Prince William Frederick Henry of the Netherlands (Dutch: Willem Frederik Hendrik; 13 June 1820 – 13 January 1879) was the third son of King William II of the Netherlands and his wife, Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia. He was born at Soestdijk Palace.
Prince Henry became Governor of Luxembourg in 1850, in which capacity he served until his death in 1879. During his tenure, he worked with the government to launch the reactionary Coup of 1856, which consolidated power in the monarchy and the executive. However, most of the changes were reversed by the new constitution issued in 1868 after the 1867 Luxembourg Crisis, He got on very well with his brother Alexander and sister Sophie, but had a troubled relationship with his eldest brother William, especially after the latter had ascended the throne in 1849. According to Dutch Minister for War A.W.P. Weitzel, Prince Henry lived in salutary fear of his brother and did not interfere with anything lest it should offend the king.
Throughout his life, his title was His Royal Highness Prince Henry of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau.
Legacy
thumb|A bust of Prince Henry on Prins Hendrikkade in Amsterdam
The Prins Hendrikkade, a major street in Amsterdam, was named after Prince Henry following his death in 1879. A bust of Henry stands on the street.
The Prins Hendrik Stichting, a charity founded by Prince Henry in 1871 and named after him, provides care to sailors and their widows.
In Luxembourg, an oak tree in Grünewald forest was planted and named after him following his death in 1879. The city of Luxembourg also has a street named after Henry, the Boulevard Prince-Henri.
Honours
He received the following orders and decorations:
- : Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
- : Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
- : Knight of the Order of St. Andrew the First-called, 10 June 1834
- Kingdom of Prussia: Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, 8 February 1842
- : Grand Cross of the Order of the White Falcon, 4 February 1845
- : Grand Cross of the Order of the Württemberg Crown, 1849
- Sweden-Norway: Knight of the Order of the Seraphim, 23 February 1850
- Ernestine duchies: Grand Cross of the Saxe-Ernestine House Order, June 1853
- : Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau, with Swords, June 1858
- Electorate of Hesse: Knight of the House Order of the Golden Lion, 12 September 1859
- : Grand Cross of the House and Merit Order of Duke Peter Friedrich Ludwig, with Golden Crown, 24 February 1878
- : Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (military), 25 March 1878