Queen Margrethe seen publicly for first time since hospitalisation

Denmark’s Queen Margrethe has been seen publicly for the first time since being discharged from hospital a week ago.

The 85-year-old’s hospitalisation came suddenly and was the latest in a bout of bad health for the former Danish monarch.

On Thursday, Her Majesty accepted the Bible Society’s 2025 Prize inside the garden hall at Fredensborg Castle.

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The mother of reigning king, Frederik X, wore a vibrant tartan blazer paired with a red skirt as she accepted the honour, holding her cane.

The silver-haired former monarch looked in good spirits as she smiled and shook hands with guests.

Queen Margrethe was recognised “for her many years of commitment to faith, church life and Bible dissemination”, according to a social media post from the Danish royal household.

The prize, which was first established in 2007, consists of a framed original page from an early Danish Bible edition among other things.

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Earlier this month, the 85-year-old was forced to skip an engagement after a precautionary measure saw her admitted to Denmark’s largest hospital, Rigshospitalet, in Copenhagen.

The palace said the former monarch had caught a cold and was hospitalised “for observation as a precaution” but would need to miss the 125th anniversary of the Sankt Lukas Foundation event.

Two days later, on May 10, the royal household happily reported Her Majesty was “back in her residence at Fredensborg Palace”, where she’s been recuperating since.

Fredensborg, located north of Copenhagen, is the royal family’s official summer home and is where King Frederik and wife Queen Mary are currently residing as well.

Queen Margrethe shocked her country – and royal watchers around the world – when she announced her abdication in her New Year’s Eve address in 2023.

The monarch said the decision was not made lightly but was on the grounds of her health, having undergone extensive back surgery earlier that year.

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She became the first Danish monarch in almost 900 years to step aside, making way for her son and his Australian-born wife to succeed her 52-year reign.

Just weeks later, in January 2024, the couple accepted their new lives in a relatively low key proclamation day.

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