Prince Henrik of Denmark has been admitted to hospital for the second time in one month. Queen Margrethe II's husband was enjoying a summer holiday in France with members of the royal family when he was rushed to the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. Henrik, 83, is receiving medical care at the hospital and it is not known when he will be discharged.
On Monday, the palace said in a statement: "His Royal Highness Prince Henrik was admitted to Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen yesterday evening after suffering pain in his right leg. The reason for the hospitalisation is progressive pain following surgery the prince had in mid-July, when the prince's right groin was operated on and balloon angioplasty was performed in his right pelvic artery. The prince is being treated medicinally, and additional surgical procedures are not expected at present. It is uncertain how long the Prince will be hospitalised at Rigshospitalet."
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Prince was re-admitted to hospital in Denmark
The Prince's hospitalisation comes amidst controversial comments he made to a Danish newspaper, in which he emphasised his lifelong desire to be made King Consort. Henrik told Billed Bladet: "My wife has decided that she would like to be Queen, and I'm very pleased with that; but as a person, she must know that if a man and a woman are married, then they are equal. My wife hasn't shown me the respect an ordinary wife should show her spouse."
He added that he has no desire to be buried next to his wife at Roskilde Cathedral. "I didn't marry the Queen to get buried at Roskilde," he said. "It's my wife and not me that can do anything about this matter. If she wants me buried with her, she has to make me King Consort." The Danish palace later confirmed that Henrik has requested not to be buried in the Cathedral, implying that he will not lie next to the queen under the sarcophagus prepared by sculptor Bjørn Nørgaard.
© Photo: Getty ImagesHenrik caused controversy earlier this month regarding his burial plans
The palace added in a statement: "The Queen has for some time been familiar with the decision of His Royal Highness and acknowledges the decision. The Prince's decision does not change the Queen's funeral plans. It has been laid out in the media that the Prince wishes to be buried in France. This is not correct. The Prince's wish to be buried in Denmark remains, but the circumstances are not yet in place."
