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A close up photo of Queen Margrethe © EMIL NICOLAI HELMS

Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 84, rushed to hospital following fall at Fredensborg Castle

The Danish royal is the late Queen Elizabeth's third cousin

September 19, 2024
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Queen Margrethe of Denmark has been rushed to hospital following a fall at Fredensborg Castle on Wednesday evening.

A spokesperson for the Danish royal family informed the local press that the Danish royal has been admitted to the capital’s university hospital for observation after the incident.

WATCH: Queen Margrethe signs the declaration during her abdication

“According to the circumstances, the Queen is doing well but was admitted for observation for the time being,” the head of communications, Lene Balleby, was quoted as saying. The royal household had no further comments.

Margrethe was scheduled to attend a special event in honour of the 75th anniversary of the Department of Archaeology at Aarhus University on Friday, but due to the circumstances, her appearance has been cancelled.

The Danish royal is one of Queen Elizabeth's third cousins and made headlines in January when she decided to abdicate the throne due to her health. "Time takes its toll,” she said in her New Year's address.

The Queen with her family members on King Frederick's birthday© Martin Sylvest Andersen
The Queen with her family members on King Frederick's birthday

During her Council of State meeting just two weeks after the shock news, Margrethe alluded to why she made her decision: "In February [2023], I underwent extensive back surgery.

"It went well, thanks to the skilled healthcare staff who took care of me. Of course, the operation also gave rise to thoughts about the future – whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation."

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Despite relinquishing the throne after her 52-year reign, the Danish royal palace confirmed that the Queen would still be known as Her Majesty Queen Margrethe following her abdication, and she can act as regent if King Frederik, Queen Mary, and Crown Prince Christian are abroad, on holiday, or unable to carry out their functions due to ill health.

Royal author and Editor-at-Large of The Australian Women's Weekly, Juliet Rieden, previously told HELLO! that she thinks Frederik will still be turning to his mother for advice as he navigates the first year of his reign.

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