In the fall, Prince Joachim will move to the United States with his family and take up a new post there. Now it is known that Queen Margrethe’s son does not have to do without his appanage.
“On September 1, 2023, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim will take up a new position in the Ministry of Defense as a Defense Industry Attaché at the Embassy of Denmark in Washington, DC,” the Danish palace said on Instagram in mid-March this year. The aim is for Prince Joachim, 53, to contribute to strengthening “defence industry cooperation with the USA and Canada”.
Shortly after the announcement, there was already a debate about whether Prince Joachim was still entitled to an additional allowance in addition to his salary. According to the newspaper “BT”, the Danish parties initially failed to reach a consensus – that has now changed.
Prince Joachim may keep his appanage
On Thursday morning, May 4, 2023, at a session of the Danish Parliament, the majority of the members of parliament decided that Joachim would also be granted the annual allowance of the equivalent of 519,186 euros at his new workplace in the United States. “His Royal Highness has done a lot of valuable work for Denmark as Defense Attaché in Paris, and we are strengthening our cooperation with the United States in the area of security and defense,” said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, according to “Dana Press” in the first related meeting on March 11. April 2023 declared. “The United States is our most important ally and the transatlantic bond is crucial, not least in view of the current security situation in Europe.”
The three Danish parties Socialistisk Folkeparti (SF), the red-green Enhedslisten and the left-green Alternativet voted against the motion, but Frederiksen already had a political majority in favor of the decision on April 11. On May 4, 88 MPs voted for and 19 MPs against the proposed resolution, reports “BT”. According to Royal expert Jacob Heinel Jensen, this outcome is hardly surprising. “It was as predictable as boiled cod on New Year’s Eve that Prince Joachim would take his appanage to the United States,” he told the publication.
Sources used: Dana Press, bt.dk