(Report) – Prince Frederick of Luxembourg died at the age of 22 from a genetic disorder, a porgumitochondrial disease, after his birth.
The family announced his death one day after the day of rare illness, the last day of February.
His father, Prince Robert of Luxembourg, posted a statement on the Polg Foundation website, which Prince Frederick founded in 2021 to raise awareness of the rarity state.
Prince Frederick was able to say his final farewell to his family, including his parents, siblings, and cousins, after barely able to speak for a few days.
“He is unparalleled with his unparalleled social skills, an astounding sense of humor, off-chart emotional intelligence and compassion, a sense of justice, fairness and good sense, no boundaries,” Prince Robert said in a statement.
Prince Frederick was born with a porgumitochondrial disease, but was not diagnosed until the age of 14, when the disease progressed.
Rare disorders affect multiple organ systems and are the most common hereditary mitochondrial disease. Named after the Polg gene, there are over 200 POLG mutations that can cause disease.
The Polg Foundation explains that this disorder steals cells of energy and compares it to a battery that doesn’t fully charge, and is constantly depleted and ultimately loses power.
Patients can receive treatment to manage their symptoms, but there is no treatment for Polg disease.
Up to 2% of people with Northern European heritage can carry the Polg mutation.
