THE HAGUE, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Dutch Prince Friso, who has been in a coma since February this year, has shown occasional signs of minimal consciousness, the Netherlands Government Information Service RVD reported on Monday.

The RVD emphasized that the prognosis remains very uncertain and that the medical team is "still very concerned." It will take many months before there is more clarity.

The Dutch royal family thanked the media for their restraint in reporting about the condition of Friso. His wife Princess Mabel expressed her feelings on Twitter. "This is the most challenging period of my life. My love for Friso, the support of family and friends, and the many signs of compassion give me strength in these difficult times," she stated.

On February 17, the now 44-year-old Prince was buried under an avalanche, while he was skiing in Austria. He was covered by snow for 25 minutes and had a cardiac arrest of 50 minutes. The lack of oxygen damaged his brains. In March, he was moved to a hospital in his residence in London.

Friso is the second son of Dutch Queen Beatrix and the late Prince Claus and the younger brother of Willem-Alexander, heir of Beatrix. He and his wife have two daughters.