| Henrik | |
|---|---|
| Prince Consort of Denmark | |
 Prince Henrik in 2010 | |
| Consort of the Danish monarch | |
| Tenure | 14 January 1972 – 13 February 2018 |
| Born | Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat (1934-06-11)11 June 1934 Talence,France |
| Died | 13 February 2018(2018-02-13) (aged 83) Fredensborg Palace, Denmark |
| Burial | 20 February 2018 Ashes partly scattered across Danish seas, partly interred in the private gardens of Fredensborg Palace[1] |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | |
| Father | André de Laborde de Monpezat |
| Mother | Renée Yvonne Doursenot |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | France |
| Branch | French Army |
| Years of service | 1959–1962 |
| Battles / wars | Algerian War |
| Awards | |
Prince Henrik of Denmark (Danish pronunciation:[ˈhenˀʁek]; bornHenri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat;[a] 11 June 1934 – 13 February 2018) was the husband ofMargrethe II of Denmark. He served as herroyal consort from Margrethe's accession on 14 January 1972 until his death in 2018.
Henrik was born in the French commune ofTalence nearBordeaux to an old French family, theLaborde de Monpezats. He spent his early years inTonkin inFrench Indochina (now part of Vietnam), where his family had lived for many years. The family spent theSecond World War at the family home inCahors, France. They returned toFrench Indochina after the war. However, they were forced to flee following the defeat of the French in theFirst Indochina War. After completing his education in France and Vietnam, Henrik served in theFrench Army during theAlgerian War. Prior to his marriage to Margrethe, he worked in thediplomatic service. He married Margrethe at theHolmen Church on 10 June 1967 and became herprince consort when she succeeded her father,King Frederik IX, as monarch of Denmark on 14 January 1972.[2]
He had two sons,King Frederik X (born 1968) andPrince Joachim (born 1969), and eight grandchildren. Throughout his time asprince consort, Henrik voiced his displeasure with never being granted the title of king.[3] A keenwinemaker, Henrik produced his own wine at hisestate in France. He also published many works of poetry. He was the first male consort to a Danish monarch. Henrik retired from his royal duties on 1 January 2016, at the age of 81. He died atFredensborg Palace on 13 February 2018, after a short illness.
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Henrik was born on 11 June 1934 inTalence,Gironde,France. He was the son of André de Laborde de Monpezat (6 May 1907 inMont-de-Marsan – 23 February 1998 inLe Cayrou) and his then-partner and future wife Renée-Yvonne Doursenot (24 October 1908 inPérigueux – 11 February 2001 inLe Cayrou[4]), who was then married to Prof. Louis Leuret (1881–1962)[5] whom she divorced only in 1940.[5] André de Laborde de Monpezat and Renée Doursenot were married in 1948.[5][6][7] He was the second of 9 children and eldest son. He had an older sister, Françoise (1932–2021); three younger brothers, Joseph "Jason" (1938–1957), Étienne (born 1942) and Jean-Baptiste (born 1944); and four younger sisters, Anne-Marie (1936–1938), Thérèse (1940–1959), Catherine (born 1946) and Maurille (1948–2015).
Henrik spent his first five years in Hanoi inTonkin inFrench Indochina (now part of Vietnam), where his father looked after family business interests.[8] In 1939, the family returned to Le Cayrou, where they remained during theSecond World War.[4] Henrik received homeschooling until 1947, when he went to aJesuit school inBordeaux.[8] He returned to Hanoi inTonkin in 1950, where increasing unrest forced him to fight theViệt Minh, to protect his family's lands.[9] He graduated from the French secondary school in Hanoi in 1952.[8] Originally wanting to study to become a pianist atConservatoire de Paris, he instead chose an education more in line with his father's wishes.[10] Between 1952 and 1957 he simultaneously studied law and political science at theSorbonne, Paris, and Chinese and Vietnamese at theÉcole Nationale des Langues Orientales (now known asINALCO). He also studied inHong Kong in 1957 andSaigon in 1958.[8]
He served as an infantryconscript in theFrench Army in theAlgerian War between 1959 and 1962.[9] He then joined theFrench Foreign Ministry, working as a Secretary at the embassy in London from 1963 to 1967.[8] While there, he metPrincess Margrethe, who was studying at theLondon School of Economics.[10] The couple secretly dated for a year before Henrik proposed.[10]
On 10 June 1967 which was the day before his 33rd birthday, he married Margrethe, the heir presumptive to the Danish throne, at the Naval Church of Copenhagen. At the time of the wedding his name was Danicised to Henrik and he was given the titleHRH Prince Henrik of Denmark. Prior to the wedding, he converted toLutheranism from Catholicism.[11] Margrethe and Henrik had two children,King Frederik X andPrince Joachim, and eight grandchildren.
