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Denmark

Prince Henrik of Denmark’s final wish fulfilled

The late Prince Henrik of Denmark’s final wish has been fulfilled. The Danish Royal House announced yesterday that his final wish that his ashes be spread in two different places had been completed.

His Late Royal Highness wanted his ashes spread in the ocean in Danish waters and the private garden at Fredensborg Palace.

His family attended both ceremonies when the ashes were spread in the Danish waters and the private garden. The Royal Danish House has said that all additional details are considered private.

Henrik was the husband of Queen Margrethe of Denmark and father to Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim.

The Prince’s funeral earlier this year. Photo credit: DR1 (fair use)

Prince Henrik of Denmark died peacefully in his sleep on 13 February 2018 at 23:18 surrounded by his wife and sons. He was 83. His funeral was held on 20 February in Copenhagen’s Christiansborg Palace Church with just close friends and family in attendance.

The Prince had been in ill health for some time with several hospitalisations in recent years. On 6 September 2017, it was announced that he had been diagnosed with dementia after a series of examinations.

On 9 February of this year, the Royal House announced that His Royal Highness’s condition had worsened considerably; Crown Prince Frederik, who was in South Korea as part of his role as a member of the International Olympic Committee, was called home two weeks ahead of schedule.

Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat was born on 11 June 1934 in Talence, Gironde, France, to Count André de Laborde de Monpezat and Countess Renée de Monpezat, née Doursennot.

The polyglot, who spoke his native French, Danish, English, Chinese and Vietnamese, married Princess Margrethe of Denmark (heir apparent to the Danish throne) on 10 June 1967. He converted from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism and changed his name to the Danish form “Henrik.” Upon his marriage, he became His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark.

Together, they had two sons: Crown Prince Frederik (b. 1968) and Prince Joachim (b. 1969). They also had eight grandchildren: Princes Christian and Vincent and Princesses Isabella and Josephine through Crown Prince Frederik’s marriage to Crown Princess Mary, Prince Nikolai and Felix from Prince Joachim’s first marriage to Alexandra Manley and Prince Henrik and Princess Athena from his second marriage to Princess Marie.

About author

Brittani is from Tennessee, USA. She is a political scientist and historian after graduating with a degree in the topics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2014. She also holds a master's degree from Northeastern University. She enjoys reading and researching all things regarding the royals of the world. She's been researching, reading, and writing on royalty for over a decade. She became Europe Editor in October 2016, and then Deputy Editor in January 2019, and has been featured on several podcasts, radio shows, news broadcasts and websites including Global News Canada, ABC News Australia, WION India and BBC World News.