Denmark, mother-of-two Queen Margrethe II, 80, has chosen to spend the festivities with her younger son Prince Joachim, 51, his wife Princess Marie, 44, and his four children at Schackenborg Castle in Tønder.
Her other son, Crown Prince Frederik, 52, will celebrate separately with his wife Princess Mary, 48 and their children at Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg.
The family usually reunite for the holidays at their Marselisborg Palace in Aarhus, but the rules in Denmark state that only up to 10 people can mark the occasion indoors, and with both brothers having families of six, it will not be possible for both to join the Queen.
It’s been a difficult year Prince Joachim, who underwent emergency brain surgery in France this summer after he was diagnosed with a blood clot, and so it is not suprising the Queen is eager for her younger son to return to Denmark for the festive season.
He is currently based in Paris as a defense attaché at the Danish Embassy, meaning his return home for Christmas will be especially welcomed by the Queen.
The royal court of the Danish royal family have announced that Queen Margrethe II, 80, will spend Christmas with her youngest son Prince Joachim, 51 and his family this year (pictured in January 2020)
Prince Joachim, here pictured with his four children and his wife Princess Marie, 44, in 2019, gave the royal family a scare when he underwent brain surgery in late July this summer
The family made the announcement in a statement from the royal court, which was shared on their Instagram story.
Crown Prince Frederik will spend Christmas with his immediate family: Crown Princess Mary and their four children: Prince Christian, 15, Princess Isabella, 13, and their twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, nine.
In spite of an new outbreak of coronavirus in its mink farms earlier in November which led to localised lockdownsl, Denmark is relaxing localised lockdowns rules around the country.
Citizens will be able to enjoy a relatively normal Christmas, while abiding by the rule of 10.
Crown Prince Frederik, 52, and Crown Princess Mary, 48, here pictured with Princess Benedikte on the opening of the Danish Parliament in October, are set to celebrate Christmas with their immediate family at Frederik VIII’s Palace at Amalienborg
In October, the royal family announced that the Queen had cancelled their New Year’s Gala, which usually sees officials as well as representatives of major organisations and the royal patronages flock Christiansborg Palace for a glamourous evening.
However, Queen Margrethe is still set to make her traditional New Year’s address on December 31 at 6pm.
It has been a troubled year for the Danish Royal family, with Prince Joachim undergoing emergency brain surgery in France in late July.
The royal familt are being extra careful this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured from the left: Princess Marie, with Prince Joachim, Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik in 2019
Prince Frederik and Princess Mary will spend Christmas with their four children, here pictured in 2018, from the left: prince Vincent, nine, Prince Christian, 14, Princess Josephine, nine and Princess Isabelle, 13
The Queen’s youngest had been celebrating his son’s 18th birthday in France with his current wife Princess Marie, his ex-wife Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg, and the children from both his marriage: Prince Nikolai, 21, Prince Felix, 18, Prince Henrik 11 and Princess Athena, eight.
He gave the Danish royal family a scare when he was rushed to the Toulouse University Hospital in France, where he was immediately operated on.
A statement by the Danish royal court said at the time: ‘His Royal Highness Prince Joachim was admitted to the University Hospital of Toulouse, France, late last night.
‘The prince was operated on immediately afterwards for a blood clot in the brain and the operation was successful. The condition of His Royal Highness is stable.’
The court communicated that his doctors were confident he would suffer no effects as a result of the blood clot.
He was eventually allowed to return home to his family last week after two weeks in care.
‘Prince Joachim and Princess Marie would like to take this opportunity to thank the hospital staff involved,’ a statement from the royal family read at the time.
In this picture taken days before his health scare in France this summer, Prince Joachim is seen with Princess Marie, Princess Athena, eight, (front), Prince Felix, 18 (centre), Princess Nikolai, 21, Prince Henrik, 11 and his ex-wife Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg
After a nine-days hospital stay, Joachim then went to recuperate at the family’s French property of Chateau de Cayx in Cahors where he was visited by his brother Frederik.
The two were photographed having breakfast, with Joachim looking tired but relaxed as he recovered from the ordeal.
Denmark was on high alert throughout November after an outbreak of coronavirus was declared in the country’s mink farm, where the animals are bred for the fur market.
The country put several regions on localised lockdowns to limit a second wave of the pandemic which was immobilised most of the world throughout 2020.
The tight restrictions were meant to be kept in place until December 3, however, some have already been relaxed, and Denmark is set to enjoy a ‘normal,’ Christmas, with caution at the centre of the celebrations.