Henrik's native language was French, and his second language was Danish. He also spoke fluent English, German, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Although he quickly learned Danish after marrying Margrethe and spoke it regularly for half a century, Danes joked about his grasp of Danish and his pronounced French accent.[12]
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WhenQueen Margrethe II ascended the throne, Henrik became the first male consort in Danish history.[10] This meant there were no clear descriptions of his duties. He defined his own role as a supporter of and counsellor to the Queen. However, he felt frustrated with the lack of recognition in title, stating that there was no way to differentiate between his own title and those of his sons and grandsons.[10]
In 2002, Henrik fled Denmark for France and went to stay at the couple'sChâteau de Cayx inCahors in southern France. The cause of his departure from Denmark was aNew Year's Day reception in which his son, Frederik, had been appointed as host in the absence of Queen Margrethe. Henrik felt "pushed aside, degraded and humiliated"[13] by being relegated to "third place in the royal hierarchy".
"For many years, I have been Denmark's number two", he said. "I have been satisfied with that role, but I don't want to be relegated to number three after so many years." Henrik departed from Denmark to reflect on his status in the Danish Royal Family. Queen Margrethe flew to France to meet her husband.[13] Henrik stressed that neither his wife nor son were to blame for the incident. The Prince Consort spent three weeks in Caix, and did not appear with his wife as expected at the wedding ofWillem-Alexander of the Netherlands andMáxima Zorreguieta.[14] After three weeks, Henrik returned to Denmark.
On 30 April 2008, shortly before the wedding of his younger son, Joachim, toMarie Cavallier, the Queen conferred the new Danish title "Count of Monpezat" (Danish:Greve af Monpezat) on both of her sons and made it hereditary for theirmale-line descendants, both male and female.[15] The Queen's private secretaryHenning Fode commented, "The Queen and the Prince Consort have considered this for quite some time, and it has led to the belief that it was the right thing to do."[15] In fact, Henrik had mentioned this possibility as far back as 1996 in his publishedmemoir: "During our generation, the future sovereign will perhaps receive approval to see 'Monpezat' added to the dynastic name of 'Oldenburg-Glücksburg'".[16] While being interviewed by the French weeklyPoint de Vue in October 2005, Henrik raised the issue shortly after the birth of Frederik's first son,Prince Christian, who is expected to inherit the Danish crown one day: "It also makes him very proud and happy thatMonpezat will be added to this small grandson's future name as Prince of Denmark. 'It is a great joy for me that his French roots will also be remembered.'"[17]
In her New Year's speech to the Danish people on 31 December 2015, Queen Margrethe announced that Henrik would slow down and give up most of his official duties beginning on 1 January 2016. On 14 April 2016, Henrik renounced the title of Prince Consort, which he had been given in 2005.[18][19]
Like his wife, Henrik was deeply interested in art and culture. He was particularly fond of wooden figures and jade, building up collections which he exhibited in 2017 at the museum inKoldinghus.[20] Although he never achieved his ambition of becoming a concert pianist, he continued to play the piano throughout his life. In 2013, he accompanied the pop groupMichael Learns to Rock on the piano as they recorded "Echo", a number which was presented toKing Rama IX of Thailand.[21][10]
Henrik wrote many poems in his native French, some of which have been published in the collectionsChemin faisant (1982),Cantabile (2000),Les escargots de Marie Lanceline (2003),Murmures de vent (2005),Frihjul (Roue-Libre, 2010),Fabula (2011),La part des anges (2013), andDans mes nuits sereines (2014). Thesymphonic suiteCantabile byFrederik Magle is based on Henrik's poetry collectionCantabile and was premiered by theDanish National Symphony Orchestra at two concerts celebrating Henrik's 70th and 75th birthdays in 2004 and 2009. Henrik said about writing poetry (translated from Danish): "I see poetry as an opportunity for immersion in a superficial time dominated by news and entertainment that makes us rootless and restless. Poetry takes us closer to the true nature of the world, in poetry we can approach the eternal questions such as love, loneliness and death".[22]
