A must read!
Right lets see what the journalist Stéphanie Surrugue has to say.
Some years ago she wrote a very good portrait book about PH, based on a number of interviews with him and she was for periods guest of the Regent Couple, so she got to know them pretty well on a personal basis and yet she still managed to write a well-balanced book without loosing her integrity as a journalist. Combined with her French background, I'd say she is easily in the top five of journalists who know PH the best.
Surrugue: Prins Henriks gravønske er budskab til kommende generationer | Nyheder | DR
She says: "For a number of years Prince Henrik has tried to be heard and gain understanding from the Danish people in regards to his title and role in the DRF.
But over time he has had to realize that his message has not been received the way he wished for. And that is one of the reasons behind the decision about him not wanting to be buried next to Queen Margrethe in a sarcophagus worth 29 million DKK in Roskilde Cathedral.
This is a message for all the future generation. The message he has not experienced being understood, is now cemented for eternity for all the future generations who will look in the history books and visit Roskilde Cathedral. That is, the story that he didn't feel treated with respect.
He is a man who is extremely conscious about history and see it all in a big time-perspective. It is his way of getting the narrative, which hasn't been noted/taken ad notam, told in the future when he is no longer there.
He throws everything over board. It is in no way a desired situation for someone in a monarchy to have to announce that the spouse of the Queen will not be buried by her side. It's incredibly difficult.
The function of the monarchy is to be rallying, no matter what you may think about the monarchy.
This is really violent (meaning a lot/serious/tremendous etc) for the DRF and Denmark. The story draws headlines all over the world. Right from Pakistan to USA, not to mention the French papers".
Stéphanie Surrugue describe Prince Henrik as a proud and stubborn man, who has always insisted on being himself for better or worse.
"The challenge has been that he has insisted so much, is it is not easy to be yourself in a royal family, because you are public property. He has never spend an incredible lot of energy on pleasing the public opinion. Prince Henrik does and say what pleases him. He has not toed the line, which would perhaps have made the interaction/co-existence with the nation Denmark easier.
"In order to understand the decision you need to know what formed him. You need to dig deeper than merely the prejudice that he is French or old-fashioned.
He's grown up in an extremely hierarchically conscious French family with conservative and Catholic values. As the oldest son he was to carry the family on and take over the family-dynasty. That is, in the then French Indochina, where his wealthy father had inherited some factories and the wine-fields in southern France".
Stéphanie Surrugue explains that you can describe his upbringing and growing up based on two hierarchically levels.
Partly the role of the family which was high in the hierarchy of France as a colonial power. But also the role of France on the world-map.
"That's what he mentally and in terms of values has grown up with. When you look at Prince Henrik's path and background, then you begin to understand what's behind his attitudes. It may seem distant if you have grown up in a suburb in Denmark. It's a self-consciousness that is completely different.
The Hierarchy is also expressed in his religious sense of belonging. He does not subscribe to the Christian faith, but Buddhism - a Chinese moral philosophy which is very much centered in hierarchies".
But surely he knew what he signed up for when he married QMII? And why not just enjoy the life he had?
Stéphanie Surrugue explains that PH had a very difficult start in Denmark: "He did not know what he went into. And Queen Margrethe didn't know either, because Denmark had never had a Prince Henrik before. (QMII is the first female monarch.) The Constitution had been changed so that Denmark could have a female monarch. So far you had had kings who were big and powerful and queens who supported their husbands, gave birth to heirs and carried bouquets of flowers at official openings.
Now you suddenly stood with a man supporting his Queen. And what to do with him? It was a difficult beginning for all parties. The Danish court was challenged/tested, because no tasks were defined for him".
The court learned and that's why they were better prepared for Alexandra, Mary and Marie.
"The court has since learned from that. They (the women) were very quickly placed in a royal school, where they quickly learned Danish and got responsibilities. The whole thing was more chaotic with prince Henrik, because they didn't know what to do".
--------------------
I will not comment on this right now, but rather listen to your comments.
If Prince Henrik had not blabbed to the media, there would not have been any need for the DRF to have to release an official statement. 
