The sovereign, who caused a scandal after stripping four of her grandchildren of their title, transferred her powers to her son after undergoing major surgery.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has temporarily transferred her powers to her son, Prince Frederik, after undergoing “a major operation” to cure his back problems, the royal palace announced this week.
The 82-year-old sovereign, who is the oldest monarch in Europe, and the only queen still in power in the world, is in “good health”, but must remain for the time being at Rigshospitalet hospital in Copenhagen.
Official trip
His son Frederik, 54, was appointed regent on Thursday. With his wife, Mary, he must go on an official trip to India on February 25. During her absence, Princess Benedikte, 78, the queen’s sister, will be the regent.
Margrethe II caused a scandal last September after stripping four of her grandchildren of their title in order to free them from the shackles of the monarchy. She apologized for her gesture:
“I underestimated how much it could affect my youngest son and his family. It caused a lot of turmoil, and I’m sorry about that,” she explained.