Prince Friso in Critical Condition Following Skiing Accident: February 17, 2012

[lucien]

The Prince left Austria at 14.00PM local time and has arrived in London by ambulance aircraft.

 

[scooter]

Has there been an official statement as to whether this accident was caused by negligence of the skiers? When I first heard about this I remembered the incident with Prince Charles, where he and his party ignored signs that were posted throughout the area.

I was just thinking the same thing. In Charles' case it was his friend who died.

 

[windsorgirl]

Would Willem-Alexander been allowed to ski the same terrain, I have been wondering? Certainly not now, anyway. Godspeed to Friso in his travel to London. I do hope we will hear more in the near future.

 

[MissJanet]

Would Willem-Alexander been allowed to ski the same terrain, I have been wondering?

It was a personal choice. Friso and his companion made the decision.

 

[lucien]

I was just thinking the same thing. In Charles' case it was his friend who died.

That was already answerred by Kataryn IIRC,but no,the investigation into the accident isn't closed yet and will probably take a few weeks more.

wingsorgirl,the Prince is just as much of an expert as his brothers,mother,and his maternal aunts.It is his to decide where to ski.This was a pure case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time and it could have happened to anyone,the slope WAS cleared that morning,remember!Skiing isn't more dangerous then fe driving your car on the motorway or flying the globe by aircraft,it all boils down to luck.
Nothing else.

I am sure the clinic is top of the bill in care,both for Friso as well as for his family regardless the state of his condition.His dear dear wife (what an exemplary Lady she is may I add !!!),and his children will be close to their hubby and dad.

You all have been so exceptionally kind these past two weeks,you,you and you,all of you.

The RVD,the government information service,will issue a statement as soon as Friso has arrived at his destination.

 

[Kataryn]

Austrian police confirmed that prince Friso's ambulance jet left Innsbruck airport today at 14:00 Austrian time. It is still not know where the jet flew to, but most speculation is about London.

Just saw that Lucien already answered that. Sorry.

 

[sm1939]

He is still in a coma isnt he ?? also is he breathing by himself yet ??

 

[fandesacs2003]

He is still in a coma isnt he ?? also is he breathing by himself yet ??

I do not think so. He must be assisted by machines for all vital functions.

 

[suztav]

The air ambulances are pretty sophisticated. We tranported my mother in one for a 3,000 mile trip and it was equipped with a ventilator which was essential since she couldn't breath on her own. That trip cost us $10,000 ... 13 years ago! No insurance ... it was cash up front.

 

[tlklhm]

Majesty Magazine FB just updated that Prince Friso is now at the Wellington Hospital. Princess Mabel, their two children and Queen Beatrix are also in London.

 

[luisianna]

Tweets from Richard Palmer of the Daily Express:

@royalreporter The Dutch Royal Family says Prince Friso has been transferred to London, where he lives, for the best treatment after a skiing accident.

@royalreporter Prince Friso's wife, Princess Mabel in a message thanks the public for messages of sympathy for the Prince, who may never recover.

@royalreporter Princess Mabel:"I want to express my gratitude for the enormous number of messages and warm expressions of sympathy that we have received."

@royalreporter "They are a great support and strength. It means a lot to know that so many people are thinking of us."

 

[NoorMeansLight]

Thank you for these updates!! I'm pretty sure the doctors here will take very good care of him, and if I may add, I am quite optimistic now. Fingers crossed!!

 

[Breffney]

I guess, in hindsight, London was the obvious choice. His home is there, his wife and children are there. He can be visited regularly by Mabel. Having to travel to another country to see him would have been an added pressure on her too.

Obviously the hospital he has been sent to must be excellent too. But I do think that it is a help that he has family close by.

Thank you for these updates!! I'm pretty sure the doctors here will take very good care of him, and if I may add, I am quite optimistic now. Fingers crossed!!

I'm optimistic too.

 

[NGalitzine]

Wellington is the largest private hospital in the UK and has an excellent reputation.
The Wellington Hospital Neurosciences Facilities

I cannot say I am optomistic for the princes future, at least not in terms of returning to his old self. "Massive brain damage" is not encouraging. My thoughts are with his wife, children, mother and brothers who have a long road in front of them.

 

[MarNoe]

DutchNews.nl - Prince Friso being moved to London

 

[NoorMeansLight]

Wellington is the largest private hospital in the UK and has an excellent reputation.

Thanks for providing this info, WH is a great choice! We can only hope for the best now!!

 

[Mermaid1962]

I dearly hope that the notorious British press will leave this family alone. We don't need to see pictures of whenever Princess Mabel visits her husband.

 

[EIIR]

I dearly hope that the notorious British press will leave this family alone. We don't need to see pictures of whenever Princess Mabel visits her husband.

I don't think you need to worry on that score. Friso and Mabel have been able to live here for several years without the British press annoying them. They're not known here at all really, the accident excluded. I would say that's probably part of the reason they chose London.

If any photographers are likely to take such photos I would say they'd more likely be Dutch as that would be the market for the photos.

 

[Mermaid1962]

This is good to know. Thanks for the information, EIIR.

I don't think you need to worry on that score. Friso and Mabel have been able to live here for several years without the British press annoying them.

 

[Hendrik-Jan77]

Now that Prince Friso has been transferred to the Wellington Hospital in London, I would like to share a few thoughts.
First of all, I still hope the very best for Prince Friso and the Royal Family should do what they think and feel is right.
I, for one can't see that this is the start of a rehabilitation of Prince Friso that will take years. I think that the doctors in this hospital will do their utmost best to get Friso out of his coma and start an intensive therapy. But when within a couple of weeks or months no progression will be made, I hope the Royal Family will take a brave decission and won't allow this misery for Prince Friso to continue.
Although I don't know him personally I can't imagine he would want to 'live' like this for the rest of his life.
I think the Royal Family will also use this time to start accepting the present situation and will gradually see what is inevitable.
When Friso will stay in this coma and his family lets this situation continue I think it will do their reputation more harm than good.
Medical experts, media and a certain amount of the Dutch people will perceive it as that his family won't allow Prince Friso to die.
They will risk losing the sympathy they now have from the Dutch people in the long run.
The condition of Prince Friso will continue to be debated in the media and by the Dutch people from time to time.
Friso's situation will also overshadow other major events in the Royal Family's life, such as the inauguration of the new King Willem IV.
I think it is important, that IF Friso won't recover, that the 'Friso-accident' should be a closed chapter at some point. I think that is better for his family and the monarchy.
I understand that the preparations for Koninginnedag (Queensday) will continue.
As someone who has lost a brother in an accident when he was 18 years old, seven years ago, I for the life of me can't understand why the Royal Family still wants to participate in these celebrations.
Two months after this tragedy in which they almost certainly have lost the Friso they have known his entire life, I can't imagine they feel like celebrating.
Maybe it is their sense of duty but almost everyone in the country would understand if they would skip this year's celebrations. It must also be strange for the Dutch people to see the Royal Family celebrate. Friso's fate must be in everyone's mind that day and when you think of that I would not be in the mood for festivities...
Maybe they should hold a televised church service in honour of Queensday, as one newsreporter suggested today. I think something like that would be more appropriate at this time.
The news that the preparations will continue, probably with the Royal Family's consent, starts to get me a bit worried.
With this news in mind, along with all that talk about starting a recovery in today's press release, I am starting to wonder if the Royal Family is not doing at wishful thinking and is still being realistic about Prince Friso's condition.
His outlooks are still very grave...
Ofcourse it is easy to talk for me, as I am not related to the Prince. And again, I still hope for the very best for Prince Friso...
This is just my own humble opinion and I hope I didn't offend anyone.

 

[MissJanet]

I think the Royal Family will also use this time to start accepting the present situation and will gradually see what is inevitable.
When Friso will stay in this coma and his family lets this situation continue I think it will do their reputation more harm than good.
Medical experts, media and a certain amount of the Dutch people will perceive it as that his family won't allow Prince Friso to die.
They will risk losing the sympathy they now have from the Dutch people in the long run.
The condition of Prince Friso will continue to be debated in the media and by the Dutch people from time to time.
Friso's situation will also overshadow other major events in the Royal Family's life, such as the inauguration of the new King Willem IV.
I think it is important, that IF Friso won't recover, that the 'Friso-accident' should be a closed chapter at some point. I think that is better for his family and the monarchy.

I have absolutely no expectations, I do not have the feeling that I can make demands how the royal family should handle the situation. Friso is in a coma, everything else is basically unknown by now. I highly doubt that anyone will lose sympathy for a family who suffers so much.

I understand that the preparations for Koninginnedag (Queensday) will continue.

You contradict yourself here. Should the family move on now, or not?

As someone who has lost a brother in an accident when he was 18 years old, seven years ago, I for the life of me can't understand why the Royal Family still wants to participate in these celebrations.

Please accept my sympathy for your loss, that is terrible.

Two months after this tragedy in which they almost certainly have lost the Friso they have known his entire life, I can't imagine they feel like celebrating.
Maybe it is their sense of duty but almost everyone in the country would understand if they would skip this year's celebrations. It must also be strange for the Dutch people to see the Royal Family celebrate. Friso's fate must be in everyone's mind that day and when you think of that I would not be in the mood for festivities...
Maybe they should hold a televised church service in honour of Queensday, as one newsreporter suggested today. I think something like that would be more appropriate at this time.
The news that the preparations will continue, probably with the Royal Family's consent, starts to get me a bit worried.
With this news in mind, along with all that talk about starting a recovery in today's press release, I am starting to wonder if the Royal Family is not doing at wishful thinking and is still being realistic about Prince Friso's condition.
His outlooks are still very grave...
Ofcourse it is easy to talk for me, as I am not related to the Prince. And again, I still hope for the very best for Prince Friso...
This is just my own humble opinion and I hope I didn't offend anyone.

It is my understanding that Queen has a sense of duty, and that the family will continue to do their jobs. Celebrating IS their job.

 

[Kellydofc]

The air ambulances are pretty sophisticated. We tranported my mother in one for a 3,000 mile trip and it was equipped with a ventilator which was essential since she couldn't breath on her own. That trip cost us $10,000 ... 13 years ago! No insurance ... it was cash up front.

Oh my, that's crazy expensive!

 

[suztav]

Oh my, that's crazy expensive!

Money was the least of our concerns at the time. I would do it again!

 

[Kellydofc]

Money was the least of our concerns at the time. I would do it again!

I understand that completely. I just think it's sad that something that's so nececessary is so expensive.

 

[Hendrik-Jan77]

You contradict yourself here. Should the family move on now, or not?

I don't think I contradict myself here. I am very much for moving on, but personally I don't think participating in the Queensday celebrations this year is the right thing to do for the Royal Family. I think it is more appropiate to spend this day in a different way than usual.
But, again, they should do what they think is right.
Meanwhile I have great respect for Her Majesty that she is going back to work next Monday.

 

[windsorgirl]

What we also don't know are the stipulations of his living will, should he have one. When my husband and I made ours, since we are still relatively young (Friso's age, actually), we were advised to request life support for 6 months before our loved ones could "pull the plug." In that way, should a miracle happen to occur, it would have evidenced itself by then. My point is that the family might just be carrying out his medical directives, not holding out false hope or anything else we could speculate.

 

[maria-olivia]

To Hendrik-Jan, Lucien and other Dutch of this Board,
I thank you for sharing during two long weeks this dramatic and severe situation of your Prince.
Now He is back to London where she lived before in another life . The Royal family took the best Decision .
Your beloved Queen will after a stay return in her Netherlands . The Koninginne dag of 30 April have to stay the Queen’s day and the whole Nation will take opportunity of this day to show their sincere affection to their dearest Queen Beatrix and all her family.
Best regards from Maria-Olivia

 

[Hilda Thomas]

Hendrik-Jan77,
I agree with you, Queen Beatrix is a mother first and a queen after. She has aged since her son is in a coma whether peasant or the rich no one can escape sorrow this being said" it is how we respond to ill fate, there are reporters for the Media who are risking their lives to let the world know that injustices are being meted out to the less fortunate people around the world as we know some have lost their lives. Military men and women have lost their lives in exchange for good will. I always admire Queen Beatrix she is now in the position of all the mothers who have experience sorrow. I daresay that Queen B has her son for 40 years plus, what about the Dutch mothers whose sons left home and did not return with their life hundreds of them did not reach their 25th birthday. I greive with Queen B she has a lot of strength and I do hope she will regain it soon. It is how we respond to sorrow that proves our faith.

Longfellow said," Not enjoyment or not sorrow is our destined end or way but to act that each tomorrow finds us better than today."

 

[lucien]

I don't think I contradict myself here. I am very much for moving on, but personally I don't think participating in the Queensday celebrations this year is the right thing to do for the Royal Family. I think it is more appropiate to spend this day in a different way than usual.
But, again, they should do what they think is right.
Meanwhile I have great respect for Her Majesty that she is going back to work next Monday.

What is the right thing to do is to move on from here.Preparations go ahead as usual.That is the BEST thing one can do,continue where you've left before this holiday.Odd as it may sound but the Family has now entered the stage in which hundreds of thousands of families and more are in all over the globe,and life does go on for them too.It is their decision.And in this case it has always been the cut between public life and private life,even in times of hardship.They will find their way,no doubt about that.They are strong and they have to,and they know that and they can.What might be different on this years Queensday is perhaps the abundance of it all,or the total opposite as Rhenen and Veenendaal will be jammed due to an extraordinary outpoor of support,affection and respect towards the RF.I think a good old Queensday is just what one needs.The towns visited this year are not exactly known for their exuburance,more the opposite,so that will be enough of an appropiate setting.

 

[RoyalistRiley]

I really feel for the Royal Family at this time. I cannot begin to imagine how horrible it must be for them. They are certainly in my thoughts and prayers.