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First, Queen Mary surprised fans when she appeared on TV to give a rare insight into family life. Now, reality TV viewers are getting a glimpse inside the inner sanctum of two more Danish Royal Family members, in a rather unexpected move.
The private home of King Frederik’s brother Prince Joachim and his wife Princess Marie made an appearance on the Danish version of Farmer Wants a Wife – with insiders declaring the luxe residence was the “perfect place for a romantic date”.
The property in question is Schackenborg Castle in Møgeltønder and it served as Prince Joachim’s home from 1993 to 2014.
He lived there with his first wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, and it was where they raised their two sons Count Nikolai, 26, and Count Felix, 23.
While he later sold the property, moving to France and then Washington with his second wife Princess Marie, the pair are understood to still return to the castle to live for periods of time.
The historic manor house is certainly stunning to look at – it dates back to the 1660s and boasts three wings arranged around a central courtyard, with symmetrical facades and classic baroque details.
The estate includes around 3700 acres of landscaped gardens, moats, and farmland.
Revealing news of the reality TV appearance in a post to Instagram, the caretakers of Schackenborg Castle called the visit from cameras “very special”.
“We’ve been keeping a secret…” the social post about the TV2 show – which is called Farmer Looking for Love – read.
“Here – in the middle of the historical setting and adventurous surroundings – TV2 had spotted the perfect place for a romantic date.”
The post urged viewers to tune in to discover “if love sprouts in the royal framework”.
“Do you even dream of a romantic date in royal surroundings?” the writer asked, adding photos of the camera crew at work behind the scenes of the show.
Prince Joachim certainly has fond memories of his time spent at the castle.
“Schackenborg was my home for many years and still the place I go to find peace,” he has said.
In 2014 he transferred the castle to a foundation he created called The Schackenborg Foundation.
At the time he and Marie wished to move to Copenhagen due to “family considerations” but a press release announcing the move made clear that the couple attached “importance to maintaining their close connection” to the area.
“As patrons, the couple will therefore continue to reside in the palace during periods of the year,” the release stated.
“Princess Marie and I are happy about the solution we have reached with the founders of the new foundation,” Joachim said at the time.
“It has been a difficult decision to transfer Schackenborg, but I am convinced that we, with this solution, ensure Schackenborg’s future in the best way possible.”
While the royal couple has been living in the US since 2023 – thanks to Joachim’s role working at the Danish Embassy there – they have not ruled out a return to Denmark.
“We have a desire to come home. But we also do not rule out the possibility of staying abroad,” Joachim told TV2 in June 2025.
“Now we have to see. For now, it is on our radar, when the post here stops, we will return home.”
Talking previously to Danish publication DK, Joachim – whose children were famously stripped of their titles by Queen Margrethe in 2023 in an effort to slim down the monarchy – spoke about life overseas.
“The USA is the land of opportunity, and it’s also super exciting for our children to go to school here,” he said.
“They are really challenged in a great way and it’s something they enjoy.
“‘I think that if I look at the very long term, four years in Paris [and then] over here, I think that will be well spent, and I also think that they will thank me for that – one day,” he added.
