Johan Friso, the bespectacled Dutch prince who avoided the limelight and gave up his position in line to the throne after getting entangled in a scandal with his bride-to-be, died yesterday, 18 months after a skiing accident that left his brain gravely injured. He was 44.

Dutch prince Johan Friso remains in a stable but life-threatening condition five days after he was buried by an avalanche in the Austrian Alps, it was revealed today.

Dutch Prince Johan Friso was in critical but stable condition in intensive care yesterday after an avalanche buried him while he was skiing off piste in the Austrian alps.

Prince Johan Friso, the second son of Queen Beatrix, married human rights activist Mabel Wisse Smit today without the approval of the Dutch government, giving up his claim to the throne for love.

Dutch prince Johan Friso will marry human rights activist Mabel Wisse Smit without the endorsement of the Dutch parliament, effectively relinquishing his claim to the throne, the government said today.