Queen Margrethe Returns to Public View After September Hospital Stay

Queen Margrethe of Denmark is back in public after her hospital stay last month.

The 86-year-old former monarch attended a concert celebrating the 300th anniversary of the church at Fredensborg Palace, a royal residence north of Copenhagen. It was her first major public appearance since she left the hospital in September, according to Town & Country.

She did not come alone. She was joined by her son, King Frederik, her daughter-in-law, Queen Mary, and her younger sister, Princess Benedikte. The four sat together for the anniversary program in the palace chapel.

Margrethe had been admitted to Copenhagen University Hospital on Sept. 6. Doctors found a blood clot in the area around her hip and mild dehydration. She was discharged four days later, on Sept. 10.

The September stay was her third time in the hospital this year. She was first admitted in May for a heart concern. Doctors then found a blood clot in her hip during follow-up care, which led to a second stay.

The September hospitalization kept her from an important family duty. She missed the state funeral of King Harald V of Norway. She sent a wreath to be placed in the cathedral in connection with his death, with a card signed “Daisy,” according to TV 2. Harald’s death made his son, Haakon, Norway’s new king.

After her discharge, Margrethe also welcomed visitors to Fredensborg Palace for a special honor, according to Hola.

What makes this outing stand out is its simplicity. No speech. No ceremony in her honor. Just a mother, son, and extended family in church pews for a birthday concert, back in a familiar seat.