The Danish Royal Court has announced that Prince Joachim and his Hong Kong-born wife, Princess Alexandra, have decided to separate.

The 35-year-old Prince Joachim and 40-year-old Princess Alexandra announced through the court that they are separating with the intention to divorce after a marriage of nearly nine years.

It would be the first divorce in the Danish royal family in 165 years and comes just four months after Prince Frederik, Joachim's elder brother and the heir to the throne, married an Australian commoner in a glittering Copenhagen Cathedral ceremony.

Alexandra will live together with their two sons, 5-year-old Prince Nikolai and two-year-old Prince Felix. She will retain the title "Her Highness" following separation proceedings.

In a statement, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed his government's "great regret" at the news. 

                                                                                              (CRIENGLISH.com)

commoner : one of the common people; one having no rank of nobility（平民）