Danish Prince Frederik Rushes Home To Hospitalized Father Prince Henrik

Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik, a member of the International Olympic Committee, abruptly left the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang to be with his father, Prince Henrik, who has been hospitalized. The Danish news outlet BT said Frederik is expected to arrive at the hospital later this afternoon.

Less than two weeks ago, Henrik was taken to the hospital and was diagnosed with a benign tumor.

Henrik’s health had declined throughout 2017. Denmark’s Royal House announced a leg infection in July. His leg was operated on, and he was admitted to Copenhagen’s Rigshospitalet again the following month “after suffering pain in his right leg.”

Denmark’s Royal House announced in September that Henrik has dementia.

“The extent of the cognitive failure is, according to Rigshospitalet, greater than expected considering the age of The Prince, and can be accompanied by changes in behaviour, reaction patterns, judgement and emotional life and may therefore also affect the interaction with the outside world,” the Royal House said in a press release.

Denmark’s Minister of Justice Søren Pape Poulsen tweeted his best wishes.

“The best thoughts to HRH Prince Henrik and his closest in this difficult time,” Poulsen wrote in Danish.