Death and Funeral of Prince Henrik of Denmark: February 13 and 20, 2018

[Minea]

Flowers also from Victoria and Daniel
https://www.svenskdam.se/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/bild3-700x394.jpg

Whose monogram is the one below Victoria and Daniel's?

A beautiful, simple service. "The flower garden" is wonderful.

 

[Barbara21]

thank you for all the links.
I was a little surprised that the show was televised live, but the funeral was nonetheless intimate and touching.
In the most important Estonian TV news was also brief overview. There emphasized that Henrik was well-known for being straightforward.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

[...]
I was a little surprised that the show was televised live
[...]

"show" ?

 

[FasterB]

Whose monogram is the one below Victoria and Daniel's?

Could it be the joint monograms of the Prince Couple and Princess Couple of Sweden?

 

[W.Y.CII]

Could it be the joint monograms of the Prince Couple and Princess Couple of Sweden?

That one seems like the joint monogram of CP and Sofia, probably the joint monogram of Madeleine and Chris is on the bottom.

"show" ?

Don't need to be that sensitive. I think Barbara21 only want to say that the funeral is shown on tv.

Whenever I saw Q Margrethe smiles I feel sad about her. Maybe it's like some poster above said, she just thought of the wonderful memories with Henrik. The photo that Margrethe passed by the flowers is heartbreaking, the last gift from him to her. The farewell bows and curtsies from his kids and grandkids are very touching.

 

[LadyS]

I found the service very moving and the family were especially brave having to have their grief on display it is never easy saying goodbye to a loved one and even more difficult in public.

I noticed the cameras focussed at one point on two men sitting together with Prince Henrik's monogram on their jackets - were they his personal staff? They both looked very upset -I'm assuming the minister was speaking about them?
What happens to their roles now will they be placed elsewhere within the royal household? (If this question shouldn't be here please remove it?)

 

[Muhler]

I found the service very moving and the family were especially brave having to have their grief on display it is never easy saying goodbye to a loved one and even more difficult in public.

I noticed the cameras focussed at one point on two men sitting together with Prince Henrik's monogram on their jackets - were they his personal staff? They both looked very upset -I'm assuming the minister was speaking about them?
What happens to their roles now will they be placed elsewhere within the royal household? (If this question shouldn't be here please remove it?)

Where were they sitting? PH first valet was sitting in the back row to the far right.

PH's staff, only a handful left by now, will retire, be transferred to other duty, offered a similar job within the DRF they can apply for or offered jobs from the job-bank within the state. There is a considerable degree of job-security for public employees. Others may seek employment elsewhere.
Those who were employed as nurses will be laid off.

---------------

Added four truckloads of flowers have been driven to Kastellet and arranged there as you can see in this video: http://nyheder.tv2.dk/2018-02-21-dr...re-lastbiler-fyldt-med-blomster-til-kastellet

 

[LadyS]

Where were they sitting? PH first valet was sitting in the back row to the far right.

PH's staff, only a handful left by now, will retire, be transferred to other duty, offered a similar job within the DRF they can apply for or offered jobs from the job-bank within the state. There is a considerable degree of job-security for public employees. Others may seek employment elsewhere.
Those who were employed as nurses will be laid off.

----------
They were on the end of the middle row seated next to a lady wearing a cloche style hat - I think on the video they can be seen at 3:00:18 (sitting behind a gentleman in a military uniform)

Thank you for the information Muhler ?

 

[princess carmen]

Now the hard part getting on with life without your husband ,father and granddad.

 

[FasterB]

There are also flowers at Gråsten, but what will happen to those is as yet not known to me.

The flowers from Gråsten Castle will be/has been laid at the memorial for F.B. Paludan-Müller.

Blomster flyttes fra de kongelige slotte | Kongehuset

 

[sm1939]

Now the hard part getting on with life without your husband ,father and granddad.

Your so right about this is the hard part , learning to live without your husband, father , grandad .

