Prince Frederik of Luxembourg had suffered from a rare disorder known as POLG Mitochondrial disease since the age of 14 and passed away from it earlier his month
A young prince from a European royal family has passed away after a battle with a genetic condition, as his relatives praised their “superhero”.
Prince Frederik of Luxembourg was born with POLG Mitochondrial disease, a disorder which affects the energy producing parts of cells in people’s bodies. It can cause progressive weakness of people’s muscles as well as the likes of epilepsy and liver failure.
The royal was diagnosed with it at the age of 14 when his symptoms became more noticeable. He passed away earlier this month at the age of 22 in Paris, the family said in a statement. Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, said: “Frederik knows he is my superhero, as he is to all of our family, and to so very many good friends and to so very many people the world over.
“Part of his superpower was his ability to inspire and to lead by example. Frederik was born with a special capacity for positivity, joy, and determination. When he was little, I would always say that if there is one child of ours that I would never need to worry about, it was him.
“Over the years on a number of occasions, Frederik voiced his gratitude for having his disease. He cited the intensity of his experiences and his relationships as the reason for this. He felt there were so many amazing people that he would never have known had it not been for his disease.
“We wish to extend our deep gratitude for all the messages of support and love received by our family in this very difficult moment. With our superhero’s help we hope to turn our deep grief into positive results and therewith follow his unwavering example.
“His ultimate message is one of hope, compassion, and resilience. We are all so very proud of you, Frederik. I am so very proud of you. We love you.”
During his brief life the royal launched the POLG Foundation, which aims at supporting research into the condition, as well as those who suffer from it. The statement added: “In true Frederik fashion, he left us collectively with a final long-standing family joke. 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. Frederik’s last question to me, prior to his other remarks was: “Papa, are you proud of me?”
“He had barely been able to speak for several days, so the clarity of these words was as surprising as the weight of the moment was profound. The answer was very easy, and he had heard it oh so many times. At this time, he needed reassurance that he had contributed all he possibly could in his short and beautiful existence and he could now finally move on.”
