Alexandra Christina Manley was born on 30 June 1964 in Hong Kong, the daughter of Richard Nigel Manley and Christa Maria Nowotny. She has two younger sisters.
Alexandra attended her early schooling in Hong Kong and studied international business at the Vienna University of Economics and Business in Austria. She worked for GT Management between 1990 and 1995.
She met Prince Joachim of Denmark, the younger son of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, during a dinner party in Hong Kong in 1994. Their engagement was announced in May 1995.
Alexandra and Joachim were married on 18 November 1995 in Frederiksborg Castle Church, and the festivities were held at Fredensborg Palace. Alexandra wore a gown designed by Jørgen Bender and the Alexandrine Drop Tiara, given to her by her new mother-in-law. After her marriage, Alexandra was styled as Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Denmark.
The couple went on to have two sons: Nikolai (born 1999) and Felix (born 2002). Their sons were initially styled as Princes but currently hold the title of Count of Monpezat.
Alexandra became a popular member of the Danish Royal Family, and she quickly learned to speak Danish. She later said, “It was my decision to learn the language immediately. It would have been terrible to have to stand up and speak English at an engagement, or thank someone for something. It would have been utterly wrong. This is my home, and so there was no other option.”1 She also took up a number of charitable causes, which she retains to this day.
In September 2004, Joachim and Alexandra announced their separation and intention to divorce. “After many difficult considerations, we have jointly decided to separate with the intention of seeking a divorce. We are in agreement over the terms of the separation, and we intend to share in the upbringing of our children,” they said in a joint statement.2 Alexandra was granted a civil list income for life, which remained independent of any future remarriage. After the divorce in 2005, Alexandra became known as Her Highness, and she was granted the additional title of Countess of Frederiksborg.
Alexandra remarried to Martin Jørgensen on 3 March 2007 in a private ceremony. As a result, she lost the style of Her Highness and the title of Princess. She has since been known as Her Excellency Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg. In September 2015, this marriage also ended in divorce.
Alexandra still attends family events with the Danish royal family but she is now largely a private person. In 2017, she announced that she would end her income from the civil list in July 2020, when her youngest son turned 18 years old.
Prince Joachim remarried to Marie Cavallier in 2008 and had a further two children with her.
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