Queen Margrethe, 82, is set to undergo extensive surgery on 22 February to treat a long-term issue with her back, it was confirmed by the Danish royal court. But who will step in for Her Majesty during her hospital stay and subsequent physio?
In the official statement, the royal court spoke about how Queen Margrethe's schedule will be affected by her operation, adding: "This means that Her Majesty's official program in the near future will be postponed, canceled or handled by other members of The Royal Family."
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So, who can represent the monarch at future engagements if required? In most cases, it is Margrethe's eldest son and heir, Crown Prince Frederik, 54, who can act as her regent.
In January, Crown Prince Frederik's wife, Crown Princess Mary, 51, was appointed regent while he and Queen Margrethe were in Greece attending the former king of Greece, Constantine II's funeral.
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© Photo: Getty ImagesCrown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik are likely to represent the Queen
Crown Princess Mary was appointed to Denmark's Council of State in 2019, and was pictured alongside her husband and mother-in-law after signing a declaration.
Queen Margrethe's youngest son, Prince Joachim (who currently resides in Paris with his wife, Princess Marie), and the monarch's sister, Princess Benedikte, can also take on responsibilities.
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Her Majesty's surgery is due to take place just over a week after a poignant anniversary.
The 13th February marked the fifth anniversary of the passing of Queen Margrethe's husband, Prince Henrik, who died at the age of 83 after a short illness.
Margrethe, who is now the longest-ruling female monarch in the world following the sad death of Queen Elizabeth II, presides over a slimmed-down royal family following her decision to remove HRH titles from four of her grandchildren. Announced last year, the change became official at the start of this year.
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