Funeral Held for Dutch Prince Friso after Lengthy Coma

BBC: The funeral has been held for Dutch Prince Johan Friso, who died on Monday following a ski accident.

He remained in a coma for a year and a half after being hit by an avalanche at an Austrian ski resort in 2012.

The prince was buried in the small village of Lage Vuursche, near the castle where his mother, former Queen Beatrix, plans to retire.

Only residents and around 80 official guests attended, including Friso's godfather, Norway's King Harald V.

The royal family is planning a public memorial event later this year. Until then, a book of condolences has been opened online. (+ video) » | Friday, August 16, 2013

Obituary: HRH Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau »

Dutch 'Sad But Not Shocked' Over Prince Friso Death

BBC: The royal palace in the Netherlands says Prince Friso, the younger brother of King Willem-Alexander, has died at the age of 44.

He had been in a coma since being buried in an avalanche while skiing in Austria last year.

Anna Holligan reports. (+ video) » | Monday, August 12, 2013

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Obituary: HRH Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: HRH Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, who has died aged 44, was second in line to the Dutch throne until being excluded from the line of succession by his choice of a wife; for the past 18 months he had been in a coma after being buried by an avalanche at an Austrian ski resort.

In the summer of 2003 Prince Friso announced his engagement to Mabel Wisse Smit, a beautiful and intelligent blonde who was known for her work in the promotion of human rights. Soon afterwards, however, it was claimed that, 15 years earlier, she had been in a relationship with a Dutch mobster and international drug dealer called Klaas Bruinsma.

The claim was made by one of Bruinsma’s former bodyguards, who said that his boss and Mabel had been lovers — and that she had been the only woman allowed on board Bruinsma’s yacht. Miss Smit strenuously denied the allegations, saying that she had been merely an acquaintance of Bruinsma; she admitted that she had spent the night on his yacht on several occasions, but denied that there had been a sexual relationship, insisting that she had known him for only a few months and broke off contact after she found out how he made his money. They had, she said, shared a passion for sailing.

Miss Smit had been an expert on the Balkans at the UN, and promoted the cause of human rights for the Open Society Institute, funded by George Soros. She had been vetted by the Dutch secret service and approved as a suitable bride.

Shortly after becoming engaged, however, she issued a statement saying that she had known Bruinsma — who was shot dead in a gangland killing in 1991 — for a few months while she was a student, but had broken with him when she learned of “the practices he engaged in”. » | The Daily Telegraph | Monday, August 12, 2013

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Dutch Prince Friso Dies After Skiing Accident

Dutch Prince Johan Friso has died at the age of 44.

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Dutch Prince Johan Friso Dies After Skiing Accident Coma

THE GUARDIAN: The prince – once second in line to the throne – had been in a coma since February 2012, following fall in Lech, Austrla

Dutch prince Johan Friso, who went into a coma following a skiing accident in February 2012, has died, the government said on Monday.

"Prince Friso died from complications that arose as a consequence of the brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation following his skiing accident," the government said in a statement.

The prince, 44, was skiing off-piste in Lech, Austria, when he was buried in an avalanche. Rescuers pulled him from the snow, unconscious, 20 minutes later. He was resuscitated at the scene and flown to hospital, but remained in a coma for months.

Before the accident, Friso, the second of the former Queen Beatrix's three sons, had sometimes been known as "Prince Brilliant". He studied at UC Berkeley, the Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam, graduating from the Dutch universities cum laude, with degrees in engineering and economics. He later earned an MBA at France's prestigious INSEAD school of business. » | Agencies, Amsterdam | Monday, August 12, 2013

LE NOUVEL OBSERVATEUR: Décès du prince Johan Friso d'Orange-Nassau » | Thomas Escritt; Anthony Deutsch, Clémence Apetogbor pour le service français | lundi 12 août 2013

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Prinz Johan Friso ist tot: Der niederländische Prinz Johan Friso ist gestorben. Der Bruder von König Willem-Alexander war im Februar 2012 beim Skifahren in Österreich von einer Lawine erfasst worden. Seither lag er im Koma. » | Von Michael Stabenow, Brüssel | Montag, 08. August 2013

VIDEO hier abspielen.

Dutch Royal Family Statement »

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Prince Friso's Family Thank Public for Support

MONSTERS & CRITICS: The Dutch royal family have expressed their thanks for the public support they have received following Prince Johan Friso's skiing accident.

The 43-year-old royal has been in a coma ever since he was trapped under the snow for 15 minutes while skiing off piste in Austria in February and his mother Queen Beatrix and wife Princess Mabel have now expressed their gratitude for the messages they have received.

