Various trivia and comments prior to the ceremony will be posted here in this post.
When the ceremony begins I will bow out.
The only Dannebrog from official buildings and places that will
not fly at half mast today is the Flag of the Realm, that is located next to Battery Sixtus in Copenhagen harbor.
This flag will only fly on half mast when the Monarch is dead and on Good Friday, because Denmark is constitutionally a Christian country.
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Historical mills all over DK are in mourning position, where the wing are locked in a position that resembles a cross.
http://nyheder.tv2.dk/lokalt/2018-02-20-moeller-gaar-i-soergestilling-til-aere-for-prins-henrik
The mills will be in mourning position from 06.00 this morning until noon.
It is expected that some 100 historical mills will honor PH this way.
It is not known how many, if any, modern mills will be in mourning position.
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A little anecdote was just told.
It was the summer of 2004, when M&F had got married and were touring DK aboard Dannebrog. Not far from Sønderborg harbor where Dannebrog was moored, PH was at another arbor where two men from Aarhus Sailing Club were returning on their boat. PH hailed them and complimented them on their boat and then asked if they could go sailing a little. Sure.
They sailed and after a while PH said: "Let's go by my son". So they sailed into the very small Sønderborg harbor that was crowded. People soon noticed PH who was waved at and cheered. The boat sailed up to the stern of Dannebrog and hailed the ship and asked for four beers to lowered down. People loved it!
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In a few minutes there will be a remembrance ceremony in the Parliament. Here the Chairman of the Parliament will say a few words. The Parliament will observe a moment of silence after which the PM will read aloud a thank you from the Queen.
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The Chairman is giving a speech honoring PH. Her voice has cracked several times.
Even the extreme left wing Unity List and a declared (and IMO pretty arrogant republican) will honor PH by being present and standing up. - Something they usually don't in connection with the DRF.
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An honorary company from all three branches of the military is ling up, to the beat of a drum. No fifers are heard, because this at a funeral.
The band will play a funeral march after the ceremony.
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The French ambassador has arrived and as such France is officially represented at this funeral ceremony.
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When looking at the guests, notice the elderly gentleman in the back row to the extreme right. He used to be Frederik IX's valet. When Ph got married to then princess Margrethe the King transferred his valet to PH, in order for him to teach PH the ropes and teach him about the countless trivial things you need to learn when you settle in a new country. Her served PH for many years, before retiring and he is invited to this ceremony.
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The church bells are tolling also at our local village church here where we live.
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I noticed the Chairman of the Parliament curtsying deeply in front of the coffin. Impressive since she is 70, 71 I think. The PM didn't, as the oaf he is...
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All four of PH's remaining siblings are here.
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The businessman Fritz Schur who sits next to Countess Alexandra, handles the personal economy and investments of the Regent Couple. He sits here as representative for all consuls in Denmark.
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King Konstantin is very frail!
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PH rarely spoke about his time in the Algerian War. When he did it was usually through poems.
A number of those he served with must have been killed - some of them tortured to death. It was a very cruel war.
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As this is a funeral, the Colour March is not played when QMII arrived.
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Good to see Joachim's oldest looking after their younger. Felix looks after his little admirer, Henrik. And Nikolai looks after Athena.
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That's it from me.
It's all very moving.
