On Thursday, February 13, 2025, King Frederik and Queen Mary observed a bittersweet moment amid their private family getaway, marking the seventh anniversary of the passing of Frederik’s father, Prince Henrik.
The French-born prince consort passed away peacefully in 2018 at the age of 83, following a battle with dementia and a lung infection.
Frederik, then Crown Prince, had interrupted his official visit to the Winter Olympics in South Korea, rushing back to Denmark to be with his father in his final days.
Henrik’s funeral took place at the Palace Chapel, where he was cremated, with half of his ashes scattered over the Danish seas, while the other half were placed in a private part of the Fredensborg Palace gardens.
Married to Queen Margrethe for over 50 years, Henrik was a figure of controversy, often expressing dissatisfaction with his title as Prince Consort instead of King Consort.
frustrations were notably aired in 2002, after Crown Prince Frederik hosted a New Year’s reception in Margrethe’s absence. Henrik fled to their French chateau in Caix, later admitting he felt “pushed aside, degraded, and humiliated.”
Margrethe visited him during his retreat, and the couple returned to Denmark shortly after. Henrik’s complaints about his title were acknowledged by Margrethe, but the tension remained.
King Frederik reflected on his complex relationship with his father in his 2024 book The King’s Word, describing Henrik as “very patriarchal” and noting that Henrik had tried to instill the same values in his sons.
Frederik shared his personal growth, influenced by his wife’s reminder that, as a man, his words should not automatically be considered right.
Currently, King Frederik and Queen Mary are thought to be on a private holiday abroad with their three youngest children—Princess Isabella, 17, and 14-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.
