Danish police investigating events around Prince Henrik’s death

Danish Police are investigating hospital staff after private details about Prince Henrik’s deteriorating condition were leaked to the media ahead of his death.

The Danish royal family released a brief statement in early February confirming Henrik had been admitted hospital after his condition “greatly worsened”. However, royal journalist Trine Villemann soon broke the news that prince was in fact on his deathbed. She cited hospital sources in her story, and the prince passed away just days later. 

The privacy breach is considered serious enough to warrant police attention, given the family’s high profile and the distress it caused them during such a difficult time. 

On breaking the story Villemann told Danish tabloid newspaper Ekstra Bladet: “I was going to Radio24 the morning after the press release came out and said that it was true that the prince’s condition is seriously worsened,” adding “I added then that a source at Rigshospitalet had told me that Prince Henrik was dying. I probably would have said this, regardless of whether I had a source. I am an old horse in this game and when the royal house published this press release, it is not because he’s got the flu”.

The Prince had battled poor health for a number years and had recently been diagnosed with an aggressive form of dementia.

Villemann later wrote on Facebook “under no circumstances will I name my source”.

A police spokesperson released a statement confirming they had talked to Villemann: “We can confirm that Trine Villemann has been with us and given her explanation. We made a police inquiry by phone. She is only a witness in the matter and will not be charged. It is correct that an investigation has started, but beyond this, we do not want to comment on the matter.”

The case is similar a British royal family breach in 2012, after the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to Prince George. Two Australian radio DJs called the King Edward VII hospital pretending to be The Queen and Prince Charles and tricked nurse Jacintha Saldanha into revealing confidential details about Catherine’s condition. The conversation was recorded and broadcast on air. 

Weeks later, a distraught Salanha took her own life. She referenced the prank call in her suicide note and apologised for accidentally leaking the private information. 

Do you think royal families should be granted a certain level of privacy?