A beloved prince has died. On Saturday 8 March 2025, it was with a heavy heart that Prince Robert of Luxembourg announcedthat his child Prince Frederik had died at the age of 22, on 1 March. The royal was the youngest son of Robert of Luxembourg and Julie of Nassau.
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Frederik of Nassau died of a rare disease
Frederik of Nassau had suffered from mitochondrial disease (PolG) since birth, but was not diagnosed until he was 14. This genetic disease deprives the body's cells of energy, causing progressive dysfunction and failure of several organs.
The foundation's website explains that this disease could be compared to ‘a faulty battery that never fully charges and is in a constant state of exhaustion’. The disease is rare, but research into PolG says that it ‘could have repercussions on everything from Parkinson's disease to cancer’.
Prince Robert's heartbreaking tribute to his son
In a long and absolutely heartbreaking message, Prince Robert spoke of his bright son, who was full of joie de vivre despite his illness. The Prince wrote:
Frederik knows that he is my superhero, as he is to all our family, to so many good friends and now, (...) to so many people around the world. 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.
He also referred to his son's many qualities, which made him unique:
He has social skills like no other, an amazing sense of humour, an emotional intelligence and compassion that were off the charts, a sense of justice, fairness and decency that knows no bounds.
Prince Robert revealed that the young man had kept pearls of wisdom on his phone, one of which read ‘Go out when the sun is shining’. Prince Robert explained:
We will strive to follow his instructions, especially now that everything seems a little colder and darker in his absence.
In his heartbreaking missive, the bereaved father further revealed his son's last words. ‘Papa, are you proud of me?’ he asked. He gave his heartbreaking answer:
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.
This article has been translated from Voici.
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Sources used:
New York Post: Luxembourg’s Prince Frederik dead at 22 from rare genetic disease: ‘He is my superhero’
CNN: Prince Frederik of Luxembourg dies from rare disease
