His Royal Highness, Prince Henrik of Denmark, died at the age of 83, a statement released by the palace confirmed.
The Prince passed away ‘peacefully in his sleep’ at 11.18pm (9.18am AEDT February 14) on Tuesday, February 13 at Fredensborg Palace.
He was surrounded by his family, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and their children, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, 49, and Prince Joachim of Denmark, 48.
Speculation has mounted since early last year that Prince Frederik’s mother, Queen Margrethe II, will abdicate the throne.
His Royal Highness, Prince Henrik of Denmark, died at the age of 83, a statement released by the palace confirmed (pictured with Queen Margrethe)
Speculation has mounted since early last year that Queen Margrethe II, would abdicate – which would mean Crown Princess Mary and Prince Frederik would be Queen and King (picutred)
Prince Frederik and Princess Mary (pictured together in 2013) will become King and Queen of Denmark at the time of Queen Margrethe’s abdication or death
If she were to, Crown Prince Frederik, 49, is next in line – which would leave Crown Princess Mary, 46, as queen consort.
While people first started to speculate that Queen Margrethe would abdicate as early as last March, this intensified in September, when it was revealed Prince Henrik was suffering with dementia.
A statement from the palace reported: ‘Following a longer course of investigation, and most recently, a series of examinations conducted during late summer, a team of specialists at Rigshospitalet has now concluded that His Royal Highness Prince Henrik suffers from dementia.’
French-born Henrik, husband of Queen Margrethe, was later admitted to hospital on January 28 while he was travelling in Egypt, when he was diagnosed with a lung infection.
He was quickly transported back to Copenhagen, where tests revealed a benign tumour in his left lung.
Speculation about Queen Margrethe (pictured with Princess Mary) intensified in September, when it was revealed Prince Henrik was suffering with dementia
But Editor of AWW and author of The Royals In Australia, Juliet Rieden said an abdication by Queen Margrethe (pictured with Prince Henrik in 2015) would be very unlikely
‘I talked to a lot of people in Denmark about this and the consensus is that Queen Margrethe is very unlikely to abdicate,’ she told FEMAIL (Princess Mary pictured in 2017)
But Editor of the The Australian Women’s Weekly and author of The Royals In Australia, Juliet Rieden said an abdication by Queen Margrethe would be very unlikely.
‘I talked to a lot of people in Denmark about this and the consensus is that Queen Margrethe is very unlikely to abdicate,’ she told FEMAIL.
‘The only reason that she would abdicate is if she became infirm and incapable of being a queen.
‘Prince Henrik hasn’t been by her side for a little bit so she is already used to taking the reigns on her own and done so very easily and with a lot of confidence so I don’t imagine she will step aside now.’
Juliet added to FEMAIL: ‘Obviously Princess Mary will become Queen consort one day next to Prince Frederik who will be King but I don’t think it will be in the next 12 months’ (Princess Mary and Prince Frederik pictured in 2017)
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark (pictured in 2017) was born in Hobart, Tasmania, before she famously met Prince Frederik at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
French-born Henrik, husband of Queen Margrethe, was first admitted to hospital on January 28 while he was travelling in Egypt, when he was diagnosed with a lung infection
Queen Margrethe II is the ruling monarch of Denmark, and she has had the throne since 1972 following the death of her father, King Frederick IX (pictured together in 2014)
Juliet speculated that ‘you never can tell and other European monarchs have stepped aside for younger heirs’ (pictured: Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik in 2017)
She added: ‘Obviously Princess Mary will become Queen consort one day next to Prince Frederik who will be King but I don’t think it will be in the next 12 months.
‘You can never tell and other European monarchs have stepped aside for younger heirs but Queen Margrethe has always been very devoted to the job and she is known for that.
‘There is a long tradition in Denmark for the head of state to stay in office for as long as he or she lives. In fact, the last time a Danish King resigned before he died was in 1523 so I think for Queen Margrethe to break with that historic tradition would be a big deal for Denmark.’
Queen Margrethe II is the ruling monarch of Denmark, and she has had the throne since 1972 following the death of her father, King Frederick IX.
Prince Frederik and Princess Mary will become King and Queen of Denmark at the time of Queen Margrethe’s abdication or death.