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ROYAL FAMILY

Danish queen out of hospital after back surgery

Denmark's Queen Margrethe II was discharged from hospital on Thursday after back surgery last week though a full recovery is expected to last months, the Danish Royal House announced.

Published: 2 March 2023 15:32 CET
Danish queen out of hospital after back surgery
Denmark's Queen Margrethe has been discharged from hospital after recent back surgery. File photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

The 82-year-old, Europe’s longest reigning monarch, underwent a “major” back operation last Wednesday at Rigshospitalet, the country’s largest
hospital.

“The medical team responsible for the operation and the subsequent hospitalisation is satisfied with the process and with The Queen’s condition,”
the court said in a statement.

The Danish monarch is now staying at her palace in Amalienborg and will undergo “a lengthy physical rehabilitation process, which may extend over the
next few months”, the court warned.

Crown Prince Frederik will “continue as regent for the time being.”

The palace had already announced that a number of events in its official programme would be postponed, cancelled or attended by other members of the
royal family as a result of her operation.

The exact nature of the operation has not been specified. The queen had undergone a lumbar canal operation 20 years ago.

The queen, who was widowed in 2018, is extremely popular in Denmark. More than 80 percent of Danes say they support the monarchy, with thousands turning out to celebrate her 50th anniversary on the throne last year.

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WORKING IN SWEDEN

Swedish Royal Guards scrap ceremonial helmets over safety concerns

The King’s mounted Royal Guards will no longer be able to wear their iconic ceremonial helmets on parades, after the Swedish Work Environment Authority warned of serious safety concerns.

Published: 7 July 2023 13:53 CEST
Swedish Royal Guards scrap ceremonial helmets over safety concerns

“We take the safety of our employees extremely seriously and we are going to address this immediately,” colonel Stefan Nacksten, head of the Royal Guards, wrote in a statement. 

Employed by the Armed Forces, the Royal Guards are the King’s cavalry and infantry units and are a well-known sight at ceremonies in Sweden, including at the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace of Stockholm every day in summer – a popular spectacle for Stockholmers and tourists alike.

The helmets will no longer be used by Royal Guards on horseback from July 7th, as they do not conform to safety standards for riding helmets, although guards parading on foot will still be permitted to wear them.

They are part of the 1895 parade uniforms and were last modified in 2000. The Armed Forces will now create an entirely new helmet which looks the part, but is also safe for riding.

“We’re working on finding an alternative solution as quickly as possible which meets safety requirements and can also be used during parades,” Nacksten said.

“We’ve been working long-term with this issue but now that it has been assessed [by the Swedish Work Environment Authority] we need to take measures immediately,” he added.

“This is good, and now we’re working to make sure something good comes out of this and we can get a safe riding helmet for parades in place as soon as possible.”

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