Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark

Born Henri de Laborde de Monpezat in southwest France in 1934, he spent his childhood in French Indochina, where his family had deep roots, and lived through the Second World War at their home in Cahors. After the French defeat in the First Indochina War forced the family out of Vietnam, he completed his studies, served in the French Army during the Algerian conflict, and entered the diplomatic service. He met Princess Margrethe of Denmark in that world and married her at Holmen Church on 10 June 1967; five years later, when her father died, she became queen and he became prince consort. They had two sons - the elder is now King Frederik X - and he divided the next decades between royal duties, winemaking at his French estate, and writing poetry. He never stopped protesting the decision to deny him the title of king, a grievance that shadowed his tenure until his retirement in 2016 and his death two years later at Fredensborg Palace.