Crown Prince Frederik, Princess Mary of Denmark and their children joined the rest of the Danish royal family to farewell Prince Henrik, who died last week aged 83.
Mary, 47, dressed all in black save for a double-strand pearl necklace, was pictured comforting her young children — Prince Christian, 12, Princess Isabella, ten, and seven-year-old twins Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent — as they attended the private service at the Christiansborg Palace Chapel in Copenhagen.
Josephine, in particular, needed extra attention from her loving mother as she said an emotional goodbye to her “Farfar” (Danish for grandfather).
Princess Mary’s children looked particularly upset as they said an emotional goodbye to their “Farfar.”
Little Josephine needed some extra care from her beloved mother.
Mary, pictured here with Princess Isabella, was on hand to support other senior members of the royal family at the intimate ceremony.
Queen Margrethe, or ‘Queen Daisy’ as she is affectionately known, wore a black veil for the service in honour of her late husband. She appeared emotional throughout the service, though did manage to smile from time to time.
Frederik, too, was visibly upset with reddened eyes during his father’s funeral, which was broadcast on live TV. The prince had flown back from his visit to South Korea for the Winter Olympics to be at his father’s side before his death.
After the simple church ceremony, hundreds lined the streets of downtown Copenhagen to watch military officers carry away Prince Henrik’s coffin, draped in a Danish flag with his personal coat of arms.
Queen Margrethe appeared emotional throughout the service, but did manage to smile from time to time.
The Danish monarch had the support of her sons and their wives: from left to right, Princess Marie and husband Prince Joachim, and Mary with husband Crown Prince Frederik.
Mary and Fred attended the funeral, which was broadcast on live TV, alongside sixty carefully chosen guests.
Hundreds of mourners lined the streets to watch military officers carry away Prince Henrik’s coffin, draped in a Danish flag with his personal coat of arms.
Henrik, an occasionally devise figure, died in his sleep 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 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.”
The palace earlier 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.
Look back at Prince Henrik’s incredible life in pictures here…
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 prince, pictured here with Queen Margrethe, struggled with ill health in the final years of his life.
Henrik, who officially retired from his royal duties in January 2016 and struggled with ill health ever since, was last year diagnosed with dementia.
Our thoughts are with the entire Royal Family during this difficult time.
