Princess Marie and Prince Joachim of Denmark open up about the stroke he had in the summer

Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark have opened up for the first time about his life-threatening stroke last summer. 

Joachim, 51, was on holiday with his family in France when he suddenly suffered a blood clot and had to be rushed to Toulouse University Hospital to receive emergency surgery.  

Joachim, who lives in Paris with Marie, 45, spent the rest of the summer recuperating at the Danish royals’ summer residence, Chateau de Cayx in Cahors in southern France before returning to Paris, to start a new job as a Defense Attaché at the Danish Embassy in September. 

Eight months on, the Danish Prince and his wife opened up about the ordeal in an interview with Hjernesagen’s member magazine, where Marie admitted the stroke could have ‘changed their lives.’

Prince Joachim, 51 and Princess Marie of Denmark, 45, have opened up about the blood clot he suffered in July which led him to undergo emergency brain surgery in France (pictured now)

‘It was so close to a tragedy that could have changed our lives forever,’ she said. 

The father-of-four revealed he could count on his wife ‘amazing’ support throughout the ordeal, and added she held his hand in the ambulance all the way to the hospital. 

He added Marie went into ‘soldier mode’ after she noticed signs her husband might be having a stroke. 

Marie was taken aback by a nonsensical sentence Joachim told a cousin who had come to visit them that evening and made him repeat himself. 

Father-of-four Joachim said the ordeal had been difficult for him and his family, with Marie adding they came close to a tragedy that would have changed their lives (pictured during the interview)

Father-of-four Joachim said the ordeal had been difficult for him and his family, with Marie adding they came close to a tragedy that would have changed their lives (pictured during the interview) 

At the same time, she noticed her husband’s face was paralysed and understood he was suffering a stroke. 

Instead of panicking, she called an ambulance and hopped in with him, never leaving his bedside until he was fully recovered. 

‘We’re grateful to be together today,’ she said.   

Joachim said it had been hard not to think about what could have happened if he had not been operated on in time, and said that while the situation was difficult for the person affected, it also took a toll on their loved ones.  

Hjernesagen is a private Danish charity for people who have suffered brain lesions such as aneurysms and strokes. 

The Danish royal court advertised the interview on its official Instagram account. 

‘In a new interview with Hjernesagen’s member magazine, Your Royal Highnesses Prince Joachim and Princess Marie tell about the serious course when the Prince was hit by a blood clot in the brain on the evening of 24 July last year,’ the post read. 

‘With their participation in the interview, the Prince and Princess especially wanted to emphasize two important points: That you should always take the signs of a stroke seriously and react immediately – and that you must not forget the relatives of the victim.. 

‘Due to corona restrictions, the interview was conducted on a video connection between Copenhagen and Paris, where the Prince and Princess spoke with the Brain Case from the Danish embassy. The interview is published in Hjernesagen’s member magazine today.⁣’

They accompanied the post with a picture of a beaming Joachim and Marie embracing each other. 

In July, the 51-year-old son of Queen Margrethe, who is sixth in line to the throne, was rushed to Toulouse University Hospital in France, where he was immediately operated on. 

Just two days earlier, Prince Joachim had been celebrating his second son's 18th birthday at the Danish royals' summer residence, Chateau de Cayx in Cahors in southern France. Pictured, the prince with his family on the happy occasion

Just two days earlier, Prince Joachim had been celebrating his second son’s 18th birthday at the Danish royals’ summer residence, Chateau de Cayx in Cahors in southern France. Pictured, the prince with his family on the happy occasion

Just two days earlier, Prince Joachim had been celebrating his second son’s 18th birthday at the Danish royals’ summer residence, Chateau de Cayx in Cahors, in southern France.    

Joachim had marked the event alongside the teenager’s mother and his ex-wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.

The parents were joined by their eldest son Prince Nikolai, 20, and Joachim’s current wife Princess Marie and their two children Prince Henrik, 11, and Princess Athena, eight.

Prince Joachim of Denmark and his ex-wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg divorced in 2004 after 10 years together – they were Denmark’s first royal split in nearly 160 years.

In July the 51-year-old son of Queen Margrethe, who is sixth in line to the throne, was rushed to Toulouse University Hospital (above) in France, where he was immediately operated on

In July the 51-year-old son of Queen Margrethe, who is sixth in line to the throne, was rushed to Toulouse University Hospital (above) in France, where he was immediately operated on

The prince, who is the second son of Margrethe and Prince Consort Henrik, is sixth in line to the throne after his elder brother Crown Prince Frederik and his four children with Australian-born Crown Princess Mary.

He has since remarried Paris-born Marie Cavallier, now Princess Marie and the couple have two children together Prince Henrik, 11, and Princess Athena, eight.

In a statement the Palace 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 today.’

The statement continued: ‘The Royal House has no further information at this point in time, but it is the wish of Her Majesty The Queen that the public respects the privacy of the family during the hospitalisation.’  

In late September, Joachim, who had returned to Paris after recuperating from the operation throughout the summer, started a new job as a defense attaché at the Danish Embassy to France.

Speaking to journalists on his first day back, Joachim said he was ‘fine’ and told how he had lived through a ‘non-summer’ due to the health issues he underwent in late July – before spending most of August recuperating.

Joachim was meant to start his new job on September 1, however this was postponed due to his condition.



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