Queen Margrethe hospitalised for hip blood clot treatment, doctor calls procedure low-risk

Denmark’s Queen Margrethe has been admitted to Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen for a second time this month to undergo treatment for a significant blood clot in her hip region, caused by a previous fall, state broadcaster DR reports.

The procedure, described by Crown Princess Mary as a “minor intervention,” involves removing the clot and sealing the affected blood vessel. DR’s medical correspondent Peter Qvortrup Geisling confirmed the treatment carries minimal risk, stating it was “not a major operation” but rather a routine measure for post-fall complications.

“When you suffer a fall, a nearby blood vessel can rupture, causing blood to slowly pool,” Geisling explained. “Sometimes it’s painful, sometimes not—it varies.” He noted that such clots can either be left to resolve naturally, if the body encapsulates them, or surgically drained if necessary.

The palace issued a statement saying the queen was “in good spirits under the circumstances” following the procedure, which required a CT scan to locate the clot. She is expected to remain hospitalised for several days.

This marks the queen’s fifth hospitalisation since 2023, including a 2.5-month recovery from major back surgery in early 2023, a 2024 fall at Fredensborg Palace, a 2025 respiratory infection, and a May 14 admission for angina—treated with an angioplasty—from which she was discharged after five days.

The announcement coincided with the Royal Run event, where the royal family participated in public races across Danish cities. DR’s royal editor Karen Lerbech observed that the family’s attendance signalled the queen’s condition was stable enough for them to proceed as planned.