Before Prince Joachim was hospitalized last week, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie gave an interview to Danish magazine Se og Hør. The interview was published today. Read more below.
First, the Court released a statement yesterday about Prince Joachim’s health following his hospitalization:
UDPATE JULY 30TH: Billed-Bladet reports new information about Prince Joachim’s blood clot and hospitalization in this week’s new issue of the magazine
They report that Prince Joachim had complained of a headache prior to the incident but in the evening, he became numb and partially paralyzed on one side. They say Princess Marie acted quickly and called an ambulance. He was taken to the hospital in Cahors and then to the hospital in Toulouse.
They also say that Joachim talked to his oldest sons after the surgery. Both had left Cayx when the incident happened according to Billed-Bladet. Felix had left with his mother to visit friends elsewhere in France while Nikolai had left to join his girlfriend Benedikte to go on holiday. They also report that Marie’s family is currently taking care of Henrik and Athena.
Following the news of Prince Joachim’s hospitalization, Danish magazine Se og Hør revealed that Prince Joachim and Princess Marie gave them an interview during their holidays in France. The interview was published in today’s issue of Se og Hør. I have translated all the quotes below. Se og Hør said that the interview took place during a walk between the small town of Luzech and the Château de Cayx. They also said that the interview was not previously agreed to by the Court’s communication department.
About needing to go on holidays after the past year, Prince Joachim said: “[The new job] will be challenging but I look forward to it. So I think the holiday is much needed. For all of us.” Prince Joachim’s military training meant he had classes six days of the week from 9am to 7pm. Se og Hør’s headline is that the Prince was exhausted before he had to go to the hospital because of the blood clot.
About their holidays, Se og Hør said that Joachim & Marie would go to the bakery every morning to get breakfast for their family and that they “shone and looked like a newly in love couple, even though they have just had their 12th wedding anniversary.”
About his new job, Prince Joachim said: “It’s never too late. This is a natural continuation of the training. The in-depth knowledge I have gained of the French defense and of course I now know 25 senior French officers in the top management. “
Asked if ten years ago, it would have imagined this path for himself, he says: “No. 10 years ago I was a farmer. It’s that simple.” which made the couple laughs.
When the Se og Hør reporter asks Prince Joachim why he chose a new path in life, Princess Marie said: “It is not always us who decide.” When the reporter tried to get her to explain what she meant, she said: “No. It is not always us who decide. I think that’s important to know.”
Prince Joachim then said: “And then there is the saying to it: The study that is so unique. It is not one you can search for. So once it fell into place, then I would say it is a natural consequence. Before I was invited to that study, I had not even heard of it. There are very few who have.”
Se og Hør wrote: “Thus, Joachim supports Marie’s claim that the move to France was not their choice. The Prince emphasized that he had never had a burning desire to live in Paris.”
Se og Hør wrote that even though it looks like the couple accepted their lives as “exiled Danes”, the year has been difficult. Princess Marie said: “No, I think it has been challenging for me because I had to support my husband and take care of our children. That was what I had to do. We have to see what comes. But of course I have to settle down. Now it is my turn. For I have been 100% with my husband and I have cared for my children. And of course it was with joy, but I also have to think about the causes that matters to me.”
Princess Marie also emphasized that she would choose Denmark as her home any time : “Uh, I was so happy living in Denmark. I loved living in Denmark. Denmark is just such a wonderful country to be in. Everything works well and there are not many problems. But I come from Paris. So for me, this is nothing new. If we can go back and forth between France and Denmark, then that would be great.”
When asked if going back and forth between France and Denmark was the future plan, Princess Marie said: “We really do not know. We were thrown into it without thinking much.” Se og Hør noted that in October 2019, Prince Joachim had already said that he had been strongly encouraged by the Queen to accept the military training.
Princess Marie also talked about how difficult it also was for the children. She said: “It has been a very strange year because there has been coronavirus and the strikes in France. So it may have been a little difficult for them to find their everyday life. But I think it will come. They speak French now. But they have not been to school for more than three month. So it’s totally wild. It’s a little annoying for them because it’s their first year in France. But we have tried to continue with the French and we really think they have learned a lot.”
Se og Hør also said that Prince Joachim was tired of the press writing about his apenage. When the reporter started asking about the criticism, Joachim cut him off and said “Well, it’s over”. Asked about what he thought of the criticism, Joachim joked: “Se og Hør is really good at headline criticism. Do you know what would be most fair? Not writing about it.”
Princess Marie said: “But he is right. It has been unfair. Because he loves his country, and he works for Denmark, and he is proud to be a Dane and to be able to help where he can. And I do not think one should only say the negative. One must also say the positive.”
Prince Joachim also said that he was very proud of Prince Felix and that he was proud that Felix was considering a military career like his father.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie also gave an interview to French local newspaper La Dépêche, a few hours before Joachim’s accident.
About the Chateau de Cayx, Prince Joachim said: “This is the most beautiful balcony in France. Being able to enjoy it is one of my best privileges. It’s hard to go without it. My very first trip abroad was in the Lot [the French department in which Cayx is located]. I was three months old. My father was born here. I come here almost every year, especially in the summer. It is a department that is particularly close to my heart because I have lived wonderful moments there with my family and always with this exceptional view. The particular green of the vines is fascinating and relaxing. It helps us relax. It is very healthy. You don’t see such colors anywhere else. With my brother and my cousins, we loved discovering the secret places around Cayx, we made treehouses and barns with the utmost care.”
Princess Marie said: “For my part, I have been coming to the Lot for 12 years. I sat on the edge of this balcony that my husband talks about and I fell in love with this extraordinary place. It was love at first sight. We both love the local gastronomy, good wine and above all the authentic side of this department. We don’t come here to see the Lot, but to experience it.”
Princess Marie also said that the couple tried fishing without success. Prince Joachim said:”We go to the Cayx water sports center, we go hiking. But the main thing here is relaxation.”
The newspaper reports that during their stay in Cayx, the family went to the Cité de l’Espace in Toulouse and were planning on visiting Albi’s cathedral and the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum before going back to Paris.
The newspaper also says that while Prince Joachim will start his new job in September, Princess Marie wants to continue pursuing her passion for photography. She is also working on a French version of her cookbook against food waste ‘Food with Respect’ that was a success in Denmark.
Princess Marie's Closet 