page_title: Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark
section_title: Difficulties with the Danish monarchy
hierarchical_section_title: Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark / Difficulties with the Danish monarchy
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Hochzeit von Victoria, Kronprinzessin von Schweden, und Daniel Westling; Ankunft der Regierungsmitglieder und Schwedischer und ausländischer Ehrengäste zur Festvorstellung des Reichstages im Konserthuset English: Wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling; Arrival of members for the Gouvernment and Swedish and foreign guests of hounour to the Riksdag's Gala Performance at Konserthuset Svenska: Bröllopet mellan kronprinsessan Victoria och Daniel Westling; Ankomst av regieringens medlemmar och svenska och utländska hedersgäster till Riksdagens Festföreställning i Konserthuset
context_page_description: Prince Henrik of Denmark was the husband of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
  Henrik was born in the French commune of Talence near Bordeaux to an old French family, the Laborde de Monpezats. He spent his early years in Tonkin in French Indochina, where his family had lived for many years. The family spent the Second World War at the family home in Cahors, France. They returned to French Indochina after the war. However, they were forced to flee following the defeat of the French in the First Indochina War. After completing his education in France and Vietnam, Henrik served in the French Army during the Algerian War. Prior to his marriage to Margrethe, he worked in the diplomatic service. He married Margrethe at the Holmen Church on 10 June 1967 and became her prince consort when she succeeded her father, King Frederick IX, as monarch of Denmark on 14 January 1972.
  He had two sons, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim, and eight grandchildren. Throughout his time as Prince consort, Henrik voiced his displeasure with the fact that he never received the title of king.
  A keen winemaker, Henrik produced his own wine at his estate in France. He also published many works of poetry.
context_section_description: When Queen Margrethe II ascended the throne, Henrik became the first male consort in Danish history. This meant there were no clear descriptions of his duties. He defined his own role as a supporter of and counsellor to the Queen. However, he felt frustrated with the lack of recognition in title, stating that there wasn't any way to differentiate between his own title and those of his sons and grandsons.
  In 2002, Henrik fled Denmark and went to stay at the couple's Château de Cayx in Cahors in southern France. The cause of his departure from Denmark was a New Year's Day reception in which his son, Crown Prince Frederik, had been appointed as host in the absence of Queen Margrethe. Henrik felt "pushed aside, degraded and humiliated" by being relegated to "third place in the royal hierarchy".
  "For many years I have been Denmark's number two," he said. "I've been satisfied with that role, but I don't want to be relegated to number three after so many years." Henrik "fled" Denmark to reflect on his status in the Danish Royal Family. Queen Margrethe flew to France to meet her husband. Henrik stressed that neither his wife nor son were to blame for the incident. The Prince Consort spent three weeks in Caix, and did not appear with his wife as expected at the wedding of Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Máxima Zorreguieta. After three weeks, Henrik returned to Denmark.
  On 30 April 2008, shortly before the wedding of his younger son, Prince Joachim, to Marie Cavallier, the Queen conferred the new Danish title "Count of Monpezat" (Danish: Greve af Monpezat) on both of her sons and made it hereditary for their male-line descendants, both male and female. The Queen's private secretary Henning Fode commented, "The Queen and the Prince Consort have considered this for quite some time, and it has led to the belief that it was the right thing to do." In fact, Henrik had mentioned this possibility as far back as 1996 in his published memoir: "During our generation the future sovereign will perhaps receive approval to see 'Monpezat' added to the dynastic name of 'Oldenburg-Glücksburg'". While being interviewed by the French weekly Point de Vue in October 2005, Henrik raised the issue shortly after the birth of Crown Prince Frederik's first son, Prince Christian, who is expected to inherit the Danish crown one day: "It also makes him very proud and happy that Monpezat will be added to this small grandson's future name as Prince of Denmark. 'It is a great joy for me that his French roots will also be remembered.'"
  In her New Year's speech to the Danish people on 31 December 2015, Queen Margrethe announced that Prince Henrik would 'wind down' and give up most of his official duties beginning on 1 January 2016. On 14 April 2016, Prince Henrik renounced the title of Prince Consort, which he had been given in 2005.
  In August 2017, he announced that he would not be buried next to his wife in Roskilde Cathedral, where Danish royals have been buried since 1559. According to a royal house spokeswoman, Queen Margrethe, who had a specially designed sarcophagus made for the couple, reluctantly accepted Henrik's decision.
caption: Prince Henrik with his wife Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 2010.
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