Henri Jaakoppi is a supporting character in The Heir and The Crown. He was chosen for Princess Eadlyn's Selection. He is one of the six Elite and the finalist of the Selection.
Biography[]
Henri was born in Swendway. When he was seventeen, one year before the Selection, he and his family moved from Swendway to Sota in Illéa. Both he and his parents are cooks. He also has a little sister, Annika.
After he was selected, his parents put out a call for a reliable translator, because Henri could only speak a few words in English. Erik, a first generation Swendish to be born in Illéa, submitted his résumé and became his translator during the Selection. He met Henri only a week before the Selection started, but they quickly became close friends and Henri mostly communicates through him.
At the end of the Crown, Henri realizes that he couldn't marry Eadlyn because she loved Eikko, so he told Eikko that he couldn't marry her before the Report and told them that they were the people who loved each other. He was not bitter about it and even offered to bake the wedding cake.
Features[]
Henri has wild blond curls and a boyish smile. When Eadlyn first saw his photo on his application form, she described him as "a boy with a very innocent face and a head full of wild blond curls". When she first met him in person, Henri "was nothing but smiles, and it looked like someone had tried to tame his hair and failed". Also, Henri "seemed younger than most of the others [Suitors] and did have that happy-go-lucky air about him".
Personality[]
"... Henri is endlessly optimistic. No matter the circumstance, he is a beacon of joy."
Henri has an eccentric attitude, much like Marlee Woodwork. He is shown to be very sweet, but also shy and quiet. He is extremely intelligent and passionate for the things he loves. He is always happy and cheerful, even in serious situations, like the destroyed Suitors' parade and the public elimination of 11 Suitors. He only became nervous when Eadlyn kissed him, as he really desires to be her husband. He studies a lot to understand the laws and culture of Illéa. According to Erik, his translator, he even studies the way Queen Eadlyn's brothers walk. However, his language skills need a lot of improvement, something that Erik notices will be a long-term obstacle if Eadlyn develops feelings for him, too. Despite the language barrier, Eadlyn is able to connect with Henri on a deeper level than many other suitors. She states that even with the language barrier she feels that if she were to tell anyone something intimate, it would be Henri.
Trivia[]
- He loves to bake and cook.
- His name means "home ruler".
- His application was full of spelling mistakes because he guessed the words.
- He baked korvapuusti (Cinnamon rolls, or "a slap on the ear") during a group date, one of his favorite things to prepare as well as eat.
- He was the second Suitor that Eadlyn kissed, after Kile Woodwork.
- Kiera Cass stated at her twitter account that she adores Henri.
- His name is pronounced like Henry.