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Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier Biography
Name:
Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier was born in Paris on February 6, 1976. After her parents divorced she moved to Geneva, where she currently resides until her marriage to Prince Joachim of Denmark.
Education:
Switzerland:
Beau Soleil.
Wellesley
Marymount Manhattan College
Boston College
Marie is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, German, and of course French. Ms. Cavallier is currently learning Danish, which she should have no problem learning given her talent for picking up languages quickly.
Work:
New York: Double Click, 1999-2001.
Geneva: Currently works at her stepfather’s firm, REInvest.
Relationship with a Prince:
Marie Cavallier met Prince Joachim in 2002 whilst on a hunting trip in Denmark, and did not re-connect until 2005 in Paris. In the summer of that year,
the couple were photographed whilst on holiday in Avignon, France. Sometime later the Danish tabloid,
Billed Bladet, chased down the
mysterious French woman and coherced her to speak with them, in which
she famously noted:
Quote:
Prince Joachim is a wonderful person. He is warm, sweet and loving. He has been through a hard time with many difficult things, but he is a very honest and patient person and I love him very much.
A
naive Marie also noted to a journalist from
Ekstra Bladet, when asked about her relationship to the Prince:
Quote:
EB: Are you in love?
M: I love him very much but that I think is something private and something I want to tell him myself.
EB: Have you told him that you love him?
M: No I have not said it yet, we don't talk like that yet.
Also quoted in the Copenhagen Post dated 3.16.06.
Soon after, in June 2006,
Billed Bladet reported that the
couple had split.
Marie was quoted as saying,
"We are not dating anymore!!!!!!!" as she ran away from the media.
*See[URL="http://www.cphpost.dk/get/96962.html"]Copenhagen Post[/URL]
Rumors circulated that it was Joachim who broke it off, but alas no one really knows for sure. However, it didn't last long. The couple, once again, re-kindled their
relationship.
Things began to heat up between the
couple in mid 2006, and soon Marie was spending time in Copenhagen. A major turning point in the relationship happened during New Year's Eve's weekend 2006/2007. The couple along with his children, close friends, and Prince Joachim’s ex-wife, Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg and her partner, now husband, Martin rang in the new year together.
In February, there was a delightful
ski trip in Switzerland with Joachim along with his two sons, Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix. Of course, Marie’s dog, Apple, was there
stuffed into her backpack.
As the months progressed Marie was seen frequently in Denmark. She spent
Easter at Marselisborg with the royal family whereupon she met Queen Margrethe for the first time. When she spoke to
Billed Bladet about the Queen, she noted:
Quote:
...[
the Queen is a]
fantastic human being...
Other notable occasions with Joachim include: The
Fleming baptism, various racing events, and numerous
pick-ups at the
airport.
Engagement:
After months of anticipation and rumors swirling on the Internet as well as the Danish weekly tabloids about the
[URL="http://aycu14.webshots.com/image/29253/2005108960794211269_rs.jpg"]the couple[/URL], the palace finally announced the
engagement on October 3, 2007. Per Ove Ullerup, the Lord Chamberlain, via
Kongehuest.dk:
Quote:
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.
Today, Wednesday October 3rd 2007, the Council of State has been assembled at Christiansborg Castle presided over by Her Majesty the Queen. Upon submission from the Prime Minister and in accordance with the Act of Succession of 1953, Her Majesty gave her consent to the marriage of His Royal Highness Prince Joachim and Miss Marie Cavallier.
Apparently, Joachim proposed to
Marie over the summer while the two were vacationing in Turkey. The unconventional engagement ring consists of three stones: Ruby, Diamond, Sapphire.
Billed Bladet's Anna Johannesen, describes
[URL="http://aycu23.webshots.com/image/31222/2005152911434365562_rs.jpg"]the ring[/URL] as being, "...a heavy gold ring..." She goes on to note that "Prince Joachim ordered the ring 4-5 months ago from goldsmith Mette Rosgaard."
[URL="http://aycu11.webshots.com/image/31050/2005186577994281719_rs.jpg"]Marie[/URL] did not wear the
[URL="http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/30762/2005175617794365299_rs.jpg"]ring[/URL] until the official press conference. I guess they wanted to keep it a major secret. Nonetheless, months prior to the press conference one could easily tell that something was about to happen... even my cat could figure it out.
The royal wedding will take place sometime in spring 2008. Miss Cavallier has expressed her wish to give up her French citizenship as well as to convert to Lutheranism. After her marriage she will become
Her Royal Highness Princess Marie Agathe.