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Thanks to Muhler for a comprehensive and interesting coverage.

Thanks to those who have shared articles, videos and photos.

And thanks to JR76 for sharing his experience from Christiansborg palace church on Monday.

We talked about the TV-coverage earlier in the thread, and since the funeral now is over, let's go through all of it:

The Danish coverage:
TV 2 ( publicly owned subscription channel and the largest in Denmark). - Special broadcasting:
February 14th: 05:15 to 22:35.
February 15th: 07:00 to 12:00 + the main story in the evening news.
February 16th: 15:20 to 19:00.
February 18th: 20:00 to 21:00.
February 20th: 09:00 to 19:00.

DR1 (the flagship television channel of the publicly owned Danish Broadcasting Corporation). - Special broadcasting:
February 14th: 06:10 to 22:10 + documentaries the whole night.
February 15th: 07:00 to 14:35 + the main story in the evening news.
February 16th: 16:00 to 19:00.
February 19th: 12:00 to 14:30.
February 20th: 05:15 to 13:10.

TV2 News (Denmark's only news channel): Broad coverage since his death.

What does this tell us? That the Danish television stations really take the monarchy seriously (also when QMII celebrates her milestone birthdays/jubilees).

Would we have seen such a large-scale TV-coverage in most other monarchies in Europe after the death of a consort? No, I don't think so.

About the coverage:
The DR coverage was very pro-Henrik the first day with him being described as ''folkekær og populær'' (beloved and popular).
More balanced from February 15th, but still a lot of praise for him.

The first day of the TV2 coverage was even worse than that on DR, and he (PH) was praised like a god.
A bit more balanced in the later days, but still a lot of praise for him.

Did he deserve it? Yes, some of it (at least IMO), but not on that scale, I think.

The Norwegian Coverage:
NRK (The publicly owned Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation):

NRK1 (Norway largest tv-channel): There was coverage on Dagsrevyen (Norway's largest news program) on February 14th with royal reporter Kristi Marie Skrede reporting live from København, but not on the scale I expected.
There was also some clips yesterday.

NRK2 (Their second channel where most of the live events airs): The funeral ceremony was sent live yesterday.

You can watch it here (without commentary):
Prins Henriks bisettelse - NRK

TV2 Gruppen (Norway's largest commercial media company):

TV2 (Norway's second largest tv-channel): Lots of coverage in the 18:30 and 21:00 news (especially the 3 first days and yesterday).

TV2 News Channel (Norway's only news Channel): Broad coverage with two reporters in Denmark during the first days with royal expert Kjell Arne Totland covering the events from Oslo.
They sent the funeral ceremony live yesterday.

About the coverage:
The coverage here in Norway (especially on TV2) was very pro-Henrik (although the controversies were of course mentioned).

Well, this actually worked IMO.

This subdued funeral service as well as the events in the days leading up to this made it seem much more intimate than a state funeral might have been.
It wasn't a big show, rather it was boiled down to the essentials; A family mourning a loved one.

But, what is your foreign perspective on this? What worked?
Do you thing other European royal families might be inspired? In other words will PH wish for a more low key funeral be an acceptable, even desirable, option to other royal families? Say Prince Phillip, who in a number of ways is comparable to PH.
Would it work in other monarchies you think?

Prince Phillip: He has already decided (if we can believe the British media) to have a much smaller funeral than that of the Queen Mother in 2002 and that of Queen Mary in 1953. - What do I think about that? Well, I don't like it (big surprise).

Queen Sonja: No way. Her funeral is already planned, so no downplaying there I hope. She will receive a state funeral (category 2, as I like to call it) similar to that of CP Märtha in 1954.

I think this really did work, the whole thing went off like clockwork, just as Prince Henrik planned. Interestingly enough, you hit the mark with Prince Philip who has made it known that he doesn't want a State Funeral but a simple one in St Georges Chapel at Windsor followed by a burial at Frogmore at Windsor and that could work just as Heinrik's did except for the final part.

