King Frederik Remembers His “Uncle,” King Harald
King Frederik of Denmark spoke movingly about the late King Harald to reporters today. "I remember him as a very endearing person," he said during an engagement. Frederik continued, "My uncle—he always carried himself with calmness and good humor, and to me, he was a warm and funny person who always had the right comment for the right occasion. He was very, very impressive."
While Harald was not technically Frederik's uncle, the Danish and Norwegian royal families have historically been close, and are distantly related; Queen Margrethe was the late Norwegian king's second cousin.
Upon King Harald's death last week, King Frederik and Queen Mary wrote in a message to the new King Haakon, "it is with great sorrow that we have learned about the death of your father, His Majesty King Harald. We send our warmest thoughts and condolences to Aunt Sonja, to you and Mette-Marit, and to your family. Your father meant a great deal to my mother and both of us. With his warm and dry sense of humor and unwavering calm, Uncle Harald made others feel comfortable and at ease in his presence. He was an extraordinary man, with a twinkle in his eye and a big heart."
The Danish royals continued, "For 35 years, King Harald was a strong unifying figure for the Norwegian people. He joined duty and responsibility with presence and compassion. He was cherished like few others, and he will be missed by many. The bonds between Denmark and Norway are strong. For generations, our families and our countries have been closely tied. Your father will stand as a symbol of that which binds us together."
King Frederik and Queen Mary were among the first to confirm they would attend King Harald's funeral next week. They postponed a planned state visit to Belgium to be in Norway for the occasion.
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