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Monday, August 19, 2013

Death of Prince Friso of the Netherlands


The man who never wanted to be King died on Monday, August 12, 2013, after nearly two years of being comatose following a skiing accident in Austria.

Prince Friso, younger brother of King Wilhelm-Alexander of the Netherlands, left brain-dead after being hit by an avalanche on February 2012 while holidaying with a friend in the skiing resort of Lech in Austria.
The Dutch royal family led by Princess Beatrix attended the funeral
of Prince Johan Friso last Friday, August 16. The Prince died last August 12
after 18 months of being comatose following a skiing accident in Lech, Austria

He was airlifted to London and confined at a hospital specializing with clinically-dead patients, but he was transferred to the Netherlands last June after doctors said no farther treatment needed for his condition. The Prince remained unconscious and his family decided to bring him to Huis den Bosch Palace in Hague, the new home of his mother, former Dutch Queen, Beatrix. He was continually given medical care at his mother's house until he passed away last August 12. He was 44 years old.

While growing up with his brothers, King Wilhelm-Alexander and Prince Constantijin, Prince Friso made declaration he did not want to become a king so he constantly reminded their playmates "not to kill Wilhelm". As a second son of the reigning Dutch monarch, he treated himself as a "reserve pretender to the throne".

He married in 2004 to Mabel Wisse Smit and because he did not seek permission from the parliament for the approval of marriage (and it was unlikely also that the parliament would approve the marriage due to Mabel's past), he was forced to give up his place in the line of succession to the throne but remained a Prince of Orange-Nassau. The couple had two daughters who took the title of "Countess of Orange-Nassau".

Prince Friso with wife Princess Mabel.
The Prince died on Monday, August 12, 2013
after 18 months of being comatose following
a skiing accident in Lech, Austria, in February 2012.

Prince Friso laid to rest last Friday, August 16, 2013 at 3:00 pm in a private ceremony held in a small church near the grave site mostly attended by close family members. The only foreign royal present was King Harald V of Norway because he was Friso's godfather.

Condolence to Princess Mabel and their daughters and to the whole Dutch royal family. In time of grief, the only consolation we can give is our sympathy and words of wisdom. May Prince Friso rest in peace and may he find happiness in the afterlife.

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