The Daily Fail and the Independent is wrong when they say that he doesn't want a State Funeral (because he was never going to receive one anyway).
He was (as a consort) supposed to have a Royal Ceremonial Funeral and he still is (according to the Telegraph), but on a smaler schale.
And I'm not sure about the Frogmore thing (that is also something the papers have come up with).

BTW: I agree with you and Muhler (and after considering the circumstances), PH funeral plans actually worked out very well.

In other news:
BREAKING: Queen Margrethe releases statement following the death of her husband – Royal Central

“For me and my family, it has been deeply moving to experience the warmth and sympathy that has flowed from all parts of Danish society in connection with Prince Henriks death and funeral.

The many beautiful flowers spontaneously laid down at the places where the Prince was, the many thousands of people from near and far who braved the winter cold to show the Prince their respects in the castle church and the countless written sympathetic expressions we have received, has touched us all deeply and is instrumental in helping us through this difficult time.

“For all these beautiful testimonies of devotion and compassion, I and my family wish to express our heartfelt thanks to all the Danish people.”

 

[Juliette2]

"show" ?

Let's not be harsh on those whose first language is not English. I'm sure the term was chosen without malice.

 

[polyesco]

The Queen gives thanks on behalf of her family
H.M. Dronningen takker | Kongehuset

Inside the church, the royal family

https://www.facebook.com/detdanskekongehus/posts/625048704500381

 

[Muhler]

----------
They were on the end of the middle row seated next to a lady wearing a cloche style hat - I think on the video they can be seen at 3:00:18 (sitting behind a gentleman in a military uniform)

Thank you for the information Muhler ?

Your are welcome. ?

The gentlemen were valets Jesper G jensen & Olivier Laurent. They sat next to secretary Marianne Dupont.

https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongeli...sten-de-var-med-til-prins-henriks-bisaettelse

If you look at the list here, the guests are listed from front row, far left, to the right. And that applies to every row. So it's simply a question of counting. ?

------------------------

That was a very long and very personal message from the Queen today. She must have been genuinely touched.

--------------------

Thanks for your detailed account of the TV-coverage, Royal Norway.
It was actually even more extensive as shown by you! They showed reruns of the portraits and documentaries as well.

The Danish TV-networks, especially TV2, has tendency to go completely berserk whenever something extraordinary happens and this was no exception!

They go live the instant something this unusual happens and send out every reporter able to hold a microphone to every single corner of the realm!
Also abroad mind you! They dragged on old experienced foreign affairs reporter who also cover royalty out of her bed in Italy (I think it was), down on the street and got her to report every fifteen minutes or so!
Right now no less than seven reporters are admitted to nerve sanatoriums where they are reporting non stop from the padded cells there. One of them was found, frozen half to death, interviewing seals off the coast of Greenland.
And most of the time the news could be boiled down to this: Prince Henrik is dead, he's going to be buried, we really don't know where and when, and people are paying their respect by laying flowers.
Otherwise it was reporters reporting next to nothing, anecdotes, portraits, live interviews with anyone and everything that hadn't managed to escape the foaming reporters. If an alien spaceship had landed in Copenhagen last Wednesday the aliens would have asked to comment on PH's death before anything else!

I vividly remember years ago when President Clinton visited Copenhagen. TV2 had placed one of their anchormen (Jes Dorph) at Copenhagen Airport hours before the President was even going to land in DK.
Here he with increasing madness in his eyes reported: "The President is going to land here in Copenhagen Airport. In the airport. On the tarmac. Air Force One will come in from that direction... or that direction. He's going to fly in. And land. Then the President is going to leave the plane... When he has landed. In the airport. - Is that Air Force One coming in?!? No, it is not, there is nothing coming in, but the plane will fly in. From the air". - That went on for at least two hours! That is when they weren't busy interviewing kindergarten children on the Faeroe Islands about the visit.
- It was the most bizarre unintentional comic show I have seen in my entire life!

