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They were both born into European royalty, have played second fiddle to their older brothers their whole lives and have now put down roots in the US.
So with all that in common, it’s hardly surprising the Duke of Sussex gave Prince Joachim of Denmark a very warm welcome to the Invictus Games over the weekend.
On Saturday, the royal father-of-four and his wife Princess Marie showed their support for their national team by attending a volleyball game in Vancouver.
After finding their seat, the couple – who were dressed in Invictus Games-branded red gilets – were greeted with hugs from Prince Harry.
The trio were pictured in animated conversation as they watched the game from the sidelines.
Afterwards, the Danish Royal Family’s Official Instagram account shared highlights from the couple’s day at the Invictus Games – but made no mention of the Duke of Sussex.
The post read: ‘Their Royal Highnesses Prince Joachim and Princess Marie yesterday attended a number of competitions during the Invictus Games in Canada to support the Danish participants.
‘Among other things, there were two volleyball matches, where Denmark was partly represented on an international team consisting of athletes from Canada, Romania, Columbia, Nigeria and the USA, and partly a match where Denmark was represented with 11 players together with two Canadian teammates.
Pictured: Prince Harry speaks with Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark during an Invictus Game volleyball match
‘After the two matches, the Prince and Princess attended a reception for the Danish participants, their relatives and officials.
‘Denmark has been represented at all editions of the Invictus Games since the games were held for the first time in 2014.
‘The Danish athletes primarily consist of previously deployed soldiers who have sustained physical or psychological injuries in service. Over the years, the Danish teams have been ambassadors for the rehabilitative effect of sport.’
Just like Prince Harry, Prince Joachim is now based in the United States – having taken a job as the defence industry attaché at the Danish embassy in Washington D.C. in 2023.
The pair – who both also have a military background – were last seen together in 2017, when Prince Harry visited the Danish Defence Center for Military Physical Training during a royal tour of Copenhagen.
Prince Joachim is the younger son of Queen Margrethe II, who removed the princely titles from his four children Nikolai, Felix, Henrik and Athena in September 2022.
His family’s move to the US has parallels to when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in Britain in 2020 to begin their new life in North America.
Denmark’s Queen, who abdicated in January 2024, later apologised for upsetting members of her family with the decision – with Prince Joachim publicly expressing his frustration, but she has refused to change her mind.
Prince Harry, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie were pictured in animated conversation as they watched the game from the sidelines
Prince Harry and Prince Joachim pictured at the Danish Defence Center for Military Physical Training during the Duke of Sussex’s tour of Copenhagen in October 2017
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, meets with Denmark’s Princess Marie and Prince Joachim during Sitting Volleyball at the 2025 Invictus Games
Just like Prince Harry, Prince Joachim is now based in the United States – having taken a job as the defence industry attaché at the Danish embassy in Washington D.C. in 2023
Prince Joachim pictured with Princess Marie and their children Count Herik and Countess Athena and his two sons Nikolai and Felix from his first marriage
On the steps of parliament in January 2024, King Frederik greeted his brother Joachim, showing there’s no ill will between the pair
The official reason was to allow the children to live more normal lives, and follows similar moves by other royal families in Europe, including the Windsors, to slim down their monarchies, the palace said at the time.
But Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg, Prince Joachim’s first wife and mother of his two older children, said at the time: ‘We are all confused by the decision.
‘We are saddened and in shock. This comes like a bolt from the blue. The children feel ostracized.
‘They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away from them.’
And Prince Joachim himself added in an interview with Danish news outlet Ekstra Bladet that: ‘We are all very sad. It’s never fun to see your children being harmed. They have been put in a situation they do not understand.’
Nikolai, 24, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 11, are now known as ‘Count and Countess’ and referred to as Their Excellencies, rather than Their Royal Highness.
Although there were echoes of Prince William and Prince Harry’s feud, the pair proved that it is possible to overcome the tensions in a brotherly relationship where one is destined to be King.
Last January, Prince Joachim flew back to Denmark to witness his brother’s ascension to the throne – but his wife and four children were noticeably absent.
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