Denmark's Queen Magrethe has been admitted to hospital after cancelling public engagement due to illness

Former Danish monarch Queen Margrethe, 85, has been forced to pull out of a public engagement due to illness. She was due to take part in celebrations for the 125th anniversary of the Sankt Lukas Foundation in Hellerup, the Foundation provides health and welfare services in Denmark.

It has now emerged that Queen Margrethe has been admitted to hospital and the Danish Palace has revealed in a statement that "As a result of the cold HM Queen Margrethe has contracted, it has been decided that the Queen will be admitted to Rigshospitalet for observation as a precaution."

Danish website The Local reported that The palace said “the Queen was admitted to Rigshospitalet -- Copenhagen's main hospital -- but provided no further information.

“Margrethe, who turned 85 on April 16, was last seen in public on Sunday during a service commemorating the 80th anniversary of Denmark's liberation from Nazi occupation.”

In January 2024, Queen Margrethe abdicated in favour of her eldest son Frederik. She made the announcement on TV in December 2023 and said: "I will leave the throne to my son Crown Prince Frederik.” Queen Margrethe stepped down on January 14, 2024, which was 52 years to the day since she became queen.”

Queen Margrethe decided to abdicate after having surgery on her back in 2023 and said: "The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future - whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation.”

After adding that "I have decided that now is the right time," she thanked the Danish public for their support over the years. Queen Margrethe, who attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, said that she had been influenced by her and reflected "that I must somehow understand that I must dedicate my life to my nation like she has done, and in that way she has been very important to me."

The BBC reported that Queen Margrethe was held in the same regard by the Danish public as Queen Elizabeth II was thought of by the British public and Danish journalist Tine Gotzsche told the BBC that "She is to us what Queen Elizabeth was to you."

When Frederik X became King, King Charles said: “I pay tribute to the many years of service of your mother, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, and remember fondly the frequent visits between our countries, including our visit to Copenhagen and Elsinore in 2012. “