In a statement, they said: 'Following Prince Friso's accident, we have received messages of sympathy and concern from all over the Netherlands and from beyond our borders.

'We and our family are deeply touched that so many people hold Friso in their hearts and share in our anxieties. All the encouraging words, expressions of hope, moving messages, prayers and flowers are a great support to us and give us courage in a very difficult period, full of uncertainty. Your sympathy means a great deal to us. Read on and comment » | Royal Watch News | Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Comatose Dutch Prince Moved to London Hospital
CBS NEWS: Dutch Prince Johan Friso, in a coma since he was buried under an avalanche on Feb. 17, was transferred Thursday to a hospital in London.

The palace confirmed the transfer, saying: "Wellington hospital was recommended by experts. Considering his condition, Prince Friso will receive the best possible treatment there." » | Friday, March 02, 2012

ROYAL STATEMENT: HET KONINKLIJK HUIS: His Royal Highness Prince Friso, 1 March 2012, 18.18 »

Related material here and here

Prince Friso, a Ski Accident and the Terrible Trauma Facing the Dutch Royal Family
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A skiing accident has left Prince Friso of the Netherlands fighting for his life. And his family is now having to face up to their worst fears, write Harriet Alexander, Adam Lusher and Joan Clements.

His life was one which many would envy. A successful London financier, with a beautiful loving wife and two young daughters, Johan Friso seemed to have the world at his feet as he set off on his annual ski holiday.

But the businessman, better known as Prince Friso of the Netherlands, the second son of Queen Beatrix, was on Saturday night fighting for his life in Austria after an avalanche left him without oxygen for up to 20 minutes. And the Dutch royal family are now facing up to the agonising realisation that the 43-year-old may never recover from his injuries.

His wife, Princess Mabel, a highly-respected human rights specialist and CEO of Nelson Mandela's Global Elders group, has been keeping a vigil at his bedside since the accident. His mother, who has reigned for 22 years, has been seen looking tearful outside the hospital in Innsbruck, her eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses.

"The members of His Royal Highness Prince Friso's family need to come to terms with the prince's situation, and to reorganise their lives accordingly," said the royal household in a statement.

And the reorganisation is going to be exceedingly painful and difficult for all concerned.

Prince Friso's doctors have said that he may never regain consciousness after being starved of oxygen for so long. The prince was skiing off-piste in the Lech resort with a childhood friend when the avalanche struck. » | Saturday, February 25, 2012

My comment:

I find this news both extremely sad and very moving. Prince Johan Friso has been in my thoughts ever since the terrible news broke. I have also been following the news direct from Austria about this very unfortunate incident.

One can only imagine how traumatizing this must be for both his wife and Queen Beatrix, his mother; in fact, they must be devastated. My deepest sympathy is with them, and all their family, at this time.

One can only hope that by some miracle the prince will start improving. The outlook, however, appears to be very grim indeed. – © Mark

This comment appears here, too.

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Dutch Prince Who Was Struck by Avalanche May Not Regain Consciousness

FOX NEWS: AMSTERDAM – A Dutch prince hit by an avalanche while skiing off-trail in Austria last week suffered massive brain damage and may never regain consciousness, his doctors said Friday.

Johan Friso, the second of Dutch Queen Beatrix's three sons, was buried for 25 minutes before rescuers found him. It then took nearly 50 precious minutes to reanimate the prince after he was pulled from the snow, time that may have cause permanent damage, said Dr. Wolfgang Koller, head of trauma at the Innsbruck hospital where he is being treated.

"It is clear that the oxygen starvation has caused massive brain damage to the patient," Koller said. "At the moment, it cannot be predicted if he will ever regain consciousness."

The 41-yaer-old Friso, who is married and has two young daughters, will be moved later to a rehabilitation clinic for further treatment. But Koller cautioned that it may take years before he awakens from his coma -- if he ever does -- and any recovery from such significant brain damage is a process of "months or even years."

Friso was skiing off-trail in Lech, Austria, despite avalanche warnings, with a childhood friend from the alpine village the Dutch royal family has been visiting each winter for years.

The friend was carrying an avalanche "air bag" and escaped without serious injury. Friso was found with the help of a signaling device he was carrying and flown by helicopter to the Innsbruck Clinic.

But "50 minutes of reanimation is extremely long. You could say too long," Koller said.

The doctor said that due to protocols for minimizing brain damage after such an accident, it had only been possible to conduct an MRI scan of Friso's brain on Thursday.

"We had hoped that the slight cooling of the patient would protect his brain from too serious damage. Unfortunately this hope was not fulfilled," he said.

