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Royal funeral to be marked by church bells, windmills and flags

Ritzau/The Local
Ritzau/The Local - [email protected]
Royal funeral to be marked by church bells, windmills and flags
Photo: Philip Davali/Scanpix Denmark

As Prince Henrik is laid to rest at 11am today at Christiansborg Slotskirke in Copenhagen, the rest of Denmark will also mark the occasion.

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Church bells throughout the country will ring for half an hour prior to the church service at Christiansborg Slotskirke and again for half an hour following the funeral.

Danes and other well-wishers have turned out in vast numbers to leave floral tributes and messages at Amalienborg Palace since Prince Henrik, husband Queen Margrethe, died on February 13th aged 83.

A one-month period of royal mourning was declared following the prince's death, meaning that the royal family and palace staff will wear dark clothes and abstain and from social or entertaining events during that time.

Flags have flown at half-mast at all state buildings and on state ships since Wednesday last week.

Following Tuesday's funeral, flags will be raised to full mast until sunset.

The historic Dybbøl Mill and other windmills across Denmark will be set at the so-called mourning position during the occasion, with the sails set at either a cross or X position.

Prince Henrik acted as protector for the Danish Windmill Association from 1988.

"It meant a lot to us to have him as our protector. When we needed messaged of support or forewrods for books, he was always there for us," chairperson Susanne Jervelund said Monday.

19,356 people visited the prince's closed casket at Christiansborg Slotskirke between Saturday and Monday, Ritzau reports.

Prince Henrik's death has also been marked in sport, with all matches of last weekend's round in the Alka Superligaen, the top division of Danish football, preceded by a minute's silence. All players wore black armbands.

Churches have been encouraged to offer normal services Sunday or special services on Tuesday at which Prince Henrik can be remembered.

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