When the day happens that QEII dies, that will get a coverage here in DK that will leave several British networks behind. They'll be left standing there in the dust. - I'm serious!
I don't know what psychological mechanism sets in here. I think it's a tribal thing.

 

[gerry]

I think this really did work, the whole thing went off like clockwork, just as Prince Henrik planned. Interestingly enough, you hit the mark with Prince Philip who has made it known that he doesn't want a State Funeral but a simple one in St Georges Chapel at Windsor followed by a burial at Frogmore at Windsor and that could work just as Heinrik's did except for the final part.

One thing to mention that distressed me a lot. Queen Margrethe wore a hat and veil and, in the chapel didn't need it, she was stoic most of the time, and even though she cried, she didn't break down. She was every inch a Queen. However, because of the divergence from the usual procedure as was followed for her parents, this time they had to stand at the top of the stairs and wait for the casket to be lowered into the hearse and depart for the crematorium seemed like forever.

That wait seemed so long and endless even the children were restive and upset. But oh how I wished Queen Margrethe had thought to lower her veil. Her face was set in a rictus of inexpressible anguish and grief and she had to stand and wait with cameras on her. I don't know what she would have done without her sons' support.

It was so painful and raw to see that I felt as though I had intruded on her privacy by even watching, and in that watching, I was brought to tears for her loss and the family's loss. Frederik looked carved in stone and Joachim looked shattered.

Marg, I was touched by your answer to Muhler's question so that I wanted to reply to you both. The funeral service for Prince Henrik was indeed a brilliant expression of the man, and I am almost entertained by the thought of him planning his own funeral! However, it is a very practical thing; we all have to die someday and clearly Prince Henrik relished being in control of his destiny, so 'pourquoi pas?' I was also struck by the national outreach of this simple yet so intensely Danish ceremony. The bells across the country (I wonder if there are church bells in Greenland?); the windmills in mourning; the flowers at all the royal palaces: clearly the Prince meant a great deal to all of Denmark and the funeral ceremony at Christianborg, the seat of Danish government, was the ultimate focus of Denmark yesterday. I think Queen Margrethe did not lower her veil because she did not want to hide her emotions but rather needed to share and show them to her Danish people. All of Denmark cried yesterday; today is a new day. Bravo Daisy, Bravo Denmark

Your are welcome. ?

The gentlemen were valets Jesper G jensen & Olivier Laurent. They sat next to secretary Marianne Dupont.

https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongeli...sten-de-var-med-til-prins-henriks-bisaettelse

If you look at the list here, the guests are listed from front row, far left, to the left. And that applies to every row. So it's simply a question of counting. ?

------------------------

That was a very long and very personal message from the Queen today. She must have been genuinely touched.

--------------------

Thanks for your detailed account of the TV-coverage, Royal Norway.
It was actually even more extensive as shown by you! They showed reruns of the portraits and documentaries as well.

The Danish TV-networks, especially TV2, has tendency to go completely berserk whenever something extraordinary happens and this was no exception!

They go live the instant something this unusual happens and send out every reporter able to hold a microphone to every single corner of the realm!
Also abroad mind you! They dragged on old experienced foreign affairs reporter who also cover royalty out of her bed in Italy (I think it was), down on the street and got her to report every fifteen minutes or so!
Right now no less than seven reporters are admitted to nerve sanatoriums where they are reporting non stop from the padded cells there. One of them was found, frozen half to death, interviewing seals off the coast of Greenland.
And most of the time the news could be boiled down to this: Prince Henrik is dead, he's going to be buried, we really don't know where and when, and people are paying their respect by laying flowers.
Otherwise it was reporters reporting next to nothing, anecdotes, portraits, live interviews with anyone and everything that hadn't managed to escape the foaming reporters. If an alien spaceship had landed in Copenhagen last Wednesday the aliens would have asked to comment on PH's death before anything else!

