King Frederik traveled to Berleburg, Germany, this weekend to visit family, leaving Queen Mary to serve as Regent in his absence.
While the King’s whereabouts were initially unknown, he was later spotted in a German newspaper alongside his cousin, Gustav Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, his wife Carina Axelsson, and their one-year-old son, Gustav Albrecht.
The photo did not include the little boy’s sister, Princess Mafalda, who was born a few months prior.
This marked the first occasion for Mary to assume her role as Regent since becoming queen at the beginning of the year. The role of Regent involves governing the state when the monarch is unable to fulfill their duties.
In 2019, the Royal House announced that then-Crown Princess Mary had signed a declaration at a Council of State meeting, stating she would act “in conformity with the Constitution in the presence of The Queen, His Royal Highness The Crown Prince, and the government” if she were the most senior royal in the country at that time.
Mary’s special duties came just as her mother-in-law, Queen Margarethe, was released from the hospital. The Queen had been admitted to Rigshospitalet on Wednesday due to a neck injury and a fractured hand sustained from a fall.
In an official statement, the Danish royal family explained: “On Wednesday evening, Queen Margarethe was admitted to hospital after a fall, which unfortunately resulted in injuries to her neck vertebrae and a fracture in her left hand.”
The statement added, “As a result of the fall, her left hand is now in a plaster cast, and the Queen will need to wear a stiff neck collar for the coming months.” Fortunately, it noted that “Queen Margarethe is in good spirits and is doing well under the circumstances, but will be on sick leave for an extended period.”
