Prince Frederik went into his final moments with intention.
After the 22-year-old prince of Luxembourg tragically died March 1 following a battle with PolG mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder, his father Prince Robert—who shares Frederik, as well as kids Princess Charlotte, 29, and Prince Alexandre, 27, with wife Princess Julie—detailed his last hours.
“Last Friday, February 28th, on ‘Rare Disease Day,’ our beloved son called us into his room to speak to him for one last time,” Prince Robert wrote in a lengthy statement shared to the POLG Foundation website. “Frederik found the strength and the courage to say goodbye to each of us in turn.”
Following the prince sharing a goodbye to his direct family, as well as his cousins, the 56-year-old added that his son left the world by sharing one last joke.
“After gifting each of us with our farewells—some kind, some wise, some instructive—in true Frederik fashion, he left us collectively with a final long-standing family joke,” the prince, who is cousin to Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, continued. “Even in his last moments, his humour, and his boundless compassion, compelled him to leave us with one last laugh—to cheer us all up.”
