Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 84, hospitalised after fall at Fredensborg Castle

Queen Margrethe of Denmark has been hospitalised following a fall at Fredensborg Castle.

She is in stable condition, but will remain in the hospital for monitoring, a statement from the palace said.

Margrethe, a third cousin of Queen Elizabeth, was scheduled to participate in an event at Aarhus University on Friday but has now pulled out.

Her Majesty, known for her chain-smoking and love of dachshunds, was last seen on Monday as she attended the Rungstedlund Prize 2024 at the Karen Blixen Museum.

Just one week after giving up the crown, the royal went to a special church service at Aarhus Cathedral with her son, King Frederik and his wife Queen Mary.

In Denmark, formal power resides with the elected parliament and its government. The monarch is expected to stay above partisan politics, representing the nation with traditional duties ranging from state visits to national day celebrations.

Born in 1940, Margrethe has throughout her life enjoyed broad support from Danes, who are fond of her tactful and yet creative personality, the Prime Minster has previously described her as ‘the epitome of Denmark’.

She enjoyed a close relationship with her third cousin Queen Elizabeth II, both descendants of Queen Victoria, having bonded during several state visits to each other’s countries down the decades – most recently in 2000, when Margrethe was received at Windsor.

The six-feet-tall Margrethe has been one of the most popular public figures in Denmark. She often walked the streets of Copenhagen virtually unescorted and won the admiration of Danes for her warm manners and for her talents as a linguist and designer.

A keen skier, she was a member of a Danish women’s air force unit as a princess, taking part in judo courses and endurance tests in the snow.