# Luxembourg royal Prince Frederik dead at 22 from rare genetic condition

The son of Prince Probert and Princess Julie was born with PolG mitochondrial disease

, the son of Prince Robert of Luxembourg and Princess Julie of Nassau, has died at the age of 22.

Prince Robert shared the news in a statement on the website for the  an organization started by Frederik to help with treatments and a cure for the illness.

Frederik was born with PolG mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic condition.

"It is with a very heavy heart that my wife and I would like to inform you of the passing of our son," Prince Robert wrote in the statement, sharing that Frederik had died on March 1.





The day before on "Rare Disease Day," Prince Robert shared that Frederik spoke with his family, including his brother Alexander and sister Charlotte, as well as cousins and other extended family, "one last time."

"After gifting each of us with our farewells – some kind, some wise, some instructive – in true Frederik fashion, he left us collectively with a final long-standing family joke. Even in his last moments, his humor, and his boundless compassion, compelled him to leave us with one last laugh… to cheer us all up."

He also wrote that Frederik asked, "Papa, are you proud of me?"

"He had barely been able to speak for several days, so the clarity of these words was as surprising as the weight of the moment was profound. 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," his father wrote.

According to his father’s statement, Frederik was born with PolG mitochondrial disease.

Frederik wasn’t diagnosed until he was 14, "when his symptoms were showing more clearly and when the progression of his disease had become more acute."



Prince Robert said Frederik "jumped" at the opportunity to create a foundation to find a cure.

"Though he always made it very clear that he did not want this dreadful disease to define him, he nonetheless immediately identified with and helped define the mission of The POLG Foundation."

According to his father’s statement, Frederik created the look for the charity in the United States, and launched a MITO clothing line, encouraged by 

He also "actively and literally gave of himself to develop multiple mouse models and cell lines in Switzerland, the United States, and Europe and to make these available to further facilitate research into POLG."





Prince Robert concluded, "On behalf of Frederik, Julie, Charlotte, Alexander, Mansour and the entire global POLG community, we thank you for helping this worthy cause that will  We will be resolutely focused on alleviating suffering for the POLG community and other diseases and conditions far beyond, associated with mitochondrial diseases."

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