Princess Athena is growing up fast! The little girl has posed for a new, official portrait for her sixth birthday on 24 January. The sweet photo shows the princess grinning from ear-to-ear, looking sweet in a floral top and a matching bow in her hair. The picture was released by the Danish royal palace in honour of Athena's special day.
The princess is the younger child of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie. The couple also have an eight-year-old son, Prince Henrik, who is named after his paternal grandfather Prince Henrik of Denmark, the husband of Queen Margrethe II. Prince Joachim also has two older children from his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg – Prince Nikolai, 18, and Prince Felix, 15.
Princess Athena celebrates her sixth birthday
Princess Marie prepares school lunch for her kids
Joachim and France-born Marie have previously opened up about their two beautiful children – and how they first met at a hunt. Speaking exclusively to HELLO! magazine in 2016, Joachim revealed: "It was pure coincidence that we met. 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."
Praising his wife, Joachim, 48, added: "She has the ability to reach people's hearts. It's true that when you see a glossy photo, there's no doubt that she's extremely attractive, but that's just the beginning. When you talk to her, you realise there's something very profound."
Joachim described his son Henrik as "extremely good-natured but can be stubborn," while he said his daughter Athena was "the Viking in the family". "We've always tried to bring them up so that they never feel different from other kids," Joachim said. "Of course, we have to teach them that there are times when they'll be on the balcony with their grandmother and there'll be a lot of photographers taking pictures of us. But that's just part of the position, something you live with."
