Royal Family Member Dead at 22 From Rare Disease
The sad news was announced by Robert in a blog post on the website for The POLG Foundation, a nonprofit foundation founded by Frederik's family after his diagnosis in 2016.
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"It is with a very heavy heart that my wife and I would like to inform you of the passing of our son, The POLG Foundation Founder and Creative Director, Frederik," began the message. "Last Friday, February 28th, on 'Rare Disease Day', our beloved son called us in to his room to speak to him for one last time."
Robert recalled Frederik's emotional goodbyes to himself, his brother Alexander, his sister Charlotte, his cousins and more family members, noting, "He had already spoken all that was in his heart to his extraordinary mother [Julie], who had not left his side in 15 years."
He went on to share Frederik's last question to him, "Papa, are you proud of me?" with Robert sharing, "The answer was very easy, and he had heard it oh so many times…. but at this time, he needed reassurance that he had contributed all that he possibly could in his short and beautiful existence and that he could now finally move on."
Calling his son "my Superhero," Robert said, "Frederik fought his disease valiantly until the very end. His indomitable lust for life propelled him through the hardest of physical and mental challenges. Our cheery Frederik saw the beauty in everything."
Frederik died on March 1, in Paris, France. A fan page for the Luxembourg royal family also shared the news of his death and part of Robert's tribute on social media.
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The blog post shared details about Frederik's illness, noting that he lived his whole life with the disease despite the late diagnosis. According to the organization's website, PolG mitochondrial disease is "a genetic disorder that robs the body's cells of energy, in turn causing progressive multiple organ dysfunction and failure."
Currently, the condition is "very difficult to diagnose and has no treatments much less a cure." The POLG Foundation is working to find therapies, treatments, and hopefully a cure to help those suffering from the disease.
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