The Danish Royal Family's Festive "Sibling Challenge” Gets Heated

Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine made royal “julekagenhus.”

The Danish Royal Family poses together.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

King Frederik and Queen Mary’s four children are getting into the Christmas spirit at Amalienborg Palace in Denmark. After last week’s Christmas tree decorating video, Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine created “julekagenhus,” gingerbread houses, in a boys versus girls competition shared on Instagram.

“Are you ready for a little sibling challenge?” Crown Prince Christian asked his younger siblings, as they were divided into two teams. In their private kitchen at Amalienborg Palace, the princes and the princesses were divided by a wood panel so they couldn’t peek at the opposing creations. “You’re not allowed to look at each other’s,” Princess Josephine declared in Danish as the competition began.

Princess Isabella and Princess Josephine made royal “julekagenhus.”

Princess Isabella and Princess Josephine made royal “julekagenhus.”

(Image credit: Kongehuset/Instagram)

Queen Mary's Dog Coco

Queen Mary's border collie, Coco, hopes for crumbs.

(Image credit: Kongehuset/Instagram)

Princess Isabella and Princess Josephine worked hard to create a gingerbread house creation from cookies, icing, and doughnuts. The family’s dog, a border collie named Coco, looked on, hoping for a crumb to fall from the immaculate, modern kitchen counters.

Meanwhile, Prince Christian and Prince Vincent’s construction kept falling down, until they magically pulled a beautifully decorated “julekagenhus” from beneath the kitchen counter. When the two teams revealed their creations, Princess Isabella exclaimed in Danish, “Oh come on, why is theirs ten times nicer?” Accusations began to fly, with the elder princess saying “you didn’t make that one!”

Danish Royal Family Gingerbread House Competition

Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine making royal “julekagenhus” at Amalienborg Palace.

(Image credit: Kongehuset/Instagram)

Prince Christian and Prince Vincent quickly admitted to cheating, revealing their original crumbling construction. “This was the one Vincent and I made,” Prince Christian shared, “…in the first five minutes, until we gave up.”

Christine Ross
Writer

Christine Ross is a freelancer writer, royal expert, broadcaster and podcaster. She's worked with news outlets including the BBC, Glamour, Talk TV, ET, PBS, CNN and 20/20 to cover the foremost royal events of the last decade, from Prince George’s birth to the coronation of King Charles III.

She previously served as co-host of Royally Us, a weekly royal podcast by Us Weekly. As a freelance writer and royal commentator she provides expert commentary, historical context and fashion analysis about royal families worldwide, with an emphasis on the British Royal Family.