King Frederik and Queen Mary took to social media to celebrate the first Sunday of Advent as the Royal Court released details of how the Danish Royal Family will spend the holidays.
King Frederik and Queen Mary were photographed lighting an advent candle on Sunday, with the caption “Glædelig første søndag i advent,” or “Happy first Sunday of Advent.”
The royal couple will spend the holidays in Copenhagen this year, as announced just before the weekend.
King Frederik and Queen Mary will be joined by their children, Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, and by Queen Margrethe, at Amalienborg for Christmas this year.
According to the Royal Court, the Royal Family will attend a Christmas Eve service at the Vor Frue Kirke while Queen Margrethe will also attend a Christmas Eve service at the Fredensborg Castle Church.
On Christmas Day, the Royal Family will attend High Mass at the Vor Frue Kirke.
Last year, King Frederik and Queen Mary marked the holidays at Marselisborg Castle in Aarhus with their children and Queen Margrethe.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie will remain in Washington, D.C. for the holidays with their children, though the Danish Royal Court did not specify if Count Nikolai and Count Felix will join the family over the holidays.
Last year, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie spent the Christmas holidays in France with Princess Marie’s family, though they joined the Danish royals for their traditional New Year’s levees and posed for new official portraits.
The Danish Royal Family are beginning to celebrate the season fully. On Thursday, Queen Margrethe attended the re-premiere of ‘The Snow Queen’ at Tivoli, where she was the costume and set designer for the beloved holiday tableaux. Queen Sonja of Norway, Princess Benedikte and Count Nikolai joined the former Danish queen at the premiere event
To close out the year, King Frederik will deliver a New Year’s Eve speech from Frederik VIII’s Palace, which will broadcast across the kingdom.
