Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark has visited his father Prince Henrik, who is seriously ill in hospital. The Danish royal cut short his stay in South Korea, where he was attending the Winter Olympics as an International Olympic Committee member, and returned home to be at the bedside of his father. The news was reported by local publication BT. Queen Margrethe II, Prince Joachim and his sons Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix are also said to have visited Prince Henrik on Friday afternoon. Earlier in the day, Princess Mary of Denmark took her two eldest children to visit their grandfather.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince Frederik and the Danish royal family have visited Prince Henrik in hospital
Royal expert and historian Lars Hovbakke Sørensen told BT that the visits from members of the royal family are quite unusual and show that Prince Henrik is seriously unwell. He told the news site: "It's a sign that it's serious. The queen has been there, but has returned home - but it's also unusual because Prince Henrik has been in the hospital before, where the queen has not visited him very much."
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince Henrik has been in and out of hospital for the past year
Last month, Prince Henrik was forced to fly back to Denmark from Egypt after falling ill; doctors found a benign tumour in his lung. He was treated at the Rigshospitalet and last week was transferred from the lung surgery department to the infectious department for further treatment. Henrik was expected to return to Fredensborg Palace, where his wife Queen Margrethe II is in residence. Sadly, the palace has since announced that the father-of-two's condition has deteriorated.
MORE:Princess Mary of Denmark and children visit Prince Henrik in hospital after condition 'worsens'
Henrik has been in and out of hospital for the past year. Last September, it was revealed that the prince suffers from dementia. A palace statement read: "It is with deep regret that Her Majesty the Queen has asked the Lord Chamberlain to announce: 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."
