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Denmark's Prince Henrik, who wanted to be king, dies at 83 | Denmark's Prince Henrik, who wanted to be king, dies at 83 |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Prince Henrik of Denmark, the husband of Queen Margrethe who was famous for his public unhappiness at never being named king, has died at the age of 83. | Prince Henrik of Denmark, the husband of Queen Margrethe who was famous for his public unhappiness at never being named king, has died at the age of 83. |
The controversial French-born prince had been diagnosed with dementia last year and was admitted to hospital in January with a lung infection. | |
His flamboyant style was both loved and criticised by Danes. | His flamboyant style was both loved and criticised by Danes. |
Frustrated with his royal title, he announced in 2017 that he did not want to be buried next to his wife. | Frustrated with his royal title, he announced in 2017 that he did not want to be buried next to his wife. |
The 77-year-old queen accepted her husband's decision, the Royal House said at the time, breaking a 459-year-old tradition of burying royal spouses together. | |
She already has a specially-built sarcophagus in a cathedral west of Copenhagen where the remains of Danish royals are buried. | She already has a specially-built sarcophagus in a cathedral west of Copenhagen where the remains of Danish royals are buried. |
The prince died "peacefully in his sleep" at the Fredensborg Castle, north of Copenhagen, with Queen Margrethe and their two sons - Crown Prince Frederick and Prince Joachim - at his side. | |
Born Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat on 11 June 1934, Prince Henrik married the then-crown princess Margrethe in 1967. | |
When she became queen in 1972, he was named Prince Consort - in Denmark, a princess traditionally becomes queen when her husband takes the throne, but a man does not become king if his wife becomes queen. | |
But over the years, he made no secret about his unhappiness at being denied the title of king. And many Danes disliked him for that, seeing it as a sign of an arrogant man hungry for recognition. | |
'Degraded and humiliated' | |
Prince Henrik did not take it lightly when, in 2002, Crown Prince Frederik was chosen to represent Queen Margrethe at a New Year's ceremony, instead of him. | |
Saying he had to "reflect on life", he dramatically fled to his chateau in southern France, where he would stay for three weeks. | |
To a Danish tabloid, he said the royal staff had shunted him into "third place in the royal hierarchy". He had felt "pushed aside, degraded and humiliated", and his self-respect was being destroyed. | |
"For many years I have been Denmark's number two," he said at the time. "I've been satisfied with that role, but I don't want to be relegated to number three." | |
Read more | Read more |
While the episode became a source of joke for many, it was turning point for others, especially many young Danes, who thought his manner represented a break from the norms of cultural uniformity in Danish society. | |
He spoke with a thick French accent and was known for his love of food, wine and poetry. | He spoke with a thick French accent and was known for his love of food, wine and poetry. |
In 2016, he retired from official duties, renouncing the title of Prince Consort. In the time since, he was often in France at his private vineyard. | |
Crown Prince Frederick returned from the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea last week to be with his ailing father. | Crown Prince Frederick returned from the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea last week to be with his ailing father. |
Prince Henrik did not want a state funeral and the ceremony will be small and private, the Royal House said. | |
Following his wish, he will be cremated, with half his ashes spread over Danish seas and the other half buried in the royal private garden at the Fredensborg Castle. |