Friso is in a coma, a state of unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened with external physical or auditory stimulation. There are different levels of unconsciousness and unresponsiveness depending on how much brain function there is. Doctors did not give further details of Friso's diagnosis. » | Associated Press | Friday, February 24, 2012

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Dutch Prince 'Unlikely to Regain Consciousness' after Skiing Accident
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Austrian doctors treating the Prince Johan Friso have said he suffered massive brain damage after being buried by an avalanche last week and may never regain consciousness.

Doctor Wolfgang Koller said on Friday that it took nearly 50 minutes to reanimate the prince, who is the second son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

MRI scans have showed his brain suffered "massive damage" in the avalanche in Lech on Feb. 17 in which he was buried for at last 15 minutes.

"It is clear that the oxygen starvation has caused massive brain damage to the patient," he said. "At the moment, it cannot be predicted if he will ever regain consciousness."

Prince Friso, 43, who is married and has two young daughters, will be moved at a later date to a private clinic for further treatment but it may take years before he awakens, if ever. » | Friday, February 24, 2012

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WELT ONLINE: Prinz Johann Friso liegt im Wachkoma: Wien/Innsbruck - Der niederländische Prinz Johan Friso hat bei seinem Lawinenunfall einen schweren Hirnschaden erlitten und bleibt womöglich lebenslang im Wachkoma. Seine Ärzte zweifeln, ob der 43-Jährige je wieder zu Bewusstsein kommt. ¶ Der Sauerstoffmangel habe das Gehirn schwer geschädigt, gaben die Mediziner am Freitag in Innsbruck bekannt. Eine Lawine hatte den zweitältesten Sohn von Königin Beatrix vor einer Woche beim Skifahren in Lech am Arlberg verschüttet. Die Königsfamilie sucht nun nach einer Reha-Klinik. ¶ Das Königshaus bat die Medien, die Privatsphäre der Familie zu respektieren. «Die Angehörigen von Prinz Friso müssen mit der Situation des Prinzen zurecht kommen und ihr Leben neu ordnen», hieß es in einer Mitteilung. Regierungschef Mark Rutte sagte, das ganze Land leide mit der Königsfamilie in diesen «Tagen der Sorge und Trauer». » | dpa | Freitag, 24. Februar 2012


STERN.DE: Wird Prinz Johan Friso jemals wieder aufwachen? : Die Ärzte haben kaum noch Hoffnung: Der niederländische Prinz Johan Friso wird möglicherweise nie wieder aus dem Koma erwachen - 50 Minuten lang stand sein Herz nach seinem Ski-Unfall still. » | DPA/AFP | Freitag, 24. Februar 2012

LE POINT: Le prince Johan Friso ne reprendra peut-être plus jamais connaissance : Le prince Johan Friso d'Orange-Nassau et d'Amsberg, 43 ans, deuxième fils de la reine Beatrix accidenté dans une avalanche en Autriche, ne reprendra peut-être plus jamais connaissance, a annoncé vendredi un médecin de l'hôpital universitaire d'Innsbruck (ouest). ¶ "On ne peut pas dire aujourd'hui avec certitude si le prince Friso reprendra un jour connaissance", a déclaré Wolfgang Koller, responsable de l'unité de soin traumatologique de l'hôpital lors d'une conférence de presse. » | AFP | vendredi 24 février 2012

PARIS MATCH: Le prince Johan Friso. Une vie brisée : L’équipe médicale de l’hôpital d'Innsbruck a indiqué vendredi ne pas avoir la certitude que le prince Johan Friso, victime d’une avalanche vendredi dernier, reprendra connaissance. ¶ «Peut-être trop longtemps». Des mots terribles, tant redoutés. En conférence de presse vendredi après-midi, le Dr Wolfgang Koller, chef du département de traumatologie de l'Hôpital universitaire d'Innsbruck, a brisé le silence. Celui qui enveloppe le dramatique accident dont a été victime le prince Johan Friso d'Orange-Nassau de la famille royale des Pays-Bas. ¶ Le 17 février dernier, le fils cadet de la Reine Beatrix a été emporté par une avalanche. Il évoluait avec un ami en ski hors-piste dans la station de Lech, dans la province autrichienne du Vorarlberg. Transféré en hélicoptère à l'hôpital, il a été admis en soins intensifs dans un état jugé «critique mais stable». » | Lucie Dancoing - Parismatch.com | vendredi 24 février 2012

Prince Still Critical after Avalanche
AUSTRIAN TIMES: Dutch Prince Johan Friso is still in hospital after he got caught in an avalanche on Friday. The second oldest son of Queen Beatrix was skiing in Lech am Arlberg, Austria when the avalanche struck.

