Denmark announces the death of Prince Henrik
February 14, 2018
The Danish royal palace on Wednesday announced the death of Prince Henrik, husband of Danish Queen Margrethe II. He was 83.
Henrik was born Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat, on June 11, 1934 in Talence, south-west France. He spent his first five years in Vietnam where his family had business interests. The family returned to France in 1939 and remained there throughout the Second World War. Henrik studied law at the Sorbonne in Paris.
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He joined the military and served in the infantry in Algeria between 1959 and 1962. He then joined the French Foreign Ministry with posts in the Asia department and the French embassy in London. Henrik met Danish Crown Princess Margrethe at a dinner party in London 1965 where she was studying. They were married in 1967, five years before she was crowned queen.
When he wed Margrethe in 1967, he converted to become a Lutheran and changed his name to the more Danish Henrik.
Henrik had some difficulties with the Danish royal system which stated that the queen was the monarch. He had hoped be known as "king" and have a more prominent role but that was not to be. It was said he was upset to be ranked third in line after his two sons,
In September of 2017, the palace announced that the prince was suffering from dementia.
Henrik died peacefully in his sleep late Tuesday at Fredensborg Palace. The Queen and his two sons were by his side.
av/aw (AP, AFP, dpa)