Prime minister Mark Rutte is returning to the Netherlands from holiday in the wake of the death of prince Friso, 18 months after he was buried by an avalanche while skiing off piste in Austria.

The prime minister, who described Friso’s death after being in a coma since February 2012 as ‘extremely sad’, will be on hand to discuss funeral arrangements, Nos television reported.

One possible location for the funeral is the Oude Kerk in Delft where Friso and princess Mabel married in 2004. The Nieuwe Kerk, home to the royal family crypt, is currently being renovated.

Complications

Friso died on Monday morning following ‘complications’ resulting from his skiing accident.

King Willem-Alexander and his family returned home early from their holiday in Greece on Monday afternoon. Insiders say Friso’s death was unexpected because the king was on holiday.

Thousands of people have so far signed an online register of condolence for the prince. However, reactions from the public have been largely muted, with most people saying the death was to be expected.

Coverage

All the main daily papers have widespread coverage of the prince’s death at the age of 44 on their front pages on Tuesday.

The Telegraaf and AD write about the ‘intense sadness’ for the royal family. The Volkskrant looks at the possible complications in Friso’s health which could have arisen.

The most common cause of death among coma patients, doctors told the paper, is a lung infection followed by a decision to withdraw treatment. The state information service did not give any details about Friso’s death.

NRC next profiles the prince as a ‘happy man hit by a terrible accident’. The Financieele Dagblad says he would have rather been a businessman than a prince. He was an ‘entrepreneur and an investor who became a prince against his will’, the paper states.