Prince Johan went for 23 minutes without oxygen before he was recovered from under the avalanche on Friday. As the Austrian Times reported yesterday it has now emerged that the 43-year-old was dug out by a friend who had survived the incidient after wearing a cumbersome avalanche airbag. The unconscious Prince was reanimated by rescue teams at the scene was taken by an emergency helicopter to hospital in Innsbruck. » | Austrian Times | Monday, February 20, 2012


THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Dutch prince buried in avalanche is in a coma: Dutch prince Johan Friso is fighting for his life in a coma as Austrian doctors say it will be the end of the week before they can say if he will live or die. » | Bruno Waterfield | Monday, February 20, 2012

NEWS.AT: Familien-Besuch am Krankenbett: Angehörige bangen an Frisos Krankenbett. Auch fünfjährige Tochter besucht Vater. ¶ Die niederländische Königin Beatrix und ihre Schwiegertochter Mabel sind am Montag wieder an der Innsbrucker Universitätsklinik eingetroffen, um den bei einem Lawinenabgang lebensgefährlich verletzten Prinz Johan Friso auf der Intensivstation zu besuchen. Begleitet wurden sie von der fünfjährigen Tochter des Verunglückten, Zaria, und Mabels Mutter. » | Montag, 20. Februar 2012

WELT ONLINE: Johan Friso im Koma, Königin Beatrix trägt Schwarz: Tragödie für das niederländische Königshaus: Prinz Johann Friso befindet nach dem Lawinenunglück im künstlichen Tiefschlaf. 23 Minuten lang soll er unter 40 Zentimeter Schnee gelegen haben. » | Elisalex Henckel | Montag, 20. Februar 2012

PARIS MATCH: Prince Johan Friso, l’interminable attente de Beatrix: Les médecins ne se prononcent toujours pas sur l'état de santé du Prince Johan Friso, victime vendredi d'un avalanche en Autriche. Alors sa mère, la reine Beatrix, attend. » | Clément Mathieu - Parismatch.com | lundi 20 février 2012

Mark Rutte Speaks about Prince Johan Friso after Skiing Accident in Austria


Read the article here | Matthew Day, Warsaw | Friday, February 17, 2012
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Lech: Lawine verschüttet niederländischen Königssohn

DIE PRESSE: Prinz Johan Friso wurde am Arlberg von einer Lawine erfasst. Der Sohn der niederländischen Königin Beatrix liegt in der Innsbrucker Uniklinik und schwebt in Lebensgefahr. Er war im ungesicherten Gelände unterwegs.

Ein Mitglied der niederländischen Königsfamilie ist am Arlberg von einer Lawine verschüttet worden. Offizielle Stellen bestätigen gegenüber der "Presse", dass es sich um Johan Friso handelt, den zweiten Sohn der niederländischen Königin Beatrix. Der 43-Jährige befindet sich in kritischem Zustand, die Ärzte der Innsbrucker Universitätsklinik kämpfen um sein Leben. Die niederländische Königsfamilie befindet sich derzeit auf zweiwöchigen Winterferien in Lech am Arlberg. » | red. | Freitag, 17. Februar 2012

KRONE.AT: Arlberg: Prinz Johan Friso von Lawine verschüttet – Drama um den holländischen Prinzen Johan Friso: Der zweitälteste Sohn von Königin Beatrix ist Freitagmittag am Arlberg von einer Lawine 40 Meter mitgerissen und verschüttet worden. Der Prinz wurde nach 20 Minuten ausgegraben und im Rettungshubschrauber wiederbelebt. In der Universitätsklinik Innsbruck ringt der prominente Patient nun mit dem Tod. » | C. Budin, T. Schrems, G. Krauthackl/red/AG | Freitag, 17. Februar 2012

NZZ ONLINE: Niederländischer Prinz von einer Lawine verschüttet: Sohn von Königin Beatrix gerettet und in stabilem Zustand » | NZZ Online | Freitag, 17. Februar 2012

THE GUARDIAN: Son of Queen Beatrix of Netherlands injured in avalanche: Prince Friso seriously hurt and in intensive care after helicopter rescue from Lech ski resort in Austria » | Associated Press in Vienna | Friday, February 17, 2012

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Le prince Johan Friso des Pays-Bas blessé dans une avalanche: Le deuxième fils de la reine Beatrix est dans un état critique après avoir été pris sous une coulée de neige, vendredi dans la station autrichienne de Lech. » | afp/Newsnet | vendredi 17 fébruar 2012