Danish royal pair set to divorce

No official reason has been given for the split

Denmark's Prince Joachim, the youngest son of Queen Margrethe, and his Hong Kong-born wife Princess Alexandra are to divorce, the royal palace says.

"After many difficult considerations, we have jointly decided to separate with the intention of seeking a divorce," the pair said in a statement.

No official reason has been given for the split.

The couple were married in 1995 and have two sons, Prince Nikolai, five, and Prince Felix, two.

In a statement read by royal spokesman Ove Ullerup, Queen Margrethe and her husband Prince Henrik said they "deeply regretted" the couple's decision, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Royal historian Steffen Heiberg told the agency it would be the first divorce in the Danish royal family since 1846, when King Frederik VII divorced Princess Caroline.

The Danish media had been speculating for several months that the popular couple were heading for a split, amid reports of the prince's fondness for partying and race cars.

Joachim is the younger brother of the heir to the Danish throne, Crown Prince Frederik, who in May married Australian-born Crown Princess Mary.