
Queen Margrethe abdicated the Danish throne to her son, King Frederik X, in 2024, but at 85, remains a busy and active part of royal life. At the time of her abdication, the former monarch—who is a cousin of Queen Elizabeth's—cited health issues as one of the reasons to pass the reigns to her son and his wife, Queen Mary. Still, she's kept a diary of royal engagements and appearances, but on Thursday, May 8, the Danish royal family announced Queen Margrethe was admitted to a Copenhagen hospital "for observation" after falling ill with a cold.
As of Friday, May 9, Queen Margrethe is still hospitalized at Rigshospitalet.