(NewsNation) — Prince Frederik of Luxembourg has died at 22 from POLG mitochondrial disease, a genetic disorder he has had since birth.
The family announced his death one day after Rare Disease Day, which is the last day of February.
His father, Prince Robert of Luxembourg, posted a statement to the POLG Foundation website, which Prince Frederik founded in 2021 to raise awareness about the rare condition.
Prince Frederik was able to say his last goodbyes to his family, including his parents, siblings and cousins, after being able to barely speak for several days.
“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 said in the statement.
Although Prince Frederik was born with POLG mitochondrial disease, he was not diagnosed until he was 14, when the illness progressed.
The rare disorder affects multiple organ systems and is the most common inherited mitochondrial disease. It is named for the POLG gene, and there are more than 200 POLG mutations that can cause the disease.
The POLG Foundation described the disorder as robbing cells of energy and comparing it to a battery that never fully charges, is constantly being depleted and eventually loses power.
There is no cure for POLG diseases, though patients can be given treatment to help manage the symptoms.
Up to 2% of people with Northern European heritage may carry POLG mutations.
