The coffin of Denmark’s Prince Henrik, which was draped in a Danish flag bearing the royal coat of arms, has arrived at Christiansborg Palace today after his family paid their respects privately.
Prince Henrik died aged 83 on Tuesday at Fredensborg Palace, before his coffin was taken on a stately procession through the streets of northern Copenhagen to Amalienborg Palace.
Thousands of people lined the route as the hearse left the palace, which was closely followed by Queen Margrethe, their two sons, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim, and other family members.
Christiansborg Palace, where it is now to be displayed publicly, also houses Denmark’s Parliament and the prime minister’s office.
Family members including Queen Margrethe, their two sons, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim, attended the transfer of the coffin to Christiansborg Palace
The coffin, which was draped in a Danish flag bearing the royal coat of arms, was carried into the palace last night
Christiansborg Palace, where it is now being publicly displayed, also houses Denmark’s Parliament and the prime minister’s office
In August 2017 the palace announced Henrik had dementia. He was then hospitalised late last month with a lung infection
The coffin will be on display until the funeral on Tuesday which will be attended by his friends and family only.
Across the country, Danish flags were at half-mast and gun salutes echoed through the capital at dawn, in honour of Henrik, before his white coffin left the castle he loved.
Although Henrik and the queen appeared to have a good marriage, the French-born prince had publicly vented his frustration at not being her social equal.
He was titled prince consort, the husband of a reigning queen but not a king, and he was not in the line of succession, his oldest son Crown Prince Frederik being the heir.
The coffin will be on display until the private funeral on Tuesday which will be attended by his friends and family only
Across the country, Danish flags were at half-mast and gun salutes echoed through the capital at dawn, in honour of Henrik
The Royal family watch as soldiers from the Royal Guard carry the coffin of deceased Prince Henrik of Denmark into the Parliament’s church
Although Henrik and the queen appeared to have a good marriage, the French-born prince had publicly vented his frustration at not being her social equal
He was titled prince consort, the husband of a reigning queen but not a king, and he was not in the line of succession, his oldest son Crown Prince Frederik being the heir
He resigned his title of Queen Consort in 2016 and spent much of his time at a chateau on a vineyard in southwestern France, although he officially still lived with her
Henrik caused a scandal last August by announcing that when he died he did not want to be buried next to Margrethe
Henrik caused a scandal last August by announcing that when he died he did not want to be buried next to Margrethe in the cathedral where the remains of Danish royals have gone for centuries.
The queen already had a specially designed sarcophagus waiting for the couple.
The palace has said it will respect Henrik’s wish to be cremated, with half his ashes to be spread over Danish seas and the other half buried in the royal family’s private garden at the Fredensborg Palace.
Denmark’s royal family traces its lineage back to the Viking king Gorm the Old, who died in 958.
Buckingham Palace have said it is too soon to say which British royals would attend the funeral next Tuesday
A soldier watches on as the Royal Family leave after watching the transfer of the coffin into Christiansborg Palace
Crown Princess Mary, Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Christian, and Prince Isabella (pictured) also attended the transfer of the coffin
The queen already had a specially designed sarcophagus waiting for the couple in the cathedral where the remains of Danish royals have gone for centuries
The palace has said it will respect Henrik’s wish to be cremated, with half his ashes to be spread over Danish seas
The other half of his ashes are to be buried in the royal family’s private garden at the Fredensborg Palace on the island of Zealand
Yesterday thousands lined the streets to pay their respects to Henrik. Hundreds of bunches of flowers were left outside the Amalienborg Palace
Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II was seen smiling at the floral tributes which had been laid out to honour Prince Henrik at Fredensborg Palace
Danish Crown Prince Frederik (centre) and Princess Mary (rear, knelt down) lead Princes Christian (front), Vincent (second front), and Princess Isabella (centre) to look at floral tributes to Prince Henrik