Thanks Eya.
This deserves a full translation:
It is with deep regret that Her Majesty the Queen has requested Hofmaskallen = Chief of Court to announce:
In connection with a longer examination and latest a number of tests conducted during the later summer a specialist team at Rigshospitalet has now concluded that His Royal Highness Prince Henrik suffer from dementia.
The diagnose results in a weakening of the cognitive functions of the Prince. The extent of the cognitive failure is according to Rigshospitalet greater than what can be expected considering the age of the Prince and and be accompanied by changes in the behavior, reaction-pattern, judgement and as such also influence the interaction with the world around him.
As a consequence of the diagnosis the Prince will in the future to an even greater extent tone down his activities, just as his protections and honorary tasks will be taken into consideration.
It is the wish of the Queen and the royal family that the Prince in the future will be allowed to be left alone to the extent needed by the situation.
(That was a difficult text to translate! There are so many nuances in the text).
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Well, now we know.
And regrettably as it is, I'm relieved. Both on behalf of the DRF, the country and also PH himself. - He can't help it.
The alternative was much worse.
The press-ethics in DK, means he will be left alone, almost regardless of what his doing from now on. Any reports of erratic behavior will from now on not come from the press but from private sources.
No editor-in-chief will expose a man who is not in his right mind. That's a sure way to be sacked.
I also think that we will see very little of PH from now on.
As I interpret the text the DRF will be setting up a nursing home of their own, presumably at Fredensborg. If they haven't already done that.
He will only appear in public from a distance and without having the opportunity to address the public or reporters.
An interesting question occurred to me: The DRF are in some ways "above the law" in the sense that they enjoy immunity - unless the Parliament intervenes. But it is up to the Monarch to decide what happens to members of the DRF. In a sense QMII may actually be able to keep another member of the DRF confined against their will, even if there is no court order as such.
I imagine it could be a formality to get a court to declare PH unable to look after his own interests on the basis of such a diagnosis.
And this is what is happening or has already happened, I believe.
Danish queen's husband Henrik is suffering from dementia | Daily Mail Online
The news on going international.
It's of course all over the news here in DK.
It means QMII in particular will be showered in sympathy - and PH will most likely be forgiven for his behavior for the past two or three years. People will choose to fondly remember PH for being somewhat eccentric and very colorful.
That doesn't mean his, shall we say, flaws will be forgotten either.
He was after all not suffering from dementia back in 1992, nor when he had his fit after the infamous New Year Court.