Schackenborg Palace

Schackenborg Palace lies in Møgeltønder and has belonged to the Schack family for 11 generations. Today, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie reside at Schackenborg Palace.

Five kilometres west of Tønder lies the idyllic village of Møgeltønder, whose history dates back to ancient times. Møgeltønder means Great Tønder. And so it was when the nearby town of Tønder was founded, but the new town soon outgrew Møgeltønder. Its history, however, has been retained in the name. Here one finds Northern Europe’s most beautiful village street from the beginning of the 1700s and Møgeltønderhus, better known as Schackenborg Palace.

Møgeltønderhus was the castle for the bishops of Ribe. It served as protection against the influx of Frisian culture from the south and guarded the waterway from Vidå to Tønder. The building was transferred to the King after the Reformation, and in 1661 the King conveyed the castle to general Hans Schack as a gesture of gratitude for his service in the war against the Swedes. For 11 generations, the Palace belonged to the Schack family until it came into the Royal Family’s ownership in 1978.

In 1993, Schackenborg Palace and its associated farm and lands were taken over by Prince Joachim, who has studied agriculture both in Denmark and abroad.

In connection with the marriage of Prince Joachim and the then-Princess Alexandra in 1995, a nation-wide collection under the name, ¨The Nation’s Gift was launched. The collected amount of around DKK 13 million has been used for restoration of the Palace.

On 24 May 2008, Prince Joachim married Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier, who afterwards became Princess Marie. Today, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie reside at Schackenborg Palace.

The Palace is not open to the public. In summer, there are guided tours of the Palaces garden.