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queen margrethe health© Photo: Getty Images

Queen Margrethe's return to royal duties confirmed by palace after back surgery

Queen Margrethe underwent back surgery in February

Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
March 23, 2023
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The Danish palace has confirmed the date that Queen Margrethe will return to her royal duties. 

The monarch, 82, has been recovering since undergoing successful back surgery in February, with her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, acting as her regent. Find out more about other Kings and Queens of Europe in the clip below...

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In a statement, the palace said: "On Sunday 16 April 2023, Her Majesty the Queen turns 83. On that occasion, Her Majesty and the royal family will appear on the balconies of Christian IX's Palace at Amalienborg at 12.00.

"It is expected that the Queen will resume her functions as the country's regent on the same day after her successful back surgery in February. The Queen's rehabilitation is going well, but there will still be a number of major tasks that the Queen cannot complete as planned in the coming months. Information is given about this on an ongoing basis."

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Queen Margrethe surrounded by family at Amalienborg palace, 2018© Photo: Getty Images

The last time Queen Margreteh celebrated her birthday at Amalienborg Palace in 2018

On the day of Queen Margrethe's birthday, the Royal Life Guard will be in red gala uniforms and there will be a ceremony of the changing of the guard in front of the palace.

It will be the first time in five years that the monarch will celebrate her birthday from Amalienborg's balcony. In 2019 and 2022, Her Majesty was staying at Marselisborg Castle in Aarhus, and in 2020 and 2021, the pandemic meant that she celebrated the occasion privately.

Princess Marie and Prince Joachim with their children in 2022© Photo: Getty Images

Joachim and Marie are moving to Washington DC

Details of Queen Margrethe's return to her official duties comes just a week after the Danish palace confirmed a move for her youngest son, Prince Joachim, and his wife, Princess Marie.

The couple are set to move to the US from Paris, where Joachim will "take up a new position under the Ministry of Defense as defense industry attaché at the Danish Embassy in Washington DC, where the Prince, as Denmark's representative, will in the coming years help to strengthen the defense industry cooperation with the USA and Canada".

The prince and princess will be joined in Washington by their two children – Count Henrik, 13, and Countess Athena, 11.

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