The Danish Royal House made clear that Queen Margrethe would have to take things slow and that her participation in upcoming engagements would be determined with time. Two weeks after being discharged from Rigshospitalet, Margrethei s back to public life — smiling, in good spirits, and with a walker by her side.
Her comeback took place at her home in Fredensborg Palace for the presentation of the Prince Henrik Prize. Dressed in a bright skirt and jacket that she accessorized with red lipstick and manicure, the Queen arrived at the ceremony with the energy and warmth that have long defined her public presence.
Her walker was the only reminder of the setback that brought her to a hospital days after experiencing a scary cardiac episode.
Mounting health concerns
Alarm bells rang on May 25, when Margrethe was readmitted to Rigshospitalet — less than two weeks after her first hospitalization that same month. A CT scan had revealed a large blood clot in her hip area, the result of a previous fall, and she received treatment at the hospital.
© Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty ImaDespite the gravity of the diagnosis, her physician stressed that the Queen was “doing well under the circumstances,” though she was expected to remain hospitalized for several days. She was discharged on May 29.
Her first hospitalization had come on May 14, when she was admitted with angina pectoris, a type of chest pain and pressure that’s caused by insufficient blood and oxygen reaching the heart muscle. She underwent a balloon angioplasty of a coronary artery and spent five days at the hospital.
During her stay, she received a visit from her beloved sister, Princess Benedicta, who reassured the public. Margrethe was discharged on May 19, though a planned theatre engagement on May 23 was subsequently cancelled as she focused on her recovery.
© Martin Sylvest AndersenA bittersweet birthday for the King
The day after Margrethe’s second admission to the hospital, King Frederik celebrated his birthday.
To commemorate the date, he and his family, made up by Queen Mary and their kids Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine, participated in the Royal Run, an annual nationwide athletics event that Frederik established to encourage physical activity across Denmark.
Thousands of people took to the streets, fields, and forests around the country, participating in the race and celebrating another year of their king. While all of these celebrations took place, Margrethe was in recovery and likely in her son’s mind.
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