It had recently been announced that her husband Prince Consort Henrik is suffering from dementia.
But continuing to put on a brave face, it was business as usual for Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 77, as she stepped out alongside Queen Sonja of Norway to attend the latter’s International Music Festival held in Copenhagen.
The Danish monarch cut a flamboyant figure for the occasion, wrapping up from the autumn chill in an opulent fur shawl she paired with a silver frock underneath.
Royal affair: Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 77, as she stepped out alongside Queen Sonja of Norway to attend the latter’s International Music Festival held in Copenhagen
Making a glamorous appearance, Queen Margrethe II appeared in high spirits, as she was joined by fellow royalty Queen Sonja.
Queen Sonja, meanwhile, favoured a more muted ensemble that saw her sport a two-tone frock and a tailored embellished blazer jacket on top.
The duo appeared in high spirits as they arrived for the event that takes place every two years. It invites singers from all over the world to take part in a bid to assist the career development of talented young singers.
Queen Margrethe’s appearance in Copenhagen comes after she was recently seen marking the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in her native. Denmark is hosting a series of celebrations this year as a result, with the monarch attending the festivities without her husband.
Brave face: It was business as usual for Queen Margrethe who’s appearance comes after it was recently announced her husband Prince Consort Henrik is suffering from dementia
Head turner: The Danish monarch cut a flamboyant figure for the occasion, wrapping up from the autumn chill in an opulent fur shawl she paired with a silver frock underneath
It was announced in September that Prince Consort Henrik is suffering from dementia. The Danish monarchy had released a statement to address his diagnosis, just weeks after Prince Henrik had said he didn’t want to be buried with his ‘disrespectful’ wife.
The cruel disease is said to have advanced quicker than expected and the 83-year-old’s royal engagements will be downgraded as a result of the diagnosis.
A palace statement read: ‘Following a longer course of investigation, and most recently, a series of examinations conducted during late summer, a team of specialists at Rigshospitalet has now concluded that His Royal Highness Prince Henrik suffers from dementia.
‘The extent of the cognitive failure is, according to Rigshospitalet, greater than expected considering the age of the prince.’
Glamorous: Queen Margrethe II appeared in high spirits, as she was joined by fellow royalty Queen Sonja
Delight: Queen Sonja favoured a more muted ensemble that saw her sport a two-tone frock and a tailored embellished blazer jacket on top
At the beginning of August, Prince Henrik of Denmark accused his wife Queen Margrethe of not showing him the respect ‘a normal wife must give her spouse.’ – because he was never made King.
In an interview with local weekly magazine Se og Hor he has accused the Queen of making a fool of him. In a video on the magazine’s website the prince tries to explain his earlier outburst when he refused to be buried with his wife at Roskilde Cathedral.
He says: ‘It is her that is making a fool of me. I didn’t marry the Queen to be buried at Roskilde.’ The prince adds: ‘My wife has decided that she wants to be Queen, and I’m very happy about that.
‘But as a human being she needs to know that if a man and wife are married, they are equal.’
Long vocal about his frustration over being relegated to a supporting role, Prince Henrik explained in a newspaper interview on August 3 that he was not on equal footing with his wife in life and therefore did not want to be so in death. The palace said that his decision had been accepted by the queen.
Stepping back: It was announced in September that Prince Consort Henrik is suffering from dementia – the disease is said to have advanced quicker than expected and the 83-year-old’s royal engagements will be downgraded as a result of the diagnosis
In Wednesday’s statement, the palace said the prince’s cognitive failure ‘can be accompanied by changes in behaviour, reaction patterns, judgement and emotional life and may therefore also affect the interaction with the outside world’.
As a consequence of the diagnosis, the prince, who retired from public service in January 2016, will ‘further downgrade his future activities, just as patronages and honorary memberships will be considered’. It was not known whether Henrik’s remarks about his burial wishes were affected by the dementia.
Disappointed that his royal title of prince consort was never changed to king when his wife became queen in 1972, Henrik has often spoken out about his discontent, which did little to endear him to his subjects.
Born Henri Marie Jean Andre Count de Laborde de Monpezat on June 11, 1934 in Talence, near Bordeaux, he met Margrethe, then the crown-princess, while he was stationed in London as a diplomat.
Upon marrying her, he changed his name to Henrik, converted from Catholicism to Protestantism and renounced his French citizenship to become a Dane. By the time Margrethe acceded to the throne, the couple had two young children: Prince Frederik, born in 1968, and Joakim, born in 1969.
History: Born Henri Marie Jean Andre Count de Laborde de Monpezat on June 11, 1934 in Talence, near Bordeaux, he met Margrethe, then the crown-princess, while he was stationed in London as a diplomat – they share two children