Henrik was also an excellent cook, inspired by French gastronomic traditions. He usually planned the family meals in collaboration with the court chef, always including his own spices on the table, some from his childhood estates in Asia. In addition to his cookbooks, Henrik often appeared in television programmes showing how he prepared meals in Fredensborg Castle in Denmark or at his French home, the Château de Cayx.[10]
In August 2017, Henrik announced he did not wish to be buried next to the Queen, citing his longstanding complaint of only being named Prince Consort, and not King Consort.[23][24] The decision is said to have broken a tradition that began in 1559,[25] and at the time, Queen Margrethe is said to have accepted her husband's decision.[23][24]
On 6 September 2017, it was announced that Henrik was suffering fromdementia.[26] On 28 January 2018, he was hospitalised atRigshospitalet, following a visit to Egypt.[27] It was later revealed that he had abenign tumor in the left lung.[28] His health however worsened, causing Frederik to cut short his visit to South Korea where he was to attend the2018 Winter Olympics inPyeongchang.[29] On 13 February 2018, Henrik was transferred from Rigshospitalet toFredensborg Palace, where the Danish Royal Court stated he wished to spend the remainder of his life. The Royal Court added that the condition of Henrik remained serious.[30] He died later that day, surrounded by his family.[31]
Following his death, the Court announced a month of royal mourning.[32] Henrik's casket was placed in The Palace Chapel atChristiansborg for acastrum doloris, where in the following two days, more than 19,000[33] people went to pay their respects.[34] After a funeral in the Palace Chapel on 20 February, he was cremated, with half of his ashes scattered across Danish seas and half placed in the private section of the gardens at Fredensborg Palace.[1]
Henrik had two sons and eight grandchildren, all born at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen:
In 2008, Queen Margrethe II announced that her male-line descendants would bear the additional title of Count or Countess of Monpezat, in recognition of Henrik's ancestry.[15] In 2023 the children of Joachim were stripped of their princely titles. They will be known as Counts of Montpezat.
| Coat of arms of Prince Henrik of Denmark | |
|---|---|
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| Armiger | Prince Henrik of Denmark |
* Use is disputed, see section "French nobility and French title of "count" controversy" below
Since late in the nineteenth century, some members of the Laborde de Monpezat family bear a title of "count", but this title (which is not acourtesy title in the context of the Frenchnobility rules) is claimed without any legal basis.[35]
Neither the French nobility of thede Laborde de Monpezat family nor this French title of "count" are acknowledged as historically or legally valid by most recent reference authors, specialists of the French nobility who do not consider that the de Laborde de Monpezat family belongs to the French nobility.[37][38] This family is listed in theEncyclopédie de la fausse noblesse et de la noblesse d'apparence (English:Encyclopedia of False and Seeming Nobility)[37] his name is not in theCatalogue de la noblesse française (English:Catalog of French Nobility) (2002) fromRégis Valette[39] and the author Charondas describes in his bookÀ quel titre (Volume 37, 1970) the Laborde de Monpezat as "false nobles, low folk in the 17th century, not received in the states of Béarn due to 'alleged nobility and as having never had nobility in their family.'"[40] The family's surname was "Monpezat" by the time of theFrench Revolution, without title, until 14 July 1860, when it was changed byimperial decree to "de Laborde-Monpezat", and legally changed again on 19 May 1861 to "de Laborde de Monpezat".[5]
Although Danish law never required that royal spouses be of aristocratic origin, no heir's marriage to a person who lacked male-line descent from royalty ortitled nobility had been accepted asdynastic by the sovereign in the course of Denmark's history as a hereditary monarchy, until the marriage of the heir presumptive, Princess Margrethe, in June 1967 to "Count" Henri de Laborde de Monpezat.[41][42] Six months later Margrethe's first cousin,Prince Ingolf of Denmark, married an untitled commoner and was demoted to a count, and when another cousin,Prince Christian of Denmark, also wed aDane,Anne Dorte Maltoft-Nielsen, in 1971, he forfeited his dynastic position.[42]
In 2008, the hereditary title of "Count of Monpezat" ("Greve af Monpezat") was granted by the Queen to her and Henrik's two sons, as a proper Danishtitle of nobility unrelated to a French noble title whatever, but in recognition of Henrik's French background.[43]
National honours:[8]
Denmark:
Greenland:
France:Foreign honours:[8]
Austria: Grand Star of theDecoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria[44]
Belgium: Grand Cordon of theOrder of Leopold I
Brazil: Grand Cross ofNational Order of the Southern Cross
Bulgaria: Grand Cross of theOrder of the Balkan Mountains
Croatia: Grand Cross of theGrand Order of Queen Jelena with Sash and Morning Star
Egypt: Grand Cordon of theOrder of the Nile
Estonia: Member 1st Class of theOrder of the Cross of Terra Mariana[45]
Finland: Grand Cross with Collar of theOrder of the White Rose of Finland[46]
Germany: Grand Cross Special Class of theOrder of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Greece: Grand Cross of theOrder of Honour
Iceland: Grand Cross of theOrder of the Falcon
Italy: Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of Merit of the Italian Republic
Japan: Grand Cordon of theSupreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
Jordan: Grand Cordon of theSupreme Order of the Renaissance
Latvia: Commander Grand Cross of theOrder of the Three Stars
Lithuania: Grand Cross of theOrder of Vytautas the Great
Luxembourg: Knight of theOrder of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
Mexico: Sash of Special Category of theMexican Order of the Aztec Eagle
Morocco: Grand Cross of theOrder of the Throne[47]
Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of the Netherlands Lion
Nepalese Royal Family: Member of theOrder of the Benevolent Ruler
Norway: Grand Cross of theRoyal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav
Poland: Grand Cordon of theOrder of Merit of the Republic of Poland
Portugal:
Romania: Grand Cross of theOrder of the Star of Romania
Slovakia: Grand Cross of theOrder of the White Double Cross
South Korea: Grand Gwanghwa Medal of theOrder of Diplomatic Service Merit
Spain: Knight Grand Cross of theRoyal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III
Sweden:
Thailand: Knight Grand Cross of theMost Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao
United Kingdom:
Yugoslavia: Great Star of theOrder of the Yugoslav Star[48]Prince Henrik translated several books into Danish and published several other books.
En 1948, André de Laborde de Monpezat épouse à Cahors, Renée Doursenot, née en 1908 à Périgueux, fille de Maurice, employé des chemins de fer, et de Marguerite Gay, repasseuse. De ce mariage naissent huit enfants dont l'aîné, Henri, sera prince consort de Danemark: né à Talence en 1934... (In 1948, André de Laborde de Monpezat married inCahors, Renée Doursenot, born in 1908 in Périgueux, daughter of Maurice, railway employee, and Marguerite Gay, ironer. From this marriage are born eight children, the eldest of whom, Henri, will be Prince Consort of Denmark: born in Talence in 1934...)
Il suffit de rappeler qu'André Laborde de Monpezat, marié d'abord religieusement en 1934[dubious –discuss], contrairement à la loi, avec Renée Doursenot, déjà mariée et en instance de divorce, à dû attendre que celui-ci soit prononcé pour l'épouser, civilement cette fois (...) et du coup légitimer, en les faisant inscrire à l'état civil, tous les enfants nés déjà de son mariage religieux[dubious –discuss]. (Suffice it to say that André Laborde de Monpezat, who was first religiously married in [6 January] 1934[dubious –discuss], in contravention of the law, to Renée Doursenot, already married [to Louis Leuret (on 29 September 1928), adefrocked priest] and in the process of divorcing, had to wait until it [the divorce] was pronounced [by the French Civil Court inSaigon on 21 September 1940] to marry her, civilly this time (...) and thus legitimise, by making them register with the civil status, all the children born already from his religious [unlawful] marriage[dubious –discuss] [According to French republican law, approved byState-Church agreements, a religious marriage is sanctioned if pronounced before the civil marriage – and would not be more than a blessing].)
Laborde de Monpezat.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Prince Henrik of Denmark Born: 11 June 1934 Died: 13 February 2018 | ||
| Danish royalty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byasqueen consort | Prince consort of Denmark 14 January 1972 – 13 February 2018 | Vacant Title next held by Mary Donaldsonasqueen consort |
The generations are numbered from the implementation of hereditary monarchy byFrederick III in 1660. | ||
| 1st generation | .svg) | |
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1 Also prince of Norway 2 Also prince of Greece 3 Also prince of Iceland 4 Also prince of the United Kingdom 5 Not Danish prince by birth, but created prince of Denmark Princes that lost their title are shown in italics | ||
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