Henri (Count) (de) MONPEZAT

Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark (né Count Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat, b. 11 June 1934), is the husband of the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II. Henrik was born in Talence, Gironde, France, the son of Count André de Laborde de Monpezat (1907-1998) and his wife, the former Renée Doursenot (1908- 2001). He spent his first five years in French Indo-China (now Vietnam) where his father was in charge of family business interests. He returned to Hanoi in 1950, graduating from the French secondary school there in 1952. Between 1952 and 1957 he simultaneously studied law and political science at the Sorbonne, Paris, and Chinese and Vietnamese at the École Nationale des Langues Orientales (now known as INALCO). He also studied in Hong Kong in 1957 and Saigon in 1958. After military service with the French Army in the Algerian War between 1959 and 1962, in 1962 he joined the French Foreign Affairs ministry, working as a Secretary at the embassy in London from 1963 to 1967. On 10 June 1967 he married Princess Margrethe, the heiress presumptive to the Danish throne. At the time of the wedding his name was Danicised to Henrik. They have two children, Crown Prince Frederik (born 26 May 1968) and Prince Joachim (born 7 June 1969). Prince Henrik and his wife, Queen Margrethe II, also have three grandsons: HRH Prince Christian, HH Prince Nikolai, and HH Prince Felix, and one granddaughter, HRH Princess Isabella. Prince Henrik's native language is French, though he quickly learned Danish after his marriage, but Danes still joke about his grasp of Danish and his thick French accent. He also speaks fluent English, Chinese, and Vietnamese. He received somewhat of a press-grilling for admitting that he is fond of the taste of dog., this despite the fact that he is honorary president of the Danish Dachshund Club. In 2002 he also "fled" Denmark to reflect on his status in the Danish Royal Family. He returned after the brief stint. Titles: Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat (1934-1967) His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark (1967-2005) His Royal Highness The Prince Consort of Denmark (2005-present)

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