I vividly remember years ago when President Clinton visited Copenhagen. TV2 had placed one of their anchormen (Jes Dorph) at Copenhagen Airport hours before the President was even going to land in DK.
Here he with increasing madness in his eyes reported: "The President is going to land here in Copenhagen Airport. In the airport. On the tarmac. Air Force One will come in from that direction... or that direction. He's going to fly in. And land. Then the President is going to leave the plane... When he has landed. In the airport. - Is that Air Force One coming in?!? No, it is not, there is nothing coming in, but the plane will fly in. From the air". - That went on for at least two hours! That is when they weren't busy interviewing kindergarten children on the Faeroe Islands about the visit.
- It was the most bizarre unintentional comic show I have seen in my entire life!

When the day happens that QEII dies, that will get a coverage here in DK that will leave several British networks behind. They'll be left standing there in the dust. - I'm serious!
I don't know what psychological mechanism sets in here. I think it's a tribal thing.

We must have been writing our entries at the same time, Muhler, as yours has just appeared on my screen to make me laugh so much that my tears about yesterday have turned into Greenlandic seal joke tears! Mange tak! I suppose now I can say I am glad I don't understand Danish! However, here in Canada we have the same effect with the Olympic games and our ice dancers' gold medal; all journalists and reporters are trying to have that gold rub off on themselves. Do remember these people get royally paid for this (pardon the pun) so that is probably why they spend so much time and other people's money saying what they really don't need to tell us! One important question, though. Do you think Prince Frederik will return to PyeongChang to cheer on your Danish team during the last week of the Games? They need a little royal magic, I think, and Prince Frederik might need a breath of fresh mountain air!

 

[Juliette2]

I think it was all very commendable, dignified, moving: both familiar and "official".
Well, done, DRF and Denmark!

I don't know if it has been remarked that CP Mary wore the white/black pearl necklace that PH had given her on her engagement to Frederik. Also, Princess Isabella was wearing a "daisy" brooch and Princess Josephine another broach. I wonder if they were all gifts from their Grandpapa or if they were loaned by QM for the occasion.

 

[JR76]

When the day happens that QEII dies, that will get a coverage here in DK that will leave several British networks behind. They'll be left standing there in the dust. - I'm serious!
I don't know what psychological mechanism sets in here. I think it's a tribal thing.

Lets hope Ulla Terkelsen is alive and kicking once that happen. Im sure shes got atleast 10 scarves suitable for the occasion, colour matched to both Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey ?

 

[LibrarianDaisy]

I think the girls were wearing brooches that belong to their mother. What was really nice was that Queen Margrethe was wearing the earrings she wore on her wedding day.

 

[Flowerbed]

I don't think Frederik will return to the Olympics, since the Court is in official mourning until March 14th. I think the Olympics falls in the category of jobs they won't participate in right now.

He'll probably host the athletes at some form of dinner or something at a later date, to make up for having to leave early.

 

[Nordic]

I don't think Frederik will return to the Olympics, since the Court is in official mourning until March 14th. I think the Olympics falls in the category of jobs they won't participate in right now.
.

But walking on the catwalk in a fashion show isn't ?

 

[Queen Claude]

Were any pictures of the windmills published?

 

[Juliette2]

I think the girls were wearing brooches that belong to their mother. What was really nice was that Queen Margrethe was wearing the earrings she wore on her wedding day.

Oh! That I had missed! How moving. Thank you for the infromation.
This is all very emotional.

 

[Muhler]

Lets hope Ulla Terkelsen is alive and kicking once that happen. Im sure shes got atleast 10 scarves suitable for the occasion, colour matched to both Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey ��

She probably is. ? I think they have somehow preserved her indefinitely. She sure is one of the most viewer-friendly royal reporters I know of.
She has an ability to boil down long and pretty complicated royal issues (and foreign affairs events as well) into something that is informing and entertaining at the same tie.

We must have been writing our entries at the same time, Muhler, as yours has just appeared on my screen to make me laugh so much that my tears about yesterday have turned into Greenlandic seal joke tears! Mange tak! I suppose now I can say I am glad I don't understand Danish! However, here in Canada we have the same effect with the Olympic games and our ice dancers' gold medal; all journalists and reporters are trying to have that gold rub off on themselves. Do remember these people get royally paid for this (pardon the pun) so that is probably why they spend so much time and other people;s money saying what they really don't need to tell us! One important question, though. Do you think Prince Frederik will return to PyeongChang to cheer on your Danish team during the last week of the Games? They need a little royal magic, I think, and Prince Frederik might need a breath of fresh mountain air!

Good question. I lean towards Flowerbed. The closing of the Olympic Games is a kind of celebration, so I think he'll skip and instead meet the athletes (who haven't accomplished much BTW) at a later event.
And perhaps the whole family, especially the children, need a little time to get back on the ground an reflect on the past three weeks.

And a little afterthought on how the last few days have been handled by the DRF.
Since this was smaller than a state funeral. there were less distractions. I.e. foreign representatives, parades and military and torches and what not, to take away from the human aspect of PH's death.
It became more manageable and we (I at least) were much better able to feel with the family. To focus on the family. To genuinely feel their loss, making it much more personal, and much more a tribal thing.
Here the tribe gathered to if not mourn PH, then certainly reflect on his life and show sympathy for the DRF, who all tribal members know. - And even those who thought it was too much got something out of it. As you know, next to taking part in something there is nothing better than to moan about it.

And judging from the comments here I have a distinct feeling that many, if not must of you, somehow, in your way, also felt a part of it. Albeit from a distance. I mean, the human aspect was easier to relate to, also for you, rather than had this been a large state funeral.
Do you understand what I mean? I hope I'm not too presumptuous.

-------------------

ADDED. Yes the windmills were also shown. They are shown in at least some of my posts.

 

[FasterB]

When the day happens that QEII dies, that will get a coverage here in DK that will leave several British networks behind. They'll be left standing there in the dust. - I'm serious!
I don't know what psychological mechanism sets in here. I think it's a tribal thing.

I already fear the day that QMII dares to die ? It will be 24/7/weeks

 

[Juliette2]

And judging from the comments here I have a distinct feeling that many, if not must of you, somehow, in your way, also felt a part of it. Albeit from a distance. I mean, the human aspect was easier to relate to, also for you, rather than had this been a large state funeral.
Do you understand what I mean? I hope I'm not too presumptuous.

Absolutely Muhler! This felt very, very close. I probably wouldn't have followed with the same empathy, sadness and, yes, love for the DRF, had all the proceedings not be so relatable! Also, as usual, thank you Muhler, for sharing all your inside information, links, etc. so generously!

 

[Alisa]

Could someone clarify this please?
The necklace CP Mary wore to the funeral, was it not a gift from Prince Henrik?

IIRC, Prince Henrik gave the 2 tone pearl necklace to CP Mary and she wore it to the engagement reception with a green satin dress.

 

[maria-olivia]

I read to day in my newspaper "l'Adieu des Danois à leur Prince incompris ". To me Denmark did a lot for him.

 

[Queen Claude]

Could someone clarify this please?
The necklace CP Mary wore to the funeral, was it not a gift from Prince Henrik?

IIRC, Prince Henrik gave the 2 tone pearl necklace to CP Mary and she wore it to the engagement reception with a green satin dress.

You are correct that the pearl necklace was a gift from Prince Henrik. Mary also wore a brooch a few days ago that belonged to Henrik's mother that he also gifted to her.

 

[maria-olivia]

He gave this necklace and his mother's brooch to Princess Mary but Joachim and Alexandra were not divorced .