COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II, who stunned the country when she abdicated earlier this year, has been admitted to a hospital after falling in her home, Danish media reported Thursday. She was reportedly not seriously hurt.
The 84-year-old queen was admitted late Wednesday to the Danish capital’s university hospital for observation after a fall at Fredensborg Castle, north of Copenhagen, the royal house told Danish media.
“According to the circumstances, the queen is doing well, but was admitted for observation for the time being,” the head of communications, Lene Balleby, was quoted as saying. The royal household had no further comments.
King Frederik X, her son, told reporters he had spoken to her and that “she is in good hands.”
“We take it day by day. The doctors are the ones who decide,” Frederik said as he arrived at the Danish capital’s City Hall to attend celebrations marking the 100 anniversary of the Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir.
Margrethe was scheduled to participate in an event Friday, marking the 75th anniversary of the Department of Archeology at Aarhus University, but her participation has now been canceled. Margrethe had studied prehistoric archaeology at Copenhagen University, and earlier said that if she hadn’t been the monarch of Denmark, she would have become an archaeologist.
In January, Queen Margrethe became Denmark’s first monarch to abdicate in nearly 900 years when handing the throne over to her son.
She always maintained during her 52-year reign that she wouldn’t quit, but back surgery and several ailments left her unable to undertake as much as she could in the past. “Time takes its toll,” she said, when announcing her plans to abdicate in a New Year’s address that stunned the kingdom.