Queen Margrethe of Denmark has been discharged from Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen after receiving treatment for a hip hematoma and dehydration following a sudden illness on Sunday, the Danish royal house announced on Thursday.
The 86-year-old former monarch was allowed to leave the hospital on Thursday morning and has returned to Fredensborg Castle to recover. The royal palace confirmed in an official statement that she is feeling well, although medical staff have advised that she will need to take it easy in the coming period.
Rigshospitalet is the primary public hospital in Copenhagen and serves as Denmark's leading medical facility for specialized care. Fredensborg Castle, located north of the Danish capital on the island of Zealand, is a palace complex frequently used by the royal family as a seasonal residence.
Repeated hospitalizations
Her recent illness forced the former queen to cancel her planned travel to Oslo on Wednesday. She had been scheduled to attend the funeral service for King Harald V of Norway, who passed away in late August at the age of 89. The Nordic royal houses maintain close personal and historic ties, with members regularly attending official state ceremonies across the region.
Thursday's discharge marks the end of Queen Margrethe's third hospital stay this year. In mid-May, she underwent an angioplasty procedure to treat a vascular issue, which required her to spend several days in hospital under medical supervision.
Shortly after returning home from that procedure, she suffered an accidental fall that resulted in a hip hematoma. That injury required a second hospital stay earlier in the year prior to her admission this week.
Abdication and health history
Queen Margrethe abdicated the Danish throne two years ago after a long reign. Throughout her time as monarch, she earned immense popularity among the Danish public for subtly modernizing the royal institution while pursuing a lifelong interest in the arts and culture.
The former sovereign has faced multiple health complications in recent years. For decades, she had consistently stated that she intended to remain on the throne for her entire life and would never step down.
However, major back surgery in 2023 prompted her to reconsider her position. The procedure led to her decision to relinquish the crown to her eldest son, King Frederik, who succeeded her as Denmark's head of state.
