Prince Joachim of Denmark reveals how he and 'extremely attractive' Princess Marie bonded 'by pure coincidence' at a dinner party when he was still married to his first wife
- Despite being married himself, the pair bonded by chance at a dinner party
- They happened to be the only two French-speaking people at the dinner
- 'Our romance, however, started much later,' he recalled
- Pair married in 2008 and have two children together
Not every little girl dreams of growing up to marry a prince, wear a tiara, and live 'happily ever after' in a castle - particularly not Princess Marie of Denmark, who did just that.
But the Prince Joachim, 46, who married Princess Marie in 2008, has spoken of their fateful first encounter and how - despite being married himself - the pair bonded by chance at a dinner party.
Speaking to Hello! magazine, the royal, who was married to Alexandra Manley, Countess of Frederiksborg, explained that his first encounter with Princess Marie was 'pure coincidence'.
Prince Joachim of Denmark reveals how he and Princess Marie bonded 'by pure coincidence' at a dinner party when he was still married to his first wife
Prince Joachim, who has two sons with his ex-wife, recalled: 'I was married at the time. But because we happened to be the only two French-speaking people at the dinner, our host seated us next to each other.
'And as Marie had never been to Denmark it was fun to talk to her. Our romance, however, started much later.'
The loved-up Prince went on to hail his wife, with whom he has two children, as 'extremely attractive' and that there is 'something very profound' about her.
The royal also explained that he and Princess Marie try to give their young children a normal upbringing and aim to ensure that they never feel too different to other children.
Now married to Joachim since May of 2008, she has two children, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena, pictured, and two step-children, Princes Nikolai and Felix
Prince Joachim of Denmark and Princess Marie of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, pictured after they got married at the Mogeltonder church on May 24, 2008 in Mogeltonder, Denmark
Princess Marie, who lives with her husband in Schackenborg Castle recently admitted she was actually quite hesitant to get involved with the royal back when they were dating, and definitely wasn't looking for a fairy tale.
'I had a great life - I didn't need to be rescued by some prince from Denmark,' she told the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, according to People.
That isn't to say that she wasn't interested in Joachim when they met at a party thrown by mutual friends, or when they were seen vacationing together in Avignon, France in 2005.
Marie, who was born to a wealthy family in Paris, fell for the recently-divorced royal, but didn't love the idea of getting caught up in his world.
A self-sufficient woman, Marie had held jobs in PR and advertising before landing a gig as an executive secretary in ING Numismatic Group SA, where she worked until her engagement to Joachim.
'There was no doubt in my heart that I loved him, but I had my life. I was happy, and I had my pride. I simply was not ready to get married and take on the responsibility it would be to become part of the royal family,' she said.
The 40-year-old had a career and independent life, but suddenly found herself getting unwanted attention
By the time Joachim popped the question in 2007, though, she had apparently decided that it was worth it, after all. She now calls him her 'soulmate' and attributes part of that to the fact that he gave her a sense of stability, which she had been lacking since her parents' divorce when she was 11.
After her mother and father split, she moved with her mother to Switzerland, attended boarding school, and went on to colleges in Massachusetts and New York, living a fairly rootless life.
Now married to Joachim since May of 2008, she has two children, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena, and two step-children, Princes Nikolai and Felix.
She's adjusted to life in the public eye, with a little help from her prince.
'Prince Joachim has been so understanding and patient in helping me appreciate where we are. I've come to understand his position, and how important the royal family is for the Danes,' she said.
She also revealed that she is consciously working to ensure her own kids don't feel the same unsteadiness that she did as a child, and wants to make their home a place where they 'feel safe and develop their confidence'.
And as for her decision to forsake some of her independence to live with the man she loves, she insists she has no regrets - even if it took a while to get there.
A self-sufficient woman, Marie had held jobs in PR and advertising before landing a gig as an executive secretary in ING Numismatic Group SA, where she worked until her engagement to Joachim
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