There's likely to be a run on wedding hats in Denmark after the news that the Danish queen's younger son, Prince Joachim, has become engaged to his pretty French girlfriend, Marie Cavallier.
The couple - who've been dating since summer 2005 - have announced they will marry next spring.
A statement from the royal family issued on Wednesday morning said: "Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark and His Royal Highness the Prince Consort have the pleasure to announce the engagement of their son, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim to Miss Marie Cavallier".
It will be the second marriage for Queen Margrethe's younger son. He is the father of two young sons, Nikolai and Felix with his former wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.
A proposal was thought to be on the cards this Easter when Marie, who is a Geneva-based businesswoman, joined the royals, including her future parents-in-law on a three-day family break in Marselisborg Palace.
On her marriage the 31-year-old Frenchwoman will become a Danish citizen and swap her Roman Catholic faith to become a member of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. Once she becomes Joachim's new wife she will be known as Her Royal Highness Princess Marie.
Click to read more about Marie Cavallier
Photo: © Alphapress.com
