Queen Margrethe II and her family publicly mourned the death of her husband Prince Henrik on Thursday.
The Danish royals were pictured as they rode in convoy, escorting the prince’s casket from Fredensborg Castle — where he died on Tuesday at age 83 — to Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. Despite the near-freezing temperatures, thousands of people turned out to line part of the 35km stretch between the two palaces.
Upon arrival, men dressed in military garb carried Henrik’s coffin — draped in a red and white Danish flag with the royal crest in the centre — into the palace.
The Danish royals rode in convoy as they escorted Prince Henrik’s casket from Fredensborg Castle — where he died on Tuesday at age 83 — to Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen.
The royals then gathered in the palace square, putting on a brave face as they viewed the sea of flowers and messages left by members of the public.
Crown Princess Mary and her husband Crown Prince Frederik were joined by their four children — Prince Christian, 12, Princess Isabella, ten, and seven-year-old twins Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent — for the sombre visit.
Prince Joachim and his wife Princess Marie also brought their two children Prince Henrik, eight, and Princess Athena, six. Joachim’s two eldest sons from his first marriage, Prince Nikolai, 18, and Prince Felix, 15, were also in attendance.
The beloved royals appeared at times cheered by the tributes, with Queen Margrethe II — or ‘Queen Daisy’ as she is affectionately known — even managing to smile as she took in a section of floral tributes laid out in honour of her late husband.
Prince Frederik, Prince Christian, Prince Vincent and Princess Isabella are pictured as they view tributes left by members of the public.
Princess Mary was also in attendance at the sombre visit.
The Danish Royals appeared cheered by the sea of flowers and even managed to smile from time to time.
Henrik died in his sleep on Tuesday at the age of 83. He was surrounded by senior members of the Danish Royals including wife Queen Margrethe and sons Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim.
The palace confirmed his passing early Wednesday morning Danish time in a statement, which read, “His Royal Highness Prince Henrik died on Tuesday, February 13, at 23.18 quietly at Fredensborg Palace.”
“The Prince was surrounded by Her Majesty the Queen and their two sons.”
Look back at Prince Henrik’s incredible life in pictures here…
Prince Henrik officially retired from his royal duties in January 2016 and has struggled with ill health ever since.
The 83-year-old’s condition started deteriorating in September last year, when he was diagnosed with dementia following erratic behaviour and a slew of controversial comments made about The Queen.
Last year, Henrik made headlines after announcing his decision not to be buried next to his wife, as planned in an already-designed sarcophagus at Denmark’s Roskilde Cathedral.
The choice, he said, was due to the fact that he was never made King Consort.
“She’s the one playing me for a fool,” he said of his wife in an interview with Danish magazine Se og Hør.
“I didn’t marry The Queen to get buried at Roskilde. It’s my wife and not me that can do anything about this matter. If she wants me buried with her, she has to make me King Consort.”
The prince had long-complained that he didn’t become head of state when his wife acceded to the throne in 1972.
The 83-year-old had been suffering from dementia.
The palace has now said it will respect Henrik’s wish to be cremated.
Half of his ashes will be scattered over Danish seas and the other half buried in the royal family’s private garden at the Fredensborg Palace, north of Copenhagen, where he died.
Our thoughts are with the entire Royal Family during this difficult time.
