Queen Margrethe leaves Greece to go to hospital

Queen Margrethe and Prince Consort Henrik attend the gala in the Presidential Palace in Athens which marked the State Visit.

Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik have ended their fairly low-key State visit to Greece. Instead of continuing a planned private tour in Greece the Queen will cut this short to return to Denmark to have knee replacement surgery at Århus Hospital. Prince Henrik will sail back home with the royal yacht Dannebrog and will visit Corsica on the way. Henrik, Frederik and Joachim will help the Queen as much as possible after her operation, which is scheduled for early next week. Århus Hospital is near the royal residence Marselisborg Palace.

A toast at the gala in the Presidential Palace. The Queen's speech focused on cultural ties between Denmark and Greece.

Queen Margrethe confirmed the knee operation during a press conference yesterday on the royal yacht Dannebrog. This came at the end of the State visit to Greece, a landmark since the thawing of relations between the Danish royals and the Greek government. The specific issue for the Queen had been she did not want to make an official visit to Greece, despite the urgings of various Danish governments over the years, so long as Constantine and her sister Anne-Marie were not allowed to return. However, since Constantine and Anne-Marie have been permitted to travel freely to Greece as private citizens, the impediment for Queen Margrethe to visit no longer existed. According to Queen Margrethe her sister is 'ten years younger' as a result of being able to return to Greece. Berlinske Tidende reports the Queen's speech, given at the gala at the Presidential Palace, focused on cultural ties between Greece and Denmark. Queen Margrethe made no direct reference to Constantine or Anne-Marie in the Palace which was their former home. Berlinske Tidende also reports that at the press conference on board the Dannebrog, Queen Margrethe said how pleased she is her sister and brother-in-law are now allowed to travel to Greece as private citizens.


Queen of Denmark Margarethe II attends the opening of the Danish Cinema for Children festival at the 'Athinais' culture center in Athens 25 May 2006.



Denmark's Queen Margrethe II looks at a statue at the Danish Institute in Athens 25 May 2006.




Denmark's Queen Margrethe II stands next to an object at "Use it!" exhibition held in Athens' Megaron Plus hall on Thursday, May 25, 2006.




Queen of Denmark Margrethe II is escorted by Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis while leaving the prime minister's office in Athens 25 May 2006.




Queen Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik of Denmark give a press conference on the Danish Royal yacht Dannebrog 25 May 2006, in Athens.




Queen Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik of Denmark look at the Saronic Gulf from the bridge of the Danish Royal yacht Dannebrog 25 May 2006, in Athens.


B.T. 'Queen to have knee operation' (in Danish)
TV 2 'The Queen to have a new knee' (in Danish)
B.T. 'Queen pleased: my sister is ten years younger' (in Danish)
Hello! magazine 'Margrethe savours Greece's charms' (in English)

From The Copenhagen Post:

Queen due for new knee
26.05.2006

Denmark's Queen Margrethe II will undergo a knee transplant operation to help her ease the pain of arthritis.
Denmark's reigning monarch, Queen Margrethe II, is to undergo knee replacement surgery early next month, she announced at a press conference in Athens on Thursday.
The Queen, making her first visit to Greece in over four decades, suffers from arthritis, and will become one of the 5000 Danes annually to receive a prosthetic knee.
Despite being forced to curtail her typically hectic summer schedule, Queen Margrethe is predicted to make a full recovery.
'We have good experience with this type of operation, and the patient will regain full mobility afterwards,' said Dr Kim Pagh Sperling, an orthopaedic surgeon.The